Rating: 8.4 Release Date: 2002 Record Label: Endless Hard Records Track list:
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Atomic Aggressor - Bloody Resurrection
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| DEMO 1 (Tracks 1-4) Alejandro- Bass/Vocals Enrique- Guitars Jaime- Guitars Pato- Drums |
DEMO 2 (Tracks 5-7) Alejandro- Bass, Vocals Enrique- Guitars Jaime- Guitars Pablo- Drums |
It is a bit of a shame that while countrymen Pentagram have been languishing in the posthumous attention afforded them by Napalm Death namedrops, Atomic Aggressor have remained in utter obscurity, mentioned summarily by avid fans of the Chilean underground, but largely forgotten by the metal underground at large. To be sure, Atomic Aggressor were not quite as accomplished or consistent as Pentagram (assuredly one of the finest death/thrash bands of ALL time), but there is no question, to my mind, that they are among the upper cadre of forgotten South American death/thrash outfits, condemned by the sands of time to suffer the same tragic fate as countrymen like Death Yell, Necrosis, Sadism and Bloody Cross. Until the band choose to rectify this unfortunate state of affairs, we have this relatively-easy-to-find bootleg, issued by the elusive Endless Hard of Japan (apparently a smokescreen operation, Chileans have informed me that this reissue was indeed masterminded and produced in Chile), to hold us over.
The band really makes no secrets about what Atomic Aggressor stands for- the name of the game here is unreserved, uncompromising, unpolished death/thrash that walks the tightrope between the barbaric blitzkrieg of Death Yell and the more calculated, meticulous, riff-oriented violence of Pentagram, a somewhat typical but no less exhilarating example of the South American death/thrash championed by the likes of Mutilator, SS, Pentagram, Mortuary and Torturer, an altogether looser and coarser alternative to sharper Stateside counterparts like Devastation.
In comparison to the overt 'Hell Awaits' -and- 'Seven Churches' -on-amphetamines inclinations of Pentagram, I am tempted to draw references to 'Abominations Of Desolation', 'Endless Pain' and 'Expurse Of Sodomy' here, the reference to Sodom being especially salient, as the band often engage in similarly urgent, insistent picking, continually shifting, attention-deficient riffs tumbling haphazardly atop straightforward, rudimentary rhythms. In comparison to Pentagram, the material here is far less dynamic and more single-minded by far, though this unyielding obstinacy is far from detrimental- the crux of this band hinges upon their seemingly inexhaustible reserve of flesh-flaying riffs, seamlessly shifting between primal, propulsive Morbid Angel- tinged figures (refer to the AWE-INSPIRING riff that erupts 01:48 through “Bloody Ceremonial”) to fervent, manic “Sodomy And Lust” rampage-and-pillage to Mantas churn in a heartbeat. Admittedly, some of the tracks contained within the disc function more as mélanges of ravaging riffage than cohesive, thoughtful compositions, but such complaints are somewhat inconsequential when confronted with the sheer SAVAGERY of, say, the main riff in “Beyond Reality”.
Comparing the two demos presented on this acrid slab, I can't help but feel as though the first demo has the slight edge on the second as far as sound and execution goes. For whatever reason, the 1991 demo sounds somewhat muted and more clinical, the barbarism and impetuous, gung-ho gratuitousness of the first demo eclipsed by a tighter, more assured approach, highlighted by the sledgehammer thrust of Chilean percussive luminary Pablo Clares. Comparisons to Mexico's Torturer here would appear to be especially salient, considering the heightened complexity and tightness of the material, catapulting the rifforama approach of the band to a brazen new plateau. Great demo, but I can't help but feel as though the weaker mix and somewhat less consistent riff-flinging results in tracks that don't stick to the ribs quite as convincingly as their previous offering. Comparing the two incarnations of “Bloody Ceremonial” (unquestionably the COOLEST song ever set forth by this outfit), for example, one cannot help but notice that the intensity and youthful recklessness of the earlier version wanes somewhat on its later lease of life.
The previously unreleased rehearsal tracks will surely serve as impetus for many underground mavens to lay their hands on this gem, and while I do take slight issue with the mix, which has effectively stripped the vocals of any potency whatsoever, the sheer GUST and BLUSTER of “Hallucinations” is absolutely beyond disputation! The messiness and careless abandon of the 1 st demo appears to have returned to the fore, synthesized with the subtle tempo changes and assertive confidence of the 2 nd . “Unholy Temple”, meanwhile, is breakneck, whiplash-inducing stampede, ornamented with scintillating, tastefully brief lashes of atonal, screeching lead guitar, slowing to a mid-paced Devastation (Chicago) grind sporadically to add more emphasis and definition to powerfully phrased riffing.
All in all, if you have any sort of appreciation for the distinctively gruesome, unapologetically severe Chilean aesthetic that has defined the country's foremost exports, from Pentagram to Death Yell to Bloody Cross, Aquer and Ammit, or if you have an insatiable appetite for skin-gnawing, wicked, RIFF-ORIENTED death/thrash, you could do much worse than invest in this lovingly packaged portrait of an oft-neglected troupe. Very much recommended.
