Impureza’s battalion is back in action!
Composed of Esteban Martín (vocals, Misgivings), Lionel Cano Muñoz (guitars), Florian Saillard (bass, ex-Glorior Belli) and Guilhem Auge (drums, Misgivings), the band finally offers us its third album, Alcázares, with the support of their label Season of Mist.
Xavier Hamon (percussion) and Louis Viallet (orchestrations, Epine) also took part in its production.
The adventure begins on Verdiales, where Flamenco influences greet us joyfully before giving way to the raw power of Bajo Las Tizonas De Toledo, blending technicality with a catchy sound quickly joined by the vocalist’s roar. While certain passages may be reminiscent of Old School Technical Death, the band never fails to leave its more playful, haunting touch, as well as the warm sound of the fretless bass mixed with clear vocals before the fury resumes, leading to Covadonga, a new composition that gives pride of place to violence. The frantic rhythm perfectly serves the surge, which barely subsides to let some piercing leads intervene, but the rhythmics quickly return to strike before the ominous Pestilencia takes its place and offers a rather dark clear sound. Of course, the quietude doesn’t last, replaced by solid, aggressive riffs that play host to crafted harmonics and intoxicating backing vocals, making the mix particularly unifying before joining Reconquistar Al-Ándalus and its intriguing groove. The track’s brutality is pushed to the extreme, as are the more complex parts, which integrate perfectly with the rhythm, sometimes breaking it up only to let it flare up again, but the band marks a festive pause with Murallas, where guitar and percussion allow us to breathe. Once this moment is over, La Orden Del Yelmo Negro takes its place and immediately embarks us into its whirlwind of fury, where blast and explosive riffs take turns to make the track one of the most contrasting on the album, offering dissonance or mystical choirs in unexpected places. Clear guitar and bass introduce Castigos Eclesiásticos, the next track, but the arrival of saturation amplifies the anxiety before the band accelerates again, becoming heavy under the different voices of Esteban who carries us through to El Ejército De Los Fallecidos De Alarcos, a more jerky composition but once again extremely contrasted. While the violent parts are among the most devastating on the album, the backing vocals are reminiscent of a completely different style, and the shared atmosphere is perfect for the musicians, who don’t hesitate to deploy their talents before Ruina Del Alcázar comes in for one last soothing moment. Once the melodies are finished, Santa Inquisición brings the album to a close with an increasingly aggressive mix that doesn’t hesitate to accentuate its danceable touches to create waves each more catchy than the last, making the technical passages truly intense.
Impureza has always been a singular project in the Death Metal sphere: totally rooted in violence and polished execution, yet able to assert its own identity with unique touches. Alcázares surpasses its predecessors and offers a truly extraordinary experience.
95/100
