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De La Muerte - De La Muerte
| Posted on March 18, 2015 at 12:45 AM |
De La Muerte’s self-titled debut album promises heavy rock and progressive metal in one tasty little parcel, does it? Well they had just over 40 odd minutes to convince me.
Honestly, before this record I had not heard of the band and with very little information on the net I am shooting in the dark a little here. The one repeated piece of information is that the Italian based rockers were so heavy influenced by the Mexican “Nuestra Senora de la Santa Muerte” cult that every one of their 10 “damned stories” contained on the album was inspired by them. Here I select a few.
Their first song Tequila Funeral is definitely a mood setter, with whistling wind and a spaghetti western sound that leads me to half expect a cowboy walking through the door before moving onto an almost fun fair, carousel twinkle of instrumentation. Then some heaviness kicks in with solid drums and whining guitar with an 80’s twist. An entirely instrumental offering that leaves me confused to say the least. Am I going to get serious heavy rock, light-hearted rock with a twist…what? The band's direction so far is unclear.
Fallen Angel follows; right from the off thumping drums, heavy guitar riffage and I love it but wait, what fresh hell is this? The vocals kick in and to say I am disappointed is putting it politely. Sounding like a cross between Bruce Dickinson gargling acid and an opera singer with his head stuck in a fence. The vocals are shocking, just shocking. For me they just do not work in any way.
Silver Bullet again offers a rip roaring start, the drums and guitars are fantastic, grinding loveliness and to begin with the vocals are ok, not mind blowing by any shake. But with a nod to some real talent, backed by the gruff, gravel like shouts for the chorus, this song has promise. When the opera acid gargling is kept to a minimum, I like it. The heavy guitar and drum work do blow me away though, the dirty grinding bass pleases me immensely and then their vocalist does it again; breaking into the fake opera bullshit that quite frankly makes my teeth itch. Just stop man! However to ease the pain a wonderful guitar solo comes in and almost all is forgiven in place of axe twiddly ace-ness.
Desaparecido; another thumping good start to a cracking song here, one that I want to listen to repeatedly, with the chanting chorus, phenomenal axe work and steady drum backing it is well worth a listen. The vocals, yes, they do hit opera like screams at points but he manages to restrain himself well and the song is that much better for it. Definitely one that will have you bopping around the kitchen whilst waiting for the toaster to do its thing.
Die ‘n Roll is then an immediate slap in the face, heavy hard hitting drums and guitar superbness, demonic like chanting to gritty bass and the bizarre rattly sound effect it all works so very well, nodding towards Motorhead heaviness at times before pulling right back to the softer side of rock. And while that is ok, I would have liked to have heard them go hell for leather throughout the entirety of the song.
I’m Not A Legend is up next, hello 80’s soft rock - but it feels at odds with the rest of the album. Although it gets heavier and infinitely more ear pleasing it just doesn’t work, it feels too chaotic, like two songs amalgamated to form the one multi-personality mess. Such a shame; at times I hear glorious glimpses then it has passed and the mundane strikes again.
Sorrow completes the album with a crackly intro before the 70’s groove flecked guitar begins bringing soft and subtle drum work, the “40-a-day- Marlboro- habit” vocals with before the cannons, yes literally, explode leading to the heavy once more. Overall a good way to finish what has been a rollercoaster album.
Elsewhere, Fallen Angel and Silver Bullet are both perfect examples of pure, arse kicking modern (ish), heavy rock and when the egotistical opera bullshit is kept to a minimum they really impress me. Secret Witness has a bad arse groove that sends the odd shiver up the old spine.
They work harmoniously for the most part, and taking a step back here to remember that this is their debut album, they have done well. I am hoping that as they evolve and their music together develops they will perfect their act and delivery and the next album I hear will really knock my socks off, they have the potential to do so for sure.
There is certainly no denying the talent that they all have and the potential that at the minute feels trapped, like a bird in a cage just looking for the opening, once they find it they will soar, of that I am sure.
Words: Kat Hilton
Categories: CD REVIEWS
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