Ratos De Porão: Século Sinistro

Brazilian crossover kings still screaming after 33 years

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Brazilian legends Ratos De Porão have been commanding a punk/hardcore/crossover/thrash four-way since 1981

On Século Sinistro, the greybeards do a career-spanning mix’n’match, throwing subgenre exclusivity out the window as they illustrate the adroit adaptability that comes with three-and-a-half decades’ worth of experience. Ratos De Porão possess a definite metal edge, a characteristic they display with aplomb on the opening one-two of Exodus-like thrasher Conflito Violento and the crustier-sounding Neocanibalismo. The title track ventures into fastcore territory with a Herculean vocal effort, Jornada Para O Inferno updates S.O.D.’s Milano Mosh with Bay Area flair and Prenúncio De Treta mixes d-beats with a technically astute gallop. There is a quality drop-off during the final third, though it’s fuelled by the ferocity of a populace that continues to be teetering on the brink of third-world status and the still-sore wound of Germany manhandling them on their home football pitch.

Via Alternative Tentacles