It feels very much like their are new Chilean bands popping up every other day and you will not find us complaining as the country has become a hotbed of exciting new talent, however the album we are reviewing today comes from an outfit who have been around for a while. Bagual, Francisco Yañez (vocals/guitar; Christian Spencer (vocals/guitar); Alejandro Clavijo (drums) and Julián Inostroza (bass), have been roasting ears with their brand of prog laced stoner metal and heavy psych since 2011 and in that time have put out some truly blistering albums the latest of which, "Inhvumar" may well be their best to date.
Title track "Inhvumar"kicks things off, an experimental instrumental piece with a torch-like dynamic that is then followed by "Panteones" a song that showcases the real meat and potatoes of Bagual's sonic attack, its blend of clean and dirty guitar textures, framed by a tight yet fluid rhythm section, is on another level and is further enhanced by vocals (Spanish) that sway between punkish harshness and melodic grittiness. "Volcanes" (featuring the vocals of Emilo Fabar Mella) is up next and the intensity showcased in the previous song drops not one single iota, the guitar work here, and for that matter the whole album, is astounding at times with Yañez and Spencer trading off on licks, solos and riffs with an almost telepathic understanding, the two six-stringers ably supported by Clavijo's impressively industrious drumming and Inostroza's growling low bass lines. For their next song "Monolitos" Bagual take a more stoner(ish) path, the proggish complexities touched on previously not so much jettisoned as side-lined for a more crunchy in your face musical dynamic, a dynamic reflected in its slightly more aggressive throaty vocals. Its back into experimental waters for "Recitativo", with Gregorian like harmonies chanted over a backdrop of drones and spacious eerie ambience which then makes way for "Cenizas" a full on stoner metal assault on the senses interrupted by a brief passage of post-rock languidity. Penultimate number "Peregrinos" sees Bagual cleaning up the vocal attack slightly but not the filthiness of their musical attack which apart from another brief lapse into the post-rock arena is again aggressive and full on. Final track " Oubaitori" is a prog-metal tour-de force that features Marcela Villarroel guesting on lead vocals, the songs undulating mix of Latin flavoured vocal meters and heavy stoner prog grooves serving as a fitting, and surprisingly accessible, finale to a strong and powerful album.
Thrumming refrains, thunderous rhythms and powerfully delivered vocals offset with moments of spacious post-rock and heavy psych atmospherics is what you get with Bagual's "Inhvmar" and what you get is what you will want more of after hearing this brain-frying opus.
Check it out ...
No comments:
Post a Comment