Listening to this album for the first time, something struck me as different.
Ill Niño have married Nu-metal, thrash and salsa! The band pulls this off in a remarkable way, making it sound natural, and it is only when you start to really listen closely that you will discover a whole different side to the album.
The music is aggressive, yet highly melodic and quite complex. Everything from acoustic guitars, tribal-like percussion and keyboards through the traditional heavy guitar riffs is thrown into the mix, resulting in a challenging sound with several layers. Frontman Christian Macado delivers the critical lyrics with a strong empathy. I'm not the biggest fan of hardcore screaming- or growl-type vocals but Christian takes a varied middle path where he often hints at both these vocal types, but effectively uses them to add strong emotion to the music, underlining the lyrics, while singing in a "normal" voice much of the time.
Without giving too much away I will say that the rythm section is highly interesting. The musicianship is impressive and very tight all around.
The songs are filled with a mix of English and what I believe is Spanish lyrics. The way the two languages have been mixed together works superbly and the lyrics are always translated in the booklet so no meaning is lost. The language switch gives the songs a special atmosphere and feels very much in tune with the music. Lyrically the album is critical, angry and filled with melancholy. Just like the music.
This is War &
My Ressurection attack your stereo with an arsenal of rage and energy. If you're not used to this kind of music then don't let these first two waves of aggression scare you away. From here on the album takes a more melodic path, but still with plenty of belligerent explosions.
Besides adding keyboards to the mix
What You Deserve also brings a strong memorable chorus and turns the album on a more melodic mission.
Turns To Gray is a brilliant song. The verse sets the mood, the bridge builds up tension and in the chorus releases everything with a fierce determination.
De La Vida showcases the latin inspirations very well and
La Liberation Of Our Awakening puts heaviness and critical lyrics in the center.
All I Ask For is very melodic with an extremely catchy chorus but in the end it lacks a bit of variation.
The grooving
Corazon Of Mine has some of my favorite lyrics of the album,
Everything Beautiful a sing a long chorus and
My Pleasant Torture is the closest the album comes to a ballad.
Barely Breathing gives you a minute to suck in your breath in before
Violent Saint bellyflops it out of you again. This final salvo hits near enough to the mark to make a satisfying end to the album.
One Nation Underground doesn't need to fight long or hard for its ground, it simply conquers it with a undeniable force of agression, melody and rythm. The album comes very close to being an completely outstanding achivement. Give it a listen, and then another before you make up your mind.
Written by
Steen Monday, February 6, 2006
Show all reviews by SteenRatingsSteen: 7.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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