Genre: Goregrind
Origin: Spain
Released: 2008
Website: Machetazo
Label: No Escape Records
Uploaded: 18.02.09

So, No Escape Records have made yet another marvelous decision to add Machetazo to their roster, with the Australasian re-release of the band’s latest fullength. And we all know and love this Spanish three-piece, don’t we. Mixing the typical South American/south European styled goregrind (thinking of acts like Tu Carne, Bowel Stew and Mixomatosis) with the old school death metal sound of Nihilist, Grave and the likes, with the most important infusion of the classic gored death of Repulsion and Autopsy. A lot of name-dropping, but it’s the easiest way to describe their sound. But they throw in so much more. Take for instance El wendigo, which has such a wicked old school thrash feel to it. Muerte helada brings a strong vibe of the old Napalm Death sound, just as Alucinaciones blasfemas feels very typically Swedish with a Nasum touch to parts of the riffing. Sounds like a complete mess? Well, don’t worry, it’s definitely not.
What these lads so skillfully do is raise the banner of old school death metal and drench it in old school gore. It all reeks of days of yore. Everything from the gurgling growls to the rumble of the guitars is a hail to the predecessors of the style. Sound-wise it’s cleaner than their previous outputs and packs a much greater punch. It doesn’t sound polished, so they haven’t lost the rough edge, it’s just an improvement in sound quality. The riffing can be very interesting, like for instance in Delirio en el pozo de excrementos where it really pushes the music forward. Or take for instance Totem (de restos humanos) where the bass steals the entire show with some extremely cool riffs and burly sound. And the vocals are just spectacular, fitting the concept perfectly with semi-gurgled growls and raspy screams. There’s not a bad thing about this album (well, except that I don’t speak Spanish and haven’t really got a clue what their on about) since the drumming is just as top-notch as the rest of the record. Ace.

Tracklist:
01. Exorcismo
02. Muerte helada
03. Alucinaciones blasfemas
04. Mortifero ente demoniaco
05. Atormentado por bestias resucitadas
06. Altares de lo macabro
07. El wendigo
08. Estigma licantropo
09. Descenso al sotano de la morbosidad
10. Extasis nauseabundo
11. Delirio en el pozo de excrementos
12. Totem (de restos humanos)
13. Fiebres de la peste
14. Tu piel se pudre y cae
15. Los cuentos del munon gangrenoso v (credo in extremis)