Transcription
Crossing No-Fly Zone – Hecatombe
With more than 10 years of career, Hecatombe has consolidated itself as one of the most enigmatic and promising names of the southern underground. The band, who took a lot of time between the demos “Demo 2002” (2002) and “Hate ‘n Rage” (2008), came back with a concept in affirmation on their new project, the DVD “Crossing No-Fly Zone”. The aggressiveness is their new reference on the traditional metal –extremely well – performed by the Caxias do Sul’s quintet.
Note: 8
Even though they have never left a truly heavy sound, Mark (vocal), Caldo (guitar), Moelevil (guitar), Wood (bass) and Boll3t (drums) are betting on a metal extremely near to the aggressive roots of the genre (like thrash metal) recently. On a very clear way, the new proposal of HECATOMBE has abandoned the compositions of the past to create a new set list, much more alike the tracks of “Hate ‘n Rage” (2008). The result can be seen on the show “Live at the Airport” and on the pioneer audiovisual EP “Forcefulness” – both featured parts of the DVD “Crossing No-Fly Zone”.
On the first moment, the show “Live at the Airport” calls the attention for a series of reasons. It’s not about a live performance, as usually the other DVD of the genre shows routinely. In about forty minutes, HECATOMBE executes their set list in a hangar of Caxias do Sul’s airport, without a single fan in the place. With the aspect of an immense music video, the show has only the band in the scene – but that doesn’t let to evidence how careful the group was to make the place as interesting as it could get to perform their lonely spectacle. All takes are great – and so is the lightning and the video edition – which sometimes creates the impression of overdub, due to the competence that the band shows from top to bottom.
The new music of the band, which can sometimes remember ICED EARTH with a thrash metal influence, is very well represented since the beginning of the show, with the amazing “Me Against Me”. Although I had the opportunity to watch the band live exactly ten years ago and enjoyed their more traditional metal, the new proposal (more aggressive) of HECATOMBE can be appointed as one of the greatest decisions of their career. The attitude of the southern quintet is so intense that there would not be another better characteristic to label their work. For instance, “Dust to Dust”, “Give it Back” corroborates how the chosen path is proven to be the correct one.
The technic of the band is evident in “Not Enough”, certainly the most remarkable track in the set list. The guitarists have a performance worthy of the best compliments from top to bottom of “Live at the Airport”, but the drummer Boll3t and the singer Mark are those attracting all spotlights to them. There is no doubt that Boll3t in short time will be considered one of the best of Brazil. On the other side, Mark unites the typical thrash aggressiveness to certain melodies connected with the NWOBHM (new wave of British heavy metal) in an actuation of great personality. After the traditional “Gone” and “Hunter of Souls”, is the cadenced “Gray Desert” that shows the resourcefulness of HECATOMBE in consolidating a cohesive and varied sound, without being locked to only one (or two) characteristics.
The new EP of the band, titled “Forcefulness” can be considered as the second part of the DVD. The register was recorded in studio and does not exactly hold the same audio quality as “Live at the Airport”, but doesn’t commit any sin. The cadenced “Owned by My Own Desolation” is followed by the band’s equipment assembling, and starting with “Statue” that’s when HECATOMBE returns the scene with the same intense attitude of the previous set list. There’s no way of highlight “Statue” and “Masquerades” in the same way as the three complementary tracks of the set, since they exhale the creativity of the southern quintet in the most clear essence. Certainly, “There’s a Hollow” and “Gray Desert” - but mainly “Not Enough” – are between the best songs that HECATOMBE have written in more than ten years of career.
Financed by the City Hall and the Culture Secretariat of Caxias do Sul, “Crossing No-Fly Zone” still has two extras. The first is the music video (very well produced, by the way) of the music “Not Enough”, which definitively shows all its representation in the band’s new set list. After all, an interview with HECATOMBE (accompanied by a photo galley) dismembers all details that surround the show “Live at the Airport” and the audiovisual EP “Forcefulness”, also showing, although briefly, the writing process of the band. Anyway, is the great set list (and interestingly heavy) which stands as the biggest highlight of the DVD.
Official website: www.hecatombe.com.br
Track-list:
Live at the airport
Forcefulness