When I first heard that another Latino agro-metal outfit was being put together, I immediately thought of Puya. After hearing Ill Nino’s debut on Roadrunner Records, titled Revolution/Revolucion, I was very impressed with how much they’ve distinguished themselves from the notion that they were just copycats.
The album starts off with all the power of a Sammy Sosa homerun, with an over the top barrage of pummelcore in “God Save Us”. They continue with thick grooves spiced with Flamenco and Calypso rhythms that provide a glimpse into a well-trained group of friends whose background encompasses many aspects of worldly music. They can be brutally heavy one moment and can transition themselves into a world-beat jam without having to change instruments. “Unreal” sways between English and Spanish lyrics, combining the two so well that unless you’re into deciphering yells, you’d never know the difference. The songs are angry at times and very forgiving during others. They seem to have great control over their emotions, with each song telling a tale of broken promises and eventual forgiveness.
Ill Nino has gotten my vote for import of the year, with three of its members hailing from South America. Drummer Dave Chavarri has paid his dues in some of metal’s biggest groups, including Soulfly, Pro-pain, and MOD. Experience wise, Ill Nino is hardly a newcomer. Their background gives them a one-up on any of the nu-metal bands just hitting big now, as they can groove as hard as any of them, yet they can create a melody that doesn’t scream radio-friendly. They could break if they find the right tour, but it seems like the heavy pattern of Ill Nino is to just have fun, whether it’s in front of thirty people or thirty thousand.
+ rick hinkson
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