Los Revolucionarios / Myteri split LP
Is it just me, or are there more split records being released for the past few years? I have always enjoyed this old school format that reached its apex during the ’90s, especially when the pairing makes sense (geographically, stylistically, or thematically, pick your favourite adverb). The curation here clearly lies on the stylistic side of things: this is a neocrust tag-team. MYTERI is from Göteborg, Sweden, while LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS are from Saltillo, Mexico. Had this LP been released in 2005, at the peak of the trend and back when hair loss was still an abstraction, I would undeniably have overplayed it, but how does it fare twenty years later, now that I am more jaded? Both bands have been going for more than ten years each, so it is fair to say that not only do they enjoy what they do, but that they do it very well. MYTERI has that distinct thick, metallic Swedish sound and is certainly impactful, but the almost constant melodic epic guitar leads feel a bit exhausting. Bands like EKKAIA come to mind, but MYTERI is more straightforward, keeping the classic heavy käng pace with harsh vocals, not unlike SKITSYSTEM, I guess. Well done, but would primarily appeal to the most loyal neocrust fans. On the other side, LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS are not as slickly produced and also revolve around the neocrust galaxy, but display more tricks than their Scandinavian brothers. The ’00s vibe is massive here, and I am reminded of bands like ETACARINAE or ANTIMASTER or maybe even AMBULANCE, and, again, EKKAIA (arguably the masters of the genre). A fine work all in all that will come highly recommendable to the neocrust faithful.