Fast Brazilian death metal is a thing. Krisiun, Abhorrence, Mental Horror and of course Rebaelliun. Rebaelliun have had awfully bad luck, as they called it a day back in 2002. They returned in 2015, but the original guitarist Fabiano Penna died in 2018 and long-time bassist/vocalist Lohy Fabiano's time was up in 2022.

'Bringer of War' followed the band's 1999 debut album 'Burn the Promised Land', which I remember making waves in death metal circles. It was an excursion to fast and devilish death metal, but with this EP the band got even faster. I would call this "fast as fuck" and I'm not sure if that's enough. Still, two of the songs clock over five minutes.

Insane swarming guitar acrobatics, showcased by Fabiano Penna, require flashing-fast fingers and wrists, chromatic scales and tremolo riffing none less so. Some Mid-Eastern vibes are conjured among demonic aural manifestations. Insane Slayer-ish guitar solos rip listeners flesh like flying barbed wire. When I listen to this I can imagine how I was watching this guy while playing this stuff, and I wouldn't be able to see his fingers. It IS fast. There is a bass guitar on the recording, as I think I occasionally can hear it: It's just so low on volume it is mostly buried in the filthy mix. The production is rather trebly, too.

This blasts like no tomorrow. It's incredible that the drummer Sandro Moreira doesn't much lag or miss a beat during this manic work out. It's just that some tom hits are so rapid that they aren't powerful and therefore they are left for a listener to imagine them happening. The bass drums aren't exactly that, as they remind more of typewriters. There are many, if not tempo, but beat changes and drum rolls. The shortest song is also slowest. Well, for the first 30 seconds or so...

The vocals are low throat roaring with some reverb added. Take a guess: What do you think, do those words come out slowly, or..? Yeah, not really, but Marcello Marzari, who also played the bass here, does those long growls at times. The lyrics are about warring, be it man against man or demons against religious humans. They are in vein of good old metal lyrics, as is fitting.

This is genuinely insane. And also a fine display of mad skills. Go and get converted before those demonic troops from hell will get you, so you'd be saved!

Rating: 8 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
12/08/2023 05:33