ALBUM REVIEW: Sacrificio – Criminal
If thrash is inherently the most political of all the sub-genres of metal, then long standing Chilean thrash outfit CRIMINAL‘s new record, Sacrificio, is a rallying cry from the trenches of the genre. The record comes on the heels of some of the greatest political and societal upheaval in Chile’s modern history. After protests, arrests, and death on a wide scale, its no wonder the vitriol of this album is a palpable taste on the tongue. This is a record that embodies everything that thrash, and quite frankly, metal, represents. It’s a line in the sand against those who dictate their will upon the powerless, spitting in the face of farcical explanations of “law and order” while ordinary citizens are held at gunpoint or the end of a nightstick. It’s an excellent thrash record full of fury and a welcome sense of groove, and it immediately calls to mind the classic years of fellow South American thrash heroes SEPULTURA, but with a more straightforward and head down approach that is no less potent.
Rightfully so, the first standout has to go to vocalist/guitarist Anton Reisenegger. His throaty scream seethes and roars with a depth that certainly is Cavalera-esque, but with more of a sense of length and tension to it, at times calling to mind someone like Joe Duplantier of GOJIRA. It absolutely fits the tone of the record and is the voice of righteous rage the record needs to succeed in its potency. The mixing on the record is also suitably crunchy, with riffs coming thick and loud from the guitar. Special attention was also paid to the percussion, which can often get lost in the mix or overpower it all together on thrash records, thankfully neither of which is the case here.
Opening track Live On Your Knees is a no frills frontal assault with a classic thrash feel but some nice riff variation towards its conclusion. Following track Caged is a standout, with reflex inducing staccato riffing and a gradual rise in intensity from start to finish. This is where the band begins to introduce a definite sense of groove and bounce underneath the thrash thanks to the rhythm section courtesy of bassist Danny Biggin and drummer Danilo Estrella, as well as the vocal percussiveness of Reisenegger. Lead guitarist Sergio Klein gets his opportunity to really shine on The Whale, with its spindly and winding opening riff and absolutely ripping solo. The intensity continues to grow from track to track, like a mirror to the Chilean populace ready to explode amidst mounting injustice. The thrash continues to coalesce and solidify even further.
Zona De Sacrificio is a powerful track, with its GOJIRA-like opening and absolute rage coming from all sides. It’s at this point the massive weight of the record comes into full focus. There is something especially powerful about hearing tracks like this one and Sistema Criminal in the band’s native Spanish while considering the subject matter at hand. It’s a moving anger that hits the bullseye musically and thematically.
From this point, the record stays solid, but the next few tracks do start to blend just a bit. The galloping riff of After Me, The Flood contrasts well with its slow, driving breakdown, and Dark Horse, Theocrazy and Zealots are among the most blistering of the tracks, with frantic blast beats and even the insertion of a political speech to underscore what’s really going on here beneath all the music. Again, this is all straightforward and solid stuff, but it’s the end of the record that packs the biggest punch.
Hunter And The Prey has groovy riff mix ups that add a deal of dimension to the track which is already a huge head nodder. The vocals on this track are some of the best on the record and the ending is a pure explosion of force. But the biggest ass kicker is saved for last – Ego Killer. With more GOJIRA-esque riffing, this song is like an adrenaline shot to the heart of every mosher that lays ears on it. Its jittering chug and arpeggiating solo will have hair whipping, and as the slow march of the snare builds to the final chorus, the record ends with a huge breathless bang.
CRIMINAL‘s Sacrificio would be near essential listening already due to its context and subject matter, but its wildly successful and varied execution of modern thrash only add to the reasons to listen. It’s all the fun any metalhead could want but it goes far deeper. This is what metal was made to do, raise hell for those in power and have fun doing it.
Rating: 8/10
Sacrificio is set for release on September 17th via Metal Blade Records.
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