Knowing the correct way around the Mexican language in Los Angeles is almost a crucial element for success in business growth, ideally bridging the cultural gap as well. In the world of Heavy Metal of the City of Angels, there is an extra special Deathgrind band that has been around for nearly three decades by the name of Brujeria. The Spanish word for witchcraft, it is a topic sung in either slang or actual Spanish language mentioned in their music, bringing some cultural humor mixed with crime, drugs, and politics to the table in the most un-politically correct way, only leading to maddening success of such a band of bandits. That said, while Brujeria has remained active since their 1989 origin, they had not produced a full-length studio album in the last sixteen years, that was until their most recent effort, Pocho Aztlan. Released on September 16, 2016 via Nuclear Blast, the concept of this album is the idea of being of mixed race stuck between two worlds, not quite finding a home in either, and while most of the concepts are actually based in facts, these are exaggerated or sarcastic depictions.
To start, Pocho Aztlan translates to “Wasted Promise Land” in which Aztlan is basically a slang term for the fabled land where Aztecs came from. Pocho is a not so welcoming term for half Mexicans born in the United States. Although Fear Factory’s Dino Cazares was an original member of this group, who performed under a pseudonym, as all the players do to create more of a fantastical world and to help hide their identities, Pocho Aztlan was created without him. There are seven active members in Brujeria and nine of them contributed to this album as their character names, including Juan Brujo (vocals), Pinche Peach (vocals and samples), Fantasma (vocals and bass), Hongo (guitars and drum programming), Hongo Jr. (drums), El Cynico (bass, guitars, and vocals), A Kuerno (guitars), Pititis (female vocals), as well as Sangron and Guero III (back up vocals). Part of the charm of Brujeria is not knowing who they are in real life, and with the early formation of the band coming at a time when chaos was brewing due to the Rodney King riots, they have that power to enlighten on a grim situation.
Opening with the title-track, it sets up with an opening chant and whistle that depicts a vision of the old Aztec land in the listener’s head. Then it becomes almost as if a soldier march is in effect with the Death and Grindcore grooves and it is all about crossing borders. Going into “No Aceptan Imitaciones,” the album travels to the territory of imitators who are not wanted and the powerful grind continues on as the ending leaves the audience with a sinister cackle. Another accoutrement this band entertains listeners with would be the Satanic elements which appear in “Profecia Del Anticristo” or “Prophecy Of The Antichrist” as it is called in English.
Moving on, the female vocalist’s news clip intro on “Plata O Plomo'” is hilarious in a Horror film head-chopped-off scene sort of way as it talks about drug trafficking to the United States and murder. It definitely is top contender for a favorite off the album, but there is a definite progression of a concept which allows listening to Pocho Aztlan as a whole in the order it was intended to serve as a great benefit. With that, the riffage and drumming becomes more badass as well as brutal, and with the lucky number of thirteen songs in total, it is imagined what is coming next will be far from a siesta.
Picture Pablo Escobar trying to steal drugs from Cheech and Chong in a ridiculous border crossing chase. This is the perfect vision created by the way of Brujeria sounds, especially on this album. For example, “Satongo” is a witty song about a mythical beast encounter with a Chupacabra, which then directly leads into “Island De La Fantasia,” which totally mocks the dwarf in the TV show Fantasy Island. How a band can make a Deathgrind song out of Fantasy Island is beyond comprehension, yet it is apparent and appropriately done.
Deeper into the planet of the death-grinding jokesters, they concoct a brutal love/hate ballad that has no ballad elements at all with “Bruja.” That in mind, the writing process of Pocho Aztlan is perhaps the most intriguing element, as the lyrics are blunt, obvious, and bold, yet they are in Spanish. Somehow, in the Grindcore vocal style, this assists in helping add more depth than a rant about Mexico winning or not winning the Olympics, or a political rant about being left debilitated by another moron.
Second runner up in the department of witty would be “Culpan La Mujer,” which translates into “They Blame the Woman,” which is all about the religious view that when life goes wrong God is to blame, and of course God was a man, so now it is time to turn the tables. Finally, after “Debilador,” listeners are left truly debilitated by its heavy, dark, manly Deathgrind mash up of awesome vulgarity before the arrival at song thirteen, “California Uber Aztlan.” A Dead Kennedy’s cover, it is a story that depicts the border cross struggle and how, when times get tough, they flee to Tijuana and end up in nothing but drug lord trouble.
As a whole, Pocho Aztlan is probably about seventy-five percent good for the vocal, lyrical, and conceptual qualities while twenty-five percent of its success lies in the riffage and drumming themselves. This fast and furious ‘grind till you end up in jail’ album is as worthy of mocking and presenting today’s rat race problems as anything out there. CrypticRock gives this album 4 out of 5 stars.
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