Band: Noriega
Title: Desolo
Label: Viable Records
Distribution: /
Release date: 14/10/2009
Review: MCD

Noriega are a young Los Angeles-based formation with (former / session) members of e.g. Black Sheep Wall and Admiral Angry. And if there’s one statement that can be considered the absolute truth about Noriega’s music, then it will be: it is impossible to label this band in one or another specific genre.

With Desolo (which is Latin for ‘abandonment’), this sick and psychotic combo creates an ultra-heavy, neurotic and pounding wall of sonic and destructive art with a profound Hardcore-approach and a Metal attitude. At the same time, the band combines elements from Drone, Doom, Hardcore, Death Metal, Grind, Acid Jazz and Punk with some progressive and / or thrashy undertones. And how they succeed to do it with glory and pride! This ingeniously technical mini-album might be one of the less easy digestible releases this year, but Noriega’s eccentric creations on Desolo are above expectations. …never thought such a combination could (and would) work! But it does.
Warning: not for the weak-hearted!

Total running time: 27:31 minutes.

80/100

Ivan Tibos.