### Acrania: An uncertain collision

#### 18/12/12 || gk

Mexico’s Acrania are my death metal discovery of the year. The band formed as Necrofilia back in 2001 but changed their name and got round to releasing their debut only in 2010. This year saw the band release its second album and it’s been dominating my playlist since I first heard it a few months ago.

Acrania basically mix death and thrash riffing with percussive heavy Latin jazz and Bossanova rhythms to devastating effect. The result is an incredibly catchy but technical album with some great songs and tremendous replay value. Case in point is the song “ Deceive the pain” which starts with an addictive groove and melodic riffs but halfway through goes off into softer almost Latin dance music before the horn section kicks in and there’s fantastic interplay between the horns and the metal riffing. “Now” is led by some of the most disjointed but sensible drumming I’ve heard in a while and is a totally percussion led song. The drumming gives the song all of its momentum and swing and turns a set of pretty basic riffs into something quite memorable. There’s energy to this song that is unlike most things I’ve heard this year. “In my land” twists its way through 7 odd minutes of death-thrash riffing, Latin jazz and ridiculously catchy grooves (not to mention that crazy dueling saxophone bit or the sudden arrival of the flute) and an ending that is pure horn metal bliss to close the album on a high.

This is some exciting music. The band is made up of some high caliber musicians and they can write some really good songs. J.C. Chavez on drums and Ignacio Gómez Ceja on percussion drive the music forward with their grooves that often sit at counterpoint to the riffs. Guitarist Félix Carreón Hernandez writes groovy riffs with a solid melodic sensibility. His playing is catchy and he leaves the technicality to the percussionists, instead focusing on memorable riffs that work well as songs. Bassist Alberto Morales is another real find as his playing and locking down with the percussion is noteworthy. Also, the sound on this album is great. The band has a slightly raw and organic feel where every note is clear but at the same time there’s an engaging lack of polish.

I guess this music will not appeal to everyone. The horn section alone could put people off and the overly percussion dominated nature of these songs could be another stumbling block. But if you like Atheist’s more experimental moments or the avant-garde leanings bands then you could find plenty to like here.

Acrania is my discovery of 2012 and some truly inventive and unique music. The songs are memorable, the musicianship is of high quality and this is death metal you can dance to. Give it a shot.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Self Released
- Website: www.acrania.com
- Band
- Luis F. Oropeza R.: vocals, guitars
- Félix Carreón Hernandez: guitars, saxophone
- Ignacio Gómez Ceja: percussion
- Alberto Morales: bass
- J.C. Chávez: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Treason, Politics & Death
- 02. Deceive the Pain
- 03. Now
- 04. A Praise to Madness
- 05. Revolution & Tequila
- 06. But Not Today
- 07. Speartooth
- 08. Vallarta night
- 09. In My land