format: Mini-LP
year: 1989
country: Brazil
label: private
#: ZM 01
info: insert with lyrics
style: Speed Metal
Side A:
The "style"-marker here at The Corroseum's review-section is something that came with the Metalpage-merge and was kept for the sake of consistency. The reason I wouldn't have adopted the idea myself is because they on rare occations can give a completely wrong impression of what to expect from an album. A perfect example is the outstanding one and only album from Brazil's ZONA MORTA. You see, in my not-so-humble opinion, "Nômades" is a Black Metal album in all but the lyrics.
...but yeah yeah we can't call it Black Metal if the lyrics aren't Black Metal and yada yada, so, I didn't, see? No need to put me on the Great Grim Death-List Of False just yet, kids. I'm sure you're expecting some classic Braz Blackdeathrash noise here but No Sir! This is VERY differerent from any other type of Steel that was cooking on the South American continent at the time. So what's so bloody Black Metal about it then?? I'll tell you: It is the PERFECT mix between Master's Hammer and Satan's Host! ...and you bloody well can't get any more Black Metal than that. Without actually being Black Metal. When closing my eyes listening to the bombastic self-titled intro, I envision Master's Hammer's iconic "Jilemnický.."-logo expanding towards me like a cheap 90's video-effect - they even nailed the glockenspiel in this one!
The following "Catedrais" (..because can you get any more Epic than fucking CATHEDRALS!?) intermingles the aforementioned two 'influences' (not really influences, obviously) perfectly, adding a little Hellenic flavour on top for extra eerie. Even the vocals bare some haunting similarities to Franta Storm's. "Unidos Pelo Aço" I'd say is the most Satan's Host-sounding of the 5 tracks, especially towards the end which could have been snatched right off the "Metal From Hell" LP. The menacing fury of darkness and evil continues on side B with the stormer title track and here I can't help thinking about Nifelheim for pure relentless rage reference, and "Faraós 2000 D.C." wraps everything up with a warped and twisted bow of doom and death. Without actually being Doom or Death.
If there's any minor flaws worth pointing out it would be the usual thin SoAm mix, but if you've dug yourself deep enough into the forgotten Metal sub-basement to reach this review, you should be used to worse by now. I'm not saying it's the 2nd best Brazilian Metal album ever or anything because, ha-ha, that would be like, totally pretentious but going throught my Brazilian slot in the shelves and ignoring INRI I can't seem to find a better one at the moment. Curious..