Another album that opens with an interesting instrumental and then tears right into some melodic hardcore. The vocals are a little more higher-pitched than I would have expected and there are some interesting chord changes here and there, and just when I think a song might be running the risk of becoming too long…it’s over. They even managed to slide in a couple more instrumentals and a grindcore-ish song and it all flows really well. Well done!
Hailing from Barcelona, BAIT’s debut full-length is a slab of angry, stomping hardcore punk. Jam-packed with riffs and aggression, it’s meat-and-potatoes hardcore, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. If you’re a fan of that sound, you could certainly do a lot worse. Good stuff.
This is a reissue of the last album by this Barcelona punk band, originally released in 1997. Formed towards the end of the ’80s, MISERIA Y KOMPAÑÍA created a body of work that is already considered a classic among Spanish punk connoisseurs. I suggest you listen to their fierce 1989 demo called …Y En Un Mal Día, and also give their split with SPATEK a chance. Unlike their early work, which had a more lo-fi and frankly brutal intensity, Mundo Muerto has better production values and more inventive arrangements that give it a very interesting creative variety and make those blastbeats harder. There is also a more marked melodic turn and even forays into ska. If you like Latin American punk, MISERIA Y KOMPAÑÍA is a band that definitely influenced the sound of that region, and this final album is a good entry point to their work.
NAFRA, the Catalonian powerhouse, is back after their excellent self-titled album released last year. Nine songs of fast-paced, high-energy and uplifting hardcore punk that will put a smile on your broken mug and make you take on the streets. Also, you can’t go wrong with VARUKERS and R.I.P. covers.
Catalunyan hardcore punks NAFRA’s new album A Mort is a wild ride that’s giving me all the right vibes. These Spanish punks have really nailed their sound with this fourth release, blending the raw energy of hardcore with sharp vocals that bite the hand that feeds and leave it bleeding. The tracks are fast-paced and unapologetic, making it impossible not to nod your head or mosh along, and it’s clear as day that they’ve poured their heart into this release. Extra points for the Catalan DISCHARGE cover “No Escoltis, No Miris, No Parlis” (“Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing”). If you’re on the lookout for something fierce, A Mort is worth the spin!
PIORREAH! was a Spanish band in the mid-’80s, and I believe this album compiles their complete recorded output. Playing in a classic, amateurish punk style, these dudes have the vibe of “local favorites,” somehow reminding me of the shows I used to go see at rec centers and the YMCA during high school. They sprinkle in ska bits more and more as the record goes on, lending further credibility to my “these guys sound kinda like the bands my friends used to make in the ’90s” evaluation. I can picture some Barcelona boomer stumbling across this collection and being super stoked to revisit the sounds of his youth.
“Melodic skate punk” from Spain. Fast, kinda dark, poppy. The more I listened to this the more it felt like a Spanish version of the LILLINGTONS. The singer’s voice is a bit more high-pitched and the production isn’t as polished, but you’d be hard pressed to think of anything different.
Angry Barcelonians VENENO let lose their fast, high-energy hardcore LP HerejÁa and if you know any Castilian, you can tell by the title that they really appreciate their HERESY—this is totally the case, as they pay homage to the fast hardcore sound that VOID paved the way for. Singing in Castilian only adds fuel to the fire, as you can feel the rage that comes through their politically-fueled lyrics that deal with society and the scene itself. The members are busy with other bands like ARREST, CRUZ, and PELIGRO! but have the skills and dedication to sound super tight in VENENO. This is a record that makes you feel young, like when you wanted to skate down the street while spray painting “ACAB” on cop cars.
