Album Review: Holocausto - Campo De Exterminio

Holocausto - Campo De Exterminio

Cogumelo Records - 1987

8/10

In a time when Brazil was starting to see a light of hope following 21 long years of military dictatorship, the New Republic would become one of the more prominent areas for extreme metal to grow. Sepultura always comes to mind first, but the scene was seemingly growing quicker within its borders than some of its contemporaries as a whole. Holocausto would emerge right around the same time, cooking up a very similar formula. While the band's later output was actually the first thing to turn me onto them, I recently discovered in my searches that they'd put out several records over the decades. Diario De Guerra from 2019 really didn't impress me, but I certainly found a little more in 1987's Campo De Exterminio.

At first glance, one might be suspicious of the rough and blunt subject matter. Given the recent history of the nation at the time, perhaps writing about a different and more infamous dictatorship from a generation prior was a way of coping, and the deadly and monstrous attitude certainly comes through. You'll find that much of this, however, focuses on the grander concept of war and the struggle and misery that sometimes comes with. Primarily, this release is centered on the rough and rigid blackened thrash sound that was emerging around the time. Hornet-esque riffs emulating a burning sting with their production and breakneck speeds pair well with the drum clangs bouncing around the swampy atmosphere. To add angst to anger, much of the vocals take on a pain-induced, incomprehensible tone that really comes close to death metal territory, a brand new thing at the time.

Harsh outbursts like this with the music wonderfully paint the desired picture in the mind. I'll point out that what helps this disc stand out is not the songwriting itself, as I'd be a liar. Rather, Holocausto's ability to capture such a precise feeling for a precise mood in what otherwise feels like a noisy mess of extreme metal is what sells it; one doesn't need to know Portuguese to get the picture in their head (if the album art doesn't do that already). I do dig some of the energy channeled in specific songs, like the slow drag into a sea of chaos on "Regimento De Morte," especially with its hidden, power-stance bridge. I also like the way "Setembro Negro" works in the littlest bit of intricacy, detailing war terror around the Jordanian Civil War, while "Vietna" casts a nasty aura around the recent horrors of the Vietnam War with a steadier march.

But obviously, standout moments like this are just a nice side treat, and it's all about the vibe. I'll even go as far as saying that this is probably a little longer than it needed to be, too. A record like Campo De Exterminio is not for the faint of heart in an way, be it the real-life subject matter, the graphic imagery, or the filthy and unbearable presentation. However, for the specific mood that calls for this, it absolutely delivers. I can confidently say it's one of the best records from the South American continent of the 1980s.