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Ill Niño

Dead New World

Written by: AP on 31/12/2010 15:34:00

Ill Niño have always divided the masses, perhaps because their Latin tinged industrial metal is so difficult to pigeon hole. Sometimes akin to Fear Factory, other times to Soulfly, and still other times to Nonpoint, this sextet have often found the golden balance between pleasing the metal of heart and those accustomed to tuning in on the radio station. The success of this approach has been variable, ranging from a critically acclaimed debut "Revolution Revolución" to the unimpactful filler releases "One Nation Underground" and "Enigma", but through their defeats and victories Ill Niño have consolidated themselves as a notable, widely recognized band.

"Dead New World" - the band's fifth studio album - is a career spanning album collecting the best of Ill Niño into twelve songs roaring with blasting energy. Dave Chavarri and Daniel Couto's immaculate dual drum and percussion work is, as always, a synergy to behold; the driving force behind Ill Niño's music. Many a band has experimented with multiple percussionists - most notably Slipknot - but none have succeeded in recreating the organic interplay on display here. The drumscape is, in contrast with the vast majority of music today, in a leading role together with the guitar; the bouncing tribal rhythms combined with ultra aggressive vocals and melody on "Serve the Grave", for example, make the song sound immense.

Industrial metal often has a tendency to sound too cold and mechanical, but the overt Latin element in Ill Niño's music, not to mention their uncanny sense for writing songs that sync on the lips in no time, ensures that "Dead New World" is industrial metal extraordinaire, in league with the mighty Fear Factory. But then again, when you've got ex-Machine Head guitarist Ahrue Luster importing his songwriting from "The Burning Red" and "Supercharger", the beautiful violence is no surprise. The thrash and nu metal intermingling in the guitar work converge at a sound that, with the bouncing rhythms, tempts me to use the words wildly original.

Sepultura might have pioneered the tribal flavoring, but where they have kept it a subtle nuance while churning out some seriously evil thrash metal, Ill Niño truly earn their self-fashioned Latin metal label. And with the exception of a useless cover of the Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", they do so with grace, ferocity and flair, creating the leanest, meanest, and most beautifully violent album of their career.

Download: The Art of War, Mi Revolución, Serve the Grave, Ritual, Killing You, Killing Me
For the fans of: Fear Factory, Mudvayne, Nonpoint, Spineshank
Listen: Myspace

Release date 29.10.2010
Victory Records / AFM Records