Lujuria, Ficción y Blasfemia. 1992. Avanzada Metálica
Your Hell, Their Paradise
There are very few albums that have such an interesting background like this does. Ficción, Lujuria y Blasfemia is the first LP from mexican band Pactum. This disc was relseased through Avanzada Metálica in 1992, 3 years after their first self-produced epinomous EP (also known as M.O.D.L). Nonethless it had to face many obstacles to be released due to some controversies not only about the lyrics, but also some track names ("Spitting to Bible", "Eyaculating blood" and "I am God", for example, are some translations from some honor mentions). It is pretty well known through fans the anecdote about how censored was the album, to the point of being sold hiding the title of the album on the cover and a sparse white on the back that only says "CONTAINS 11 SONGS" (song titles and lyrics were not printed and vocalist Luís Castillo had to give away copies made by himself with the lyrics and titles of the songs in sales area, such as "tianguis" markets and stores).
We find ourselves another example of the precariousness which the records were produced at Avanzada Metálica; something that would torture audiophiles but will delight hardcore fans of thrash and black metal. We aren't only talking about the way the cymbals of Woltan Campos drums fly over the rest of the instruments, but also the way in which the guitars of Antonio Porcayo and the bass by Alejandro Ortiz were poorly recorded.
Leaving aside the audio quality, we have a very interesting job by a band that already had 6 years existing, who also came from having produced its own EP, and it shows.Guitar riffs are accompanied envelopingly by the drums and bass. Something that we have to be grateful for is that the bass is not buried in the mix, which allows us to appreciate how Ortiz's work shines on its own and the fact that he not just bounded himself to mimmicking Porcayo's lines, but also has several fills and solos that add an extra dimension to the equation. Guitar solos are few and short, but full of expressiveness and do not fell into uncalled shredding. They're not something that you miss while listening to the album and do not missundestand it, they're neither poorly executed or tiring, not at all; simply, they're placed in a timely manner as the occasion asks for it (for example, "Tu Infierno, Mi Paraíso"). Castillo's vocals sounds bare-bone stark, like atonal growls of an evil and angry shadow, bordering on torn whispers that, although they don't stand out in technique, fit in with the decadent and aggressive atmosphere. The sound of Campos' drums is a disaster, perhaps as a result of poor decisions at the time of recording, but it let you percibe his work manages to live up to the rest of the music. There is a certain attitude from the band as a whole throughout the album, from wide instrumental sections to smashing sessions full of anger and speed (as in "Eyaculando Sangre"). It is not something that you would show your aunt Petunia, but its merit lies in the fact that it does not go to the opposite extreme of repelling or boring you, to the point that it becomes a (not so) guilty pleasure.
Something that stands out is the creativity of the songwriting, having mainly short songs of less than 3 minutes, many of their passages are unique, which becomes a rhapsody of raw darkness with very few choirs. Cases such as "Antiprocreación", the longest track in the album, stand out with several different sections or "Parricide", which alternates psychedelic parts with a wild repentless interlude. There are times when you have the opportunity to appreciate how this chaos is created and unfolds, "La Ira de la Razón" begins as a tight march that decays and rots without a notice as you reach the final chorus and close this entire journey through the cave of just over 30 minutes to which you entered listening "Yo soy Dios". There are times when you have the opportunity to appreciate how this chaos is created and unfolds, "La Ira de la Razón" begins as a tight march that decays and rots without a notice as you reach the final chorus and close this entire journey through the cave of just over 30 minutes to which you entered listening "Yo soy Dios".
Finding low points is something that proves difficult the more you listen to it, each song has its shining, but we must admit that "Alaridos de Placer" could be the only weak track in the entire album, without anything really memorable (despite the chorus), although in tastes, to each one his own; and we hope this to make you wonder everything else that you can find in the rest of the album. As noted, it's not material that everyone will love right off the bat, but it's a tracklist that grows on you after a couple of listens. Should you give it a try? Of course.
Personal
Luís Castillo - Vocals
Woltan Campos - Drums
Antonio Porcayo - Guitars
Alejandro Ortíz - Bass
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