Band:	Ratos De Porão
Album:	Anarkophobia
Style:	Hardcore, Thrash metal
Release date:	1991
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. Contando Os Mortos
02. Morte Ao Rei
03. Sofrer
04. Ascensão E Queda
05. Mad Society
06. Ódio 3
07. Anarkophobia
08. Igreja Universal
09. Commando [Ramones cover]
10. Escravo Da TV
11. Jardim Elétrico [bonus]

[English version]:
01. Counting The Dead
02. Death Of the King
03. Born To Suffer
04. Rise And Fall
05. Mad Society
06. (All I Need Is) Hatred
07. Anarkophobia
08. Universal Church
09. Commando [Ramones cover]
10. TV Slave

There was this Brazilian hardcore punk unit you may not be aware of that was founded in the same period as Metallica, Exodus, Megadeth, and Testament, and which churned out four brilliant albums before altering the direction. Want to know the name? It's Ratos De Porão. Lost in the oblivion of great thrash albums of the 80s and 90s, from the land of Sao Paulo (Brazil), Ratos De Porão released a paramount crossover thrash metal album titled Anarkophobia in 1990. It stands as a testament to blending hardcore punk with thrash metal, capturing a raw frantic energy epitomizing the sound of Ratos De Porão.

Anarkophobia came as a significant departure from the band’s earlier work, which leaned heavily into hardcore punk, instead creating a hybrid of crossover thrash metal. My fellow comrades, this album is a pure relentless assault: the guitars are sharp and aggressive, exporting riffs concocting thrash fury, while the rhythmic section fuses punk intensity with chaos.

I'd delve into the highlights of the album here, starting with the title track, "Anarkophobia", lyrically bulldozing along the lines of autocracy and fear of anarchy, and crushing the wavelength with riffs and bass. Added to that, the cover of Ramones' "Commando" is brilliantly pulled off here and covers similar issues. Nonetheless, tracks like "Aids, Pop, Repressão" and "Amazonia Never More" surge on political commentary, addressing global issues like the AIDS epidemic, media control, and environmental destruction in the midst of Brazilian turmoil.

The production, raw yet clear, allows every instrument to cut through with precision restraining the chaos. I did find Anarkophobia to be cut from the same cloth of Sepultura's Arise, but more bound to crossover thrash. When it comes to ideal integration of punk and metal brutality, Ratos De Porão's Anarkophobia can't be a bad recommendation. Not a classical release, but it’s certainly a record not worth missing out on.