out Sept 17: Criminal - groove thrash from veteran act

Criminal

Sacrificio

Metal Blade Records

17 September 2021

Certain older musicians (like Napalm Death, or cult death bands like Pentacle and Avulsed) have professed their love for the 1980s thrash/death demos of the Chilean band Pentagram. These bands have also recorded Pentagram covers). Such bands in some way have helped to introduce the name to audiences in Europe and North America. After Pentagram first ended in 1988, vocalist/guitarist Anton Reisenegger in the 1990s moved on to Criminal (1991-present). Reisenegger is also involved with Pentagram, Brujería, Lock Up, and other acts.

Back to Criminal, this is the ninth album. Criminal is different from Pentagram. From the beginning, Criminal grooved like Sepultura, Pantera, Machine Head and Fear Factory (maybe similar to Sepultura's Chaos A.D., in the guitar grooves, the angry-shout vocals, attitude and lyrics). Nowadays, the groove is balanced out with some extreme metal elements. Criminal is heavy, chugging, angry-person music, and they show at times shows that, if they wanted to, they could play upfront traditional, extreme metal, but instead they prefer a variety centered around what might be called brutal chunky groove metal, with elements of extreme styles. The new album, which features at least two songs in Spanish, sees the band ever working on perfecting their signature cross-genre sound. There's plenty of chunky thrashing and shredding going on. The thrash is in there, but heavier and in a contemporary form, with a much bottom end and a groove swagger. Oftentimes the music has a near-death vibe to it, not just in the heavy riffs but in the gruff, semi-growl shouted vocals. Thrash fans looking for a heavier, chunkier execution may find the right medicine with Criminal, while death fans interested in groove mojo may want to sit up for this one. Look for the nearest mosh pit or start one.

Sacrificio by Criminal

https://www.facebook.com/Criminal.Band