Band:	Brujeria
Album:	Esto Es Brujeria
Style:	Death metal, Grindcore
Release date:	September 15, 2023
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. Esto Es Brujeria
02. El Patrón Del Reventón
03. Estado Profundo
04. Bruja Encabronada
05. G-A-K
06. Tu Vida Loca
07. Mexorcista
08. Bestia De La Muerte
09. Políticamente Correctos
10. Mochado
11. Perdido En El Espacio
12. Odio Que Amo
13. Testamento 3.0
14. Covid-666
15. Lord Nazi Ruso
16. Cocaína [J. J. Cale cover]

A cocky way to release a self-titled album: so this is Brujeria? The album covers all the sounds, influences and styles that this death metal/grindcore supergroup are known for, so the answer to that question would be “si”, but don’t spread yourselves too thin, guys.

I’ve always been fascinated by Brujeria’s identity and marketing. In the 90s, seeking information wasn’t as easy. Therefore, rumors about a band formed by Satan-worshipping Mexican druglords who practiced witchcraft left an impression on you. This was further fueled by the gory artworks of their first releases, as well as the members’ anonymity. Brujeria has never officially released the identity of their members, but nowadays people know about the involvement of high-profile people in the (extreme) metal scene. Some of them include Billy Gould (Faith No More), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory), Shane Embury (Napalm Death), Jeff Walker (Carcass) and Nicholas Barker (a million bands).

A rotating line-up of musicians with different styles naturally leads to a varied discography. Brujeria’s debut, Matando Güeros (happy 30th anniversary, by the way), is straight-up deathgrind with a filthy and groovy sound, and it is now considered a classic (and for good reason). Their sense of groove was developed on Raza Odiada, with slower but heavier tracks, and third album Brujerizmo would double down on those influences, turning the band into a groove/industrial/alternative/nu metal act. Pocho Aztlan, their comeback album after 16 years, saw them revisiting their deathgrind roots.

Now, after 7 years and some line-up changes, has their identity remained? Well... Si. Esto Es Brujeria sees the introduction of guitarist Anton Reisenegger (Criminal, Lock Up and Pentagram Chile). He reinvigorates the band with an injection of pissed-off death metal riffs that borrow influences from both thrash and hardcore punk. Mix that with Embury's gritty bass and Barker's precise drumwork, and you strike gold in the performance department. Production-wise, this is the most professional sound they ever had, with a very loud and crispy tone on the riffs and drumming. The vocals are still a bit too high in the mix, but that’s understandable considering how much emphasis Brujeria has always put on the vocals and lyrics (sorry, non-Spanish speakers). The vocals range from death metal grunts to filthy high-pitched screams, hardcore shouts and dark spoken word. The guest vocals of Jessica Pimentel are a nice little addition, as her punk tone is raw as hell but sadly only used once.

With such a balanced group of musicians and sound, you’d expect the songwriting to shine brighter than it actually does. The 53-minute running time plays against them; there is too much of everything here, and it’s too cleanly divided. The first half of the album is in-your-face death metal / grindcore that nicely recalls Brujeria’s debut album, while the later half slows things down a bit and experiments much more. I don’t mind that at all, as songs like “Odio Que Amo” and “Testamento 3.0” get pretty inventive; the latter of these has a middle section that nearly reaches black metal territory in its fierceness. In fact, “Testamento 3.0” should have been placed as the last song, as I think the rendition of J. J. Cale’s famous “Cocaine” is half baked at best (surprised they didn’t cover it before). Come to think of it, this might be their most “serious sounding” album since the debut. They have always been tongue-in-cheek, but Esto Es Brujeria recalls some of the darkness and raw energy from the first two albums (if only in spirit, and not so much in style).

Brujeria brought too many guns to the guerrilla. The people involved are clearly excellent musicians, but a different album structure and shorter songs would have provided a better symbiosis of all their sounds. It is too easy to get tired once you are done with the first, faster half of the album. While Esto Es Brujeria covers all the bases in a shorter amount of time, I would rather recommend you to check out their first three albums in order to enjoy all their different styles.