Raza Odiada

For Raza Odiada, the follow-up to their well-received debut, Brujeria seemingly invested a bit more time into their efforts, recording a slightly more elaborately written and performed album. Still, it's still mighty exorbitant, once again pushing the whole narco-satantist motif to its logical grindcore extreme -- no doubt to the glee of many listeners, who should find much delight upon translating the floridly cryptic Spanish-language song titles. The musical offerings here should be likewise delightful for grindheads, who should find much to relish here as these songs are downright pummeling -- in a good way, of course. It all amounts to an above-the-fray grindcore album, given its Spanish eccentricities as well as its musical professionalism. Granted, Raza Odiada plays like a sequel and thus lacks the element of surprise that had made Brujeria's debut, Matando Gueros (1993), such a memorable first listen, but still...es muy bien -- !si, si! ~ Jason Birchmeier