Self Released - 1988
7/10
Looking at a country I've actually had the pleasure of visiting in person before, Colombia beholds one of the earliest, most unforgiving acts of blackened thrash metal to reach the region. Reencarnacion formed virtually in Pablo Escobar's backyard, right in the heart of the drug lord's Medellin, crafting straightforward but nonetheless abrasive thrash under such a mean scope. Unlike some of their counterparts, this act would stick around for a while, and change/revamp certain styles over time, including experimental. But the debut record simply titled Reencarnacion is anything but that.
Instead, we have something far more aligned with the burning fumes of neighboring country Brazil's Sepultura, specifically their demo stage output. Much of this is carried by the hardcore punk attitude that came to define certain thrash movements in much of the global north, served with grunting vocal outbursts caked in a blackened hue. Much of that is likely from, you guessed it, the pummeling and degrading production, which isn't made any less harrowing by the booming drum kicks with loose snare sounds and thunderous basslines. Much of the songwriting has an extremely chaotic angle, avoiding concise rhythm for large chunks of the music in exchange for even more discomforting execution. Even when things steady out a bit and let some groovable passages in, don't expect it to be very welcoming. This includes when keys or a violin is occasionally thrown in.
Obviously this is to be expected, and like I say about a lot of these releases, it's part of Reencarnacion's charm. I would actually go as far as saying most of it is easy enough to follow in terms of keeping up with the energy alone, however the songwriting is where this is going to dip. Telling tracks apart is definitely a task, and some of the explosive breakdowns with seemingly directionless loops are a lot to take in. However, they serve a purpose in helping channel the rage into discernable moments. "El Canto De Los Sepulcros" shifts its tone several time, working in some of the most pain-drenched outbursts you can conjure up, fixed with nice bass utilization riding next to the guitars. The easiest one to digest is likely "Funeral Del Norte" with its speed-picked guitar crawls and familiar playing styles. Others take this explosive element to the majority of the tune, typically shorter ones like "Armagedden," Closing title track (Part II) however goes down the roughest, packing basically everything into one massive mess, while the short and hilariously titled "Puta Religion" works in some church organs as an interlude. The former's use of violin as part of the lead was certainly a welcomed surprise.
A mess would be a good word to describe Reencarnacion as a whole. It's hit or miss in terms of stable rhythmic integrity, but I think that if the whole thirty-five minute record was like that, it would grow boring quickly. Instead, you get a taste of some of the dirtiest blackened thrash to exist not only in the region, but probably the world in 1988. The group clearly wanted to make something as evil sounding as their conditions would allow, and I'd say that if that's what you're after, you'll do just fine with this. It's mean, it's compelling, and it's a worthwhile time for a very specific mood (one I've clearly been in lately). Just don't go in expecting much variety or stability.
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