Typically I don’t find a language gap in music, especially metal. When I was in middle school, my Spanish teacher introduced me to Spanish metal and from then on I had a deeper appreciation for world music. Sol de Sangre which translates to “Blood of the Sun” are Colombian, but currently reside in different parts of the world. This powerful group consists of Kike Valderrama (Headcrusher) on vocals, Rolando Ramos Torres on guitar, Gonzalo Restrepo (Absolution Denial, Cromlech, Deadsoul) on drums, and Gustavo Adolfo Valderrama on bass. They have captured the old-school death metal aesthetic, while adding their own thrashy and melodic flair to the style. Since 2017, they have been releasing singles to support their upcoming self-titled album with Black Market Metal. The album was mixed by Tomas Skogsberg (Sunlight Studios) and mastered by the ever-prolific Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust, Tiger Junkies). On March 23rd, the album was released and it took off like a goddamn rocket!
This entire album is devastatingly brutal, taking you to the cleaners with every track. While this album is intense, it is appropriate to mention their use of melody and hooks to keep you invested among the chaos. The Self-titled release is entirely in Spanish, but even if you don’t speak the language it takes nothing away from the album. Tracks like “La Cosecha del Miedo” and the title track showcase the melodic guitar work of Torres, while ushering in thrashy disgusting riffs that rip you apart. “La Feria del Chivo” and their Lluvia Negra cover “Bienvenida Muerte Bienvenida” show strong influence from death metal, hardcore, and home-country thrash. All in all, this album rules! It is a healthy reminder that good metal can be found everywhere. As reported by Blabbermouth Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) has said, “Death metal is popular from Moldavia to Cuba” and he’s right. These guys are all truly talented on their own, but as a unit they shine brightly. I love this album. It was a clean and powerful record that I would show to anyone looking to expand their death metal collection. For updates, follow Sol de Sangre on Facebook below. Check out the lyric video for “Perros Con Sarna” and stream the entire album below.
