Montreal thrash veterans Anonymus release their first Spanish Language album, La Bestia.
Anonymus’ first album, Ni Vu, Ni Connu, came out in 1994. The very first track, “Cyclope,” starts out as a syncopated battering to your senses, then lays a smooth metal groove on you. Then a shuttering bridge, and more traditional sounding licks. Shifts again. The song keeps you off your feet all the way through, and hearing it as an introduction to the band, you know you have come across something different. It was an auspicious beginning. Over the next twenty five years, the band has released a series of interesting and engaging thrash albums, one playing off the other and always moving forward. Some of the albums were in French and a couple were in English – being headquartered in Montreal, that certainly make sense. La Bestia is in Spanish and, since three of the four members of the band are Spanish speakers, it is a natural expansion for Anonymus. The lineup includes Oscar Souto (vocals and bass), Daniel Souto (guitar), Jef Fortin (guitar), and Carlos Araya (drums).
La Bestia continues the trajectory of the previous release, Sacrifices, and this new one has a gruffer overall sound. The nine songs are fast thrash hammerings to bang your head to. Even “Tierra,” which has slower, melodic parts to it, has a loud, driving middle. Three songs stood out to me that I have listened to over and over: “Sobrevivir,” “Violencia versus Violence,” and “Cada Loco Con Su Tema.” The entire album is a keeper (I saved it in Spotify along with several other Anonymus releases) and still these three with their speed and changes, vocals and guitars, hooked me even more.
The band has an excellent website (anonymusmetal.com) with links to the Bam&Co Heavy merch shop where you can get this new album (available now) and their impressive back catalogue. Spotify also has many of their albums if you want to take a tour through their history. There is a lot of great thrash there so take your time and go back often. Recommended.
Band photo by Sébastien Tacheron.
Links.
https://www.facebook.com/anonymusmetal/
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