Friday, October 31, 2014

Paroxetina - Paroxetina [2011]


Paroxetina is an instrumental rock band from Santiago, Chile. They have a lot of elements of math, progressive and post-rock, but above all else they just jam heavy. The riffs are solid, the tones are nice, put it on and get some work done. It just sort of fluidly soars around without ever stopping to take a break. Heavy rock 'n' roll riff after riff. Lots of sound bytes from movies or shows or I don't know what. There's a bunch of neat stuff like this in Chile, so I'll be posting some similar bands later.

Genres: Instrumental Rock, Post Rock, Jam


1. Guardando las apariencias
2. Celebrando la muerte de dioses blancos
3. Cruzando el limite de la perversidad
4. Pon el lugar
5. Cuando te extraño me visto con tus ropas
6. (-.-. .- -... .-.. . ..)
7. La gloriosa marcha de las bicicletas al horizonte
8. Siempre leo mal las instrucciones
9. No hay suficientes piedras para arrojarle al destino y morir siendo unos niños

Asilo - Comunión [2014]


When you play this, get in the mood for some noisy heavy shit that gets a little cheesy sometimes but damn, it's worth it. I found it sounds especially devastating on a rainy day on some old speakers (subwoofer necessary fersher) in a friend's apartment in Caballito, Buenos Aires. The distorted bass seems to sort of create a ripping sensation while the noise envelopes, supported by some furious vocals and, though simple, very solid drumming. The riffs just seem to drive and drive on, not in the same sense that a band like Bongripper will hang on the same riff and you just lose yourself in it, but more in the sense that if you don't keep playing over and over again and pushing forward you're going to suffer from some bizarre disease and whither away and die. In other words, it's a little more anxious than your typical sludge/crust/doom/stoner/whatever record and the noise makes it feel like a science fiction film.

For me, this is one of the best developed sludge records I've heard yet. The piano interludes with spacey ambient sound in the background gets me every fucking time, and it functions with the exact intentions you expect - the heavy parts are just crushing after you hear those pretty scores. I could do without the sound bytes though. Asilo is from Buenos Aires, Argentina and their release for their latest tape is in a week - I'll be picking up more than one, because this band needs some exposure outside it's native country.

Genres: Sludge, Doom, Noise, Crust

(the video doesn't do it justice, listen to the album on bandcamp)

1. Geografías
2. Pichiciega Fe
3. (epidemia mundial de desencanto)
4. La Paciencia del Cuchillo
5. Arquitectura del Silencio
6. (anti voz)
7. Dinámica del Cambio
8. Miedo y Curiosidad
9. (no a la vida)
10. La Ultima Voluntad

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Le-Mat - Diálogos de Sol y Luna [2013]


Le-Mat is a crushing hardcore punk/screamo band from Monterrey, Mexico. It's moments of fast and discordant hardcore that nearly reach the realm of powerviolence or emoviolence are really jarring, displaying an aggressive strength that reveals signs of desperation. You can pretty much feel the record weeping in loneliness amongst a world of a disparate outlook. It's is a really serious record. The number of quotations from famous authors and dramatic sound bytes may be a deterrent to those interested in just hearing the music. That said, it's really tastefully constructed and the topics covered are socio-politically relevant and a coherent philosophical message is on display.

Their mixture of hardcore and screamo is unique and is definitely appealing to followers of both genres. It's pissed off, hopeful, unstoppable, pensive, engaged and heartbreaking. Keep an eye on this band, they're sure to tour the US sometime soon (they just finished an impressive South American tour).

Aquí tienen una entrevista muy buena de la revista Vice que proporciona una mejor idea del impacto social que puede hacer la banda (el entrevistador aparentemente lloró cuando los vio en vivo):
Un Salto al Vacío Con Le-Mat

Y aquí otra entrevista en Santiago de Chile durante su gira latinoamericana:

Genres: Hardcore Punk, Screamo




1. Prefacio
2. La Roca Hace Cantar al Río
3. Montegrey
4. Llanto de las Abejas
5. Postales desde Roma
6. Elegía
7. 5-7-5
8. Le-Mat
9. Reminiscencias
10. (a)tormenta

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Insumisión - Perú Pueblo Imbécil


Insumisión is intense, noisy, chaotic, difficult, fascinating, fun, very political and holy fuck. They're from Lima, Perú and are totally nuts. I don't delve much into their genre but they've been described as Industrial Hardcore and I'd place them in the noise/experimental genres as well. To me this genre is pretty new but either way Insumisión feels pretty unique and particularly Peruvian. If you're into noise, this is some required listening for sure. It's in many ways similar to other noise/electronic projects I've heard but just seems much more driven in a specific direction and more pissed off. 

Si hablás castellano, recomiendo los siguientes links para más información de la banda porque realmente no conozco suficiente el genero. 
Peru 21: Insumisión - La Frustración No Lo Cubre Todo

Genres: Industrial Hardcore, Noise, Experimental, Electronic



Insumisión - Perú Pueblo Imbécil
1. Perú Pueblo Imbécil
2. Liberación Animal
3. Ne Protecto (Tus Ojos Remix)
4. Un Fascista Pelucón
5. No Se Puede
6. La Reacción del Cangrejo (Cero Errores Mix)
7. La Frustración Lo Cubre Todo (Yesabella Remix)
8. Policias Corruptos
9. La Banda de Hola Yola

Note: I can't find anywhere to download or buy this, if you're in the know send me an email!


Luxemburgo - MDXCII [2011]


Luxemburgo is from Santiago, Chile and plays some really beautiful heartfelt emo/screamo. If there's anywhere in Latin America you should be looking for really good screamo, it's Chile. There's a solid history of good stuff especially if you're interested in European/U.S. style screamo (with of course a certain Chilean feel). Luxemburgo uses a lot of strong clean tones and rich overdrives and it's mixed well, overall its just pretty to listen to. There are some nicely anxious jam sections so if you're into longer form this is definitely for you. I really don't know how to talk about this band other than that it's fresh, and you should check it out. This album is their first from 2011, and they have an EP that came out the same year and another LP that came out in 2013.

Genres: Emo, Screamo, Post-hardcore, Punk



1. 2060
2. 1968
3. 0 a.c.
4. 1907
5. 1948-1984

Thursday, October 16, 2014

La Última Canción del Mundo - 2007 [2007]


Screamo fans, this is your dulce de leche. In reality, there's not an incredible amount of screamo in Latin America, especially in Argentina, but there are definitely some gems to be found. This group from Rosario, Argentina is one of them. Okay, so they have all the cliche screamo requirements - clean guitars with delay break up the heavier chaos, multiple vocalists pour out their feelings into microphones, everything is recorded imperfectly, etc. However, there are some keys to this band that really make it stand out. The most notable is the tasteful use of a melodic/clean voice and screaming voice at the same time, in a way that reminds me of The Kodan Armada or Alexisonfire's first album. The other thing is they take advantage of a great vocalist and slow things down while she sings, so her performance really stands out. These calmer moments tend to be little less anxious than most screamo - City of Caterpillar for instance always has the sense of impending breakout, the slow build up to explosion - making the experience slightly stranger and showing influence from Argentine rock.

I don't know how this album was recorded, but given the different recording qualities and how the female vocalist doesn't appear until halfway through, it seems it was done in multiple sessions over a long period of time and the album serves more like a combination of recordings than a single, complete piece.

They have another album that came out in 2011 and are on a noteworthy compilation with Chilean and other Argentine bands that I'll post about later. I'm also going to go see them play in two days so I'll try to take some photos/video and include them in a later post.

Genres: Screamo, Emo



1. hoy mis manos ardieron
2. tu palabra y mi razón
3. marionetas
4. esperando el momento
5. el juego
6. juancito
7. run
8. silencio
9. ignorantes corazones (nada que decir)
10. dulce tan dulce
11. fin
12. el lamento
13. la última canción del mundo

Monday, October 13, 2014

Bilis Sicario - Encuentro de Sutilezas [2012]


Bilis Sicario is from La Paz, México and they play pyschedelic/desert stoner rock. At times it gets pretty ambient and totally beautiful, and at others very textbook stoner rock. At first I'd hesitate to call it experimental, given their adherence to typical blues/stoner song development and chord progressions, but the final song in the album definitely stands out as something more avant-garde. Those interested in the genre should give this a listen, I personally enjoy it as something to listen to while reading or doing schoolwork.

Genres: Stoner, Psychedelic Rock, Experimental



1. Grietas de la Rutina
2. Encuentro de Sutilezas
3. Devegan
4. Tormenta en Cautiverio

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Human Plague - Y la muerte vendrá con el tiempo [2011]


This band is devastating. I think I'd describe them as a hardcore band with heavy influences from crust and a taste of screamo. It's pretty crusty, there's no doubt about that, but they take vocal styles and song structures from elsewhere. "Entre palabras olvidadas," for instance begins with a pretty screamo-esque cleaner jangle from the guitar, and the opening vocals also are reminiscent of the genre. Pretty quickly however, it becomes much more hardcore, d-beat and all, and even later we find ourselves in a really tense exchange of heavy rhythms and softer melodies that feels more crusty. Band members like to call it gordito trincado, which I think means something like "drunk fatty," but a bit more coloquial/vulgar I think. However you define the band, it's definitely really heavy. This is unfortunately the only full length these tapatíos left behind (they have a short EP that came out in 2010), but members did go on to form Bocanegra (on hiatus), and Malastare, both of which I will post about later. Human Plague is from Guadalajara, México.

Genres: Neo Crust, Hardcore, Punk, Gordito Trincado


1. Y la muerte vendrá con el tiempo...
2. Al final del camino
3. ¿En busca de nada?
4. Entre palabras olvidadas
5. Cólera

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Invierno - El Tiempo Lo Probará [2012]


Invierno from Santiago, Chile packs a punch with a strong combination of emo and indie rock, likely to attract fans of one or the other and definitely those who enjoy both. They really create a powerful sound using pop-influenced riffs and structures and the recording quality of this album really emphasizes how tight and clean they are. The vocals are really strong throughout the entire album, moving in and out of the screaming realm at times while maintaining melody and force. Overall, I'd say the band is easy to get along with and is free of surprises.

Genres: Emo, Indie, Alternative


1. Si Me Permites
2. Náufrago
3. Entre Seis y Siete
4. Escondite
5. Capítulo Cuatro
6. Carta (anónima)
7. Inesperable
8. Retórica
9. Progresión

Monday, October 6, 2014

PYRAMIDES - EP [2014]


Pyramides is a really anxious and driving post-punk band from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Despite the constant sense of my guts rising up my throat when I listen to them, they are still a fairly chill sound and something I'd put on while falling asleep or reading. Essentially they sound like a day spent walking around in the rain refusing to interact with other people and contemplating the precarious relationship between your body and the overwhelmingly inorganic concrete structure of a city you exist within and even stretch as far as to call home. Fans of Morrissey or New Order would probably get down with this.

Genres: Post-punk, New Wave

1. Nada Cambia
2. Poco Proporcional
3. Lluvia
4. Pelicula Francesa
5. No emitas Sonido
6. Contraluz
7. Afuera
8. Intactas
9. Deberias matarlo
10. Las Coordenadas
11. Hermano
12. Invisible

Procrastinación 1 Yo 0 - Caídas y Vueltas [2012]


P1Y0 (pronounced pee-yo) is some real heart-felt emo from Lima, Perú, great for dancing by yourself in your bedroom or singing along to with your friends. It started out as a solo project by Paulo Contreras under the same title, until it was done justice as a full band soon after. The riffs and lyrics alike are really catchy, it's a pleasure to see them play live and watch everyone shout along to the choruses. Procrastinación is one of many bands under La Flor Records, an extremely active and strong label in Lima that puts out a ton of music and is constantly making connections all over, but I'll talk more about La Flor in a later post!

Genres: Emo, 90s, Punk


1. Dos
2. Pop para la frustración final
3. Jenga (Cuando te dejaba ganar)
4. Canción
5. A veces es tan perfecto extrañar
6. Satisfuckción

Friday, October 3, 2014

Fractal - Demo/EP [2013]


Fractal forms part of the strong scene in Tijuana, México and like many bands in TJ seem to pull from a wide range of genres to put together something that sounds reminiscent of things you've heard before but never in the same song, let alone in the same band. These folks are putting elements of hardcore punk right next to post-rock, and just when you thought you understood where they were going they toss in a ripping guitar solo. They seem to like to let the songs really play out (they're relatively long), which seems to give some sense to their swings from genre to genre, as though each one were a journey through the different emotions one might feel over the course of a week. I really have no clue how I feel about this band, but I do know they're good at their instruments and are worth listening to. As a first listen, I recommend Cuatro Miedos (which I think is the first song that plays on their bandcamp anyways).

Genres: Hardcore Punk, Post Rock, Metal


1. Polvo
2. Disiento
3. Sin Sangre
4. Cuatro Miedos
5. Julia

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Lxs Jugadxs - Demo [2013]


Lxs Jugadxs is one of the fastest bands I've seen play live, they are brew brew bruuutal. No matter how fun they are to watch live (the drummer is a fricking superhero), their recorded material is just as good. I found this band through a facebook invitation to a show in Buenos Aires before I arrived. Fortunately, I got to see them just a week ago, so they are at the top of my mind right now. They hail from La Plata, a small city just south of Buenos Aires that contains a really solid amount of good bands and great people considering how boring the town is. This is their first demo, delivering 5 minutes of absolute heck.

Genres: Grind, Powerviolence, Blast


1. Imperio
2. El manija
3. Negro
4. Eden
5. Mercvrio

How do I begin?

This is the commencement of something I've been thinking of creating for a while now. After spending a short time living in Mexico in 2013, I began to delve into spanish speaking music from not only México but all over Latin America. By following links and scouring the internet, I started to discover bands from México, Perú and Chile, and later on Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. I currently live (temporarily) in Buenos Aires, and thus have had the wonderful opportunity to see and meet some of the bands that I discovered, discover even more music and form a part of the scene, even if it may be for a very short time.

A few notes:

1) I was originally planning on posting in both English and Spanish, but I feel that this would be just incredibly time consuming. My target audience is mostly English speaking, since my intention with this is to shed light on scenes that are mostly unknown in the U.S. and elsewhere due to political and linguistic barriers. What's more, the google translate function at the top right of the page is surprisingly not as awful as I expected it to be - you'll at least get the idea of what I'm saying.

2) I have no knowledge of what's going on in Brazil. Someone feel free to help me out here. I don't speak Portuguese and I keep myself busy with the hispanic side of America enough. There is a goldmine to discover there, I'm sure of it. Feel free to send stuff to me, or start your own blog/what you feel is appropriate!

3) So far I've found little to nothing within the realm of what interests me musically from Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay or Ecuador, nor from anywhere in Central America, so if anyone knows of anything, please send it my way (email at the right).

4) I'm not a music nerd (at least not yet), so bear with me as I pretend to know how to classify genres and influences and describe styles.

5) This blog is inspired by and embarrassingly modeled after a really impressive blog made by a really impressive guy and good friend. If you're interested in Japanese screamo/emo/hardcore you can check it out here!

Ok, enough shit, I'll be posting real stuff from now on.

-Brian // United Americas