I think it's been about four years since Claustrofobia released their last full-length, but the Brazilian thrash act is finally back with "Fulminant". I reviewed the band's sophomore effort, "Thrasher", about three years ago, and while I really liked it, something about the material didn't hold up quite as well over time for some reason. Well, whatever the case, I'm pleased to report that "Fulminant" is a stronger album across the board. The recording is a little more organic and well-rounded, the songwriting is more memorable and diverse, etc. Claustrofobia's overall sound is one of early- to mid-90's thrash metal in that you can hear leftover riffs from the classic vibe of the 80's heyday, but the general presentation is heavier and has just the right amount of tactful groove in place. This time around they're also introducing some sick dissonant textures and a few weirder lead breaks and time signatures to further break away from any accusations of a "retro" approach, though aficionados of the good ol' days should still find plenty to smile about on this album. It's cool because the band has finally managed to perfectly blend the old and the new in a manner that remains fairly energetic and in your face, and unlike many such acts flirting with these particular areas they do so without relying on death metal riffs or tangible melody, which is great. The end result really does start to put Claustrofobia in a league of their own – and I honestly wish more bands could find it within themselves to follow suit, because there's not enough of this kind of thing out there these days! Oh, and "Eu Quero é Que se Foda" below even features a guest solo from the one and only Andreas Kisser, just so you know.

Claustrofobia "Reality Show"
Claustrofobia "Eu Quero é Que se Foda"

As with many relatively obscure bands from South American countries, it might be a little tricky to get your hands on this CD here in the US, though steps are being taken to improve that situation. For the time being you can email the band about ordering a copy directly from them, or try to get in touch with ta.zambo@videotron.ca if you need some help acquiring the disc. There are currently only two online vendors carrying/slated to carry the CD (the latter is in North America but probably won't have the album on hand until August):

@ Submarino
@ Profusion – Le Metal Store

I also reviewed a demo from Brazilian grinders Expose Your Hate around three years ago, and a couple of those songs have been re-recorded here on "Hatecult" – their debut full-length released by Black Hole Productions. For those unfamiliar, these guys crank out some raging death/grind with socio-political lyrics that attack religion, the media, ecological issues, and then some. The vocals on this outing are still all over the place from sneering screams to lower growls, but whereas the demo was a little more straightforward in its speedy delivery of rather traditional grindcore, this record brings in a lot more of a death metal vibe from a musical standpoint. The riffing maintains a largely high-speed attack, but they'll also throw in the occasional dissonant break or a few slightly harsher and more chaotic angles as well, and that variety helps to add interest and keep things moving. Although, at the end of the day they're still plowing through 17 songs in barely over a half-hour, so there's not much messing around to be had here… and when it comes to grindcore that's how I like it!

Expose Your Hate "Corrosion of Truth"
Expose Your Hate "Appreciate the Dying Planet"

It's a shame so many bands from outside the US can tend to have such a hard time getting listeners to take notice over here, but I think Expose Your Hate has a lot of potential to please fans of straight up grind that tend to prefer acts with a contemporary edge that aren't just rehashing the true classics. So pick this one up if you're into it, and spread the word:

@ Black Hole Productions
@ Razorback Records
@ Relapse Records

I'm glad to see so many people enjoyed the power of "The Juice" yesterday. I can only wish said "Juice" was mighty enough to have prevented me from ever returning to work. I really need to start playing the fucking lottery…