(Brutal Death, Grindcore) Machetazo - Mundo Cripta - 2008, FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Machetazo were formed in La Coruña, Spain in 1994 as a side project of two other death metal bands from the area. Initially, they were more noisecore-oriented than grindcore. They recorded two demos, 46 Cabezas Aplastadas por un Yunque Oxidado in 1995, and Realmente Disfruto Comiendo Cadáveres in 1997. The latter was an international underground success, and in 1999 was remastered by the American label Fudgeworthy Records.
At this point Machetazo stopped being a side project and became a band in its own right, although line-up problems forced them to conntinue with only two members. They recorded their first album Carne de Cementerio in 1999, which was released by Razorback Records. After this they released numerous split singles. With Dopi as the sole surviving original member together with the new guitarist Rober, Machetazo recorded their second full length, Trono de Huesos (2002). In this work the band gives tribute to the seminal grind sound in a work in the vein of bands like Carcass or Repulsion. After the recording of Trono de Huesos Machetazo created a more stable line-up, that still exists today: Dopi (drums and vocals); Carlos "Cadaver" (bass and vocals); and Rober (guitar).
After testing this line-up with two singles, Machetazo released their third full length in 2005, Sinfonías del Terror Ciego, a concept album about the Spanish film maker Amando de Ossorio. This record brought them to a wider audience than ever before and 2006 was a year of intense touring and projects. They released a split single with Total Fucking Destruction on the American label Relapse in 2006. In late 2008, Carlos Cadaver left the band. Santi from the grindcore band Nashgul, is now the new bass player.

So, No Escape Records have made yet another marvelous decision to add Machetazo to their roster, with the Australasian re-release of the band’s latest fullength. And we all know and love this Spanish three-piece, don’t we. Mixing the typical South American/south European styled goregrind (thinking of acts like Tu Carne, Bowel Stew and Mixomatosis) with the old school death metal sound of Nihilist, Grave and the likes, with the most important infusion of the classic gored death of Repulsion and Autopsy. A lot of name-dropping, but it’s the easiest way to describe their sound. But they throw in so much more. Take for instance "El wendigo", which has such a wicked old school thrash feel to it. "Muerte helada" brings a strong vibe of the old Napalm Death sound, just as "Alucinaciones blasfemas" feels very typically Swedish with a Nasum touch to parts of the riffing. Sounds like a complete mess? Well, don’t worry, it’s definitely not.
What these lads so skillfully do is raise the banner of old school death metal and drench it in old school gore. It all reeks of days of yore. Everything from the gurgling growls to the rumble of the guitars is a hail to the predecessors of the style. Sound-wise it’s cleaner than their previous outputs and packs a much greater punch. It doesn’t sound polished, so they haven’t lost the rough edge, it’s just an improvement in sound quality. The riffing can be very interesting, like for instance in "Delirio en el pozo de excrementos" where it really pushes the music forward. Or take for instance "Totem (de restos humanos)" where the bass steals the entire show with some extremely cool riffs and burly sound. And the vocals are just spectacular, fitting the concept perfectly with semi-gurgled growls and raspy screams. There’s not a bad thing about this album (well, except that I don’t speak Spanish and haven’t really got a clue what their on about) since the drumming is just as top-notch as the rest of the record. Ace.
- phuling, february 18th, 2009, mylastchapter.net
If Machetazo have a reputation it’s because they deserve it. I have followed them for nine years now, and as their career developed, my admiration to these underground anti-heroes grew with it. At this point, they are not going to invent anything, but they don’t need to. You don’t need to pretend when you are a true old school underground survivor. To date, my favourite releases from the A Coruña trio were the hate driven “Trono de Huesos” full length, the putrid “Horror Grind” EP, and the massive and distorted “Ultratumba” compilation. How could they do better than that? Well, Machetazo are not innovating, but as nonconformists, they are always looking forward. The last time I saw them live (September 2007), they were a complete blast. Then, they were at the first stages of the recording of this “Mundo Cripta” and drummer Dopi was promising an album which was going to reduce their previous work to mere demos… When I first listened to “Mundo Cripta”, almost a year later, I discovered Machetazo had succeeded again!
“Mundo Cripta” is a gravely sick descend to the depths of an underground hellish catacomb, with the massive production every death metal band is dying for. The sound engineer Gonso Pedrido (an old friend of the band since the noisecore demos era) has contributed to the creation of a wall of noise that sounds completely thick and professional, with special emphasis on vocals and guitars. Anyway, the plus point resides in the extreme musicianship of the trio: old school skilled blast beat drumming technique, piercing motherfucker guitar riffs, and an evil mixture of clean slapped with distorted bass. The vocals oscillate from the purulent growls of Carlos Cadaver to the insanely abrasive screams of Dopi (featuring lyrics for the first time in Machetazo’ career, although they are not printed in the booklet). Alonso Urbanos, responsible of the dark noise project Scumearth, provides some ominous and oppressive noise intros, which made the full album sound as a continuous blasphemy with horror-grind intensity.
“Mundo Cripta” features no filler tracks at all, only the true essence of a composition method based on negativity, darkness and anger, distilled into a decadent grindcore sense of horror. "Mundo Cripta" starts with the thrashy intro-track "Exorcismo", crowded with some genuine tortured screams. After that, the record gets ferocious, vicious and relentless to death: "Muerte Helada" and "Alucinaciones Blasfemas" are persistent speeded up tracks, and "Mortífero Ente Demoníaco", is a true galloping semi-crust grind epic. "Atormentado por bestias resucitadas" has the most repulsive and horrifying intro I have listened in years, and it's a track which persists in switching from galloping crust to demented grindcore, with the crushing ultra-depth vocals of Carlos Cadaver. Then it comes the obsessive guitar riffage of "Altares de lo macabro" which also features some depth growls and a killer double bass drum section. "El Wendigo" features a creepy grindcore messy guitar riff, the same as "Fiebres de la Peste", cropped with rhythm and section changes. In the tracks "Descenso al sótano de la morbosidad" and "Totem (de restos humanos)" Machetazo made their classical sludge-crust mid tempo thing, in the vein of their previous "Cripta" or "Catalepsia". So, while another current bands are ridiculous in their attempt of sounding extreme, Machetazo demonstrate how they can play the fastest and the slowest without loosing their tradition and personality.
"Éxtasis Nauseabundo" it's more galloping grind, with the contrast of the two vocalists. "Delirio en el Pozo de Excrementos" is a personal favourite of mine, and I am sure an unavoidable track on the new Machetazo live set list: madly intense, concentrated and powerful; Machetazo in their fucking best! Also, the intro/outro features an ambient track by Alonso Urbanos which really evocates some deep infernal bowel movements (I am not joking!). "Tu Piel Se Pudre y Cae" is pure horror grind with the typical Machetazo rapid morbid outlaw melodies. The album comes to its end with "Los Cuentos del Muñón Gangrenoso V (Credo In Extremis)" a noise-ambient track with a possessed’ monologue which is the huge last blaspheme in the album. All the aspects of "Mundo Cripta" work as a unit: the tracks, the sound, the intros/outros and the hellish graphic artwork of Nor Venagruesa, the Derek Riggs of Machetazo. I do not give them the maximum punctuation just because they have not featured the Eterno Muñon Gangrenoso monologue this time (the fuckers, hehe). Anyway, go and get this twisted and evil magnificent grindcore assault by Machetazo.
- rivers, december 3rd, 2008, encyclopaedia metallum
There is a much overlooked death grind scene that has flourished in Spain for the last twenty years or so and Machetazo is by many, considered the leader of this movement. With a sound that draws strong influence from Enslavement era Napalm Death and Autopsy, this band is unmistakable with their affinity for Amando de Ossorio horror themes, intense rhythms and a dedicated following within the peninsula. Mundo Cripta is the long-awaited fourth full-length from the grind trio.
The palpability of pure horror and slaughters is felt right away with Exorcismo. By the way, one refreshing aspect about this band is that they have no preconceived notions about song titles and lyrics. Almost all of their titles are in Castilian and there are no actual lyrics. The whole of the band’s filthy sound conveys itself with simple, down-tuned riffs and guttural vocals reminding of destruction and obliteration. That is what death grind is all about and Machetazo have stamped their bloody reputation on it.
After Exorcismo, the next track moves right along in dealing out the carnage. It’s all in the grind and the trick to playing great grind is to maintain a consistent, pummeling speed throughout with just the right variance and regurgitation to depict butchery and blood letting without sounding like every other band of this ilk. Muerte Helada, the next song, confirmed my confidence that Machetazo would deliver the promise of true grind and genuine terror.
Alucinaciones Blasfemas has a title that though you may not know exactly what it means, you know it means what it sounds: Butchery and bedlam through speed. There is some Alters of Madness inspiration to be found on this track. You will notice this especially during the first forty-five seconds or so with that mainline riff and Pete Sandoval like skinning. Mortífero Ente Demoníaco is a lightning fast death clinic with a rawness that always catches my attention. This is in no small part due to the depth of bass player Carlos Cadáver.
Machetazo don’t play old school death. They are old school. So many death metal bands throw that term out there without really knowing what that engenders. When I heard Altares de lo Macabro, I was confirmed of this. It’s probably one of the most technical songs on here with its concise timing and repetition but the execution is pure Repulsion style grind of yore.
The drumming and vocals done by José “Dopi” Dopico are what stands out most throughout the play. His style is such that it brings a good thrash quality to the proceedings. Éxtasis Nauseabundo in particular displays a steady diet of strikes of profound awesomeness. The attack is again brought to full force at Totem (De Restos Humanos) which cemented my opinion that Dopi is one of the underrated drummers in death metal. In other words, the track listing is built to encircle you with cutting befoulment.
With Mundo Cripta, Machetazo have punctuated aplomb for the underground. Many others (mostly in America) are still listening to the more well known death metal bands but this one is here to stay for those who want to hear the grit of the grind. Your blood will clot in clumps after you listen to this. The sound of wicked brutality and gore is what fans of this genre want. Grind is not dead, it is festering and Machetazo are the keepers of the crypt.
~ marktheviktor, october 8th, 2008, encyclopaedia metallum
Испанский коллектив Machetazo не новичок на европейской неформатной сцене. В 1994-м это был сугубо испанский локальный акт, один из первых в Испании. И прошло немалое время, прежде чем о Machetazo заговорили. Было испанцам довольно тяжко - по их собственному утверждению, приходилось постоянно идти против течения, чтобы сохранить своё лицо в затхлой волне мейнстрима. "Диссидентское, холодное отношение к действительности - ключ нашего выживания", - отмечают участники проекта.
Шесть лет Machetazo выпускали демо-релизы и участвовали в записи сплит-проектов, пока, наконец, в 2000 году не вышел долгожданный дебютник "Carne de Cementerio". Затхлая и сырая кровавая смесь death metal и grindcore от испанцев была тепло принята. А Machetazo были вознаграждены за все свои старания и целеустремлённость. Выпуск сплитов и мини-альбомов никогда не прекращался, свидетельствуя о постоянной бодрости и боеспособности проекта. К моменту выхода "Mundo Cripta" испанцы выпустили на североамериканском лэйбле Razorback помимо дебютника ещё две полноформатных работы - "Trono de Huesos" (2002) и "Sinfonias Del Terror Ciego" (2005), после чего отношения с лейблом испортились и Machetazo перешли на Throne Records.
Испанцы не только объездили вдоль и поперёк всю Испанию, но и на протяжении 15 лет принимали участие в многочисленных турах и фестивалях по всей Европе, сделали тур по восточному побережью США. Выступая преимущественно в маленьких залах, Machetazo не раз отмечали, что в них им комфортнее. Есть ещё один показатель популярности в андеграунде - насколько группа цитируема. То, что композиции испанского проекта всё чаще становились темой для каверов других уважаемых коллективов - лишнее свидетельство достигнутого статуса Machetazo.
Интересно, что испанцы до выхода "Mundo Cripta" не утруждали себя написанием текстов. Подобное "новшество" появилось лишь на обозреваемой работе. Помимо, собственно, самих текстов, очевидной новинкой альбома является чистота его звучания. Обязательная на протяжении всего творчества Machetazo грязь и нарочитая небрежность звука ушла в прошлое, обнажив недюжинную технику и композиторские способности участников проекта. Материал привычно акцентирован где-то на грани между gore grindcore и death metal, а точнее его можно было бы определить как gore death/grind.
Знаете, я с достаточным подозрением отношусь в последнее время к составам этого столь уважаемого в недавнем прошлом направления, потому что его не минула печальная участь коммерциализации, и он стал огорчать обилием пустых и трендовых проектов. Однако за Machetazo можно не беспокоиться - при всей чистоте звучания и грамотном мастеринге материал "Mundo cripta" начисто лишён коммерции и каких-либо трендовых заигрываний. Подобно своим коллегам и друзьям из Abscess, лидер которых Крис Рейферт (Chris Reifert) рисовал неплохие обложки для релизов Machetazo, испанцы выдали едкую некоммерческую смесь из кровавого death metal и сумасшедшего grindcore. Ассоциации с Abscess при прослушивании возникают вполне определённые, хотя вторичностью и заимствованиями не пахнет - Machetazo слушаются достаточно оригинально. Старая добрая классическая форма симбиоза death/grind блещет на "Mundo cripta" свежестью и актуальностью.
Испанская лирика звучит очень колоритно. Поверьте, язык наполнен драйвом не меньше английского, в чём мы могли убедиться по работам Corrupted и Brujeria. Обрызганные кровью зомби на обложке не оставляют сомнения в тематике текстов. Все треки покрыты слоем кровавой грязи, но не настолько они грязные, чтобы именоваться bullshit. Треки короткие, но не настолько, чтобы у них не было возможности развиться, донести какую-то очередную кровавую идею до слушателя и запомниться, насколько это позволяют узкие рамки жанра. Сказать, что Machetazo играют что-то ослепительно оригинальное, было бы преувеличением, но как же всё-таки легко и интересно слушается незатейливый материал "Mundo Cripta"!
Риффы гитариста Робера Бустабада (Rober Bustabad) больны и просты, а тон его гитары позитивно омерзителен. В комбинации с чёткими басовыми партиями Санти (Santi; бас) они размалывают череп слушателя, словно молот. Допи (Jose "Dopi" Dopico; ударные, вокал) не только поддерживает эту сумасшедшую вакханалию уверенными и разнообразными ударными партиями, но и дополняет её своим хрипящим утробным рёвом. В общем, всё, как полагается, и поклонники жанра останутся в восторге, потому что "Mundo Сripta" - это действительно очень хорошая работа.
~ chill, 11 октября 2009 г., neformat.com.ua

Rober - guitars
Carlos Cadaver - bass, vocals
Dopi - drums, vocals