Genre: Black Metal
Label: Desavenencia
Date of Release: April 3, 2014
EXTREME BLACK METAL
Mexican black metal act Precaria was established back in 2003 by frontman Ianzel, also known as "The Hermit." After releasing a demo the next year, the project disbanded. It reformed later on, however, and through a lengthy process, the band eventually released its debut full-length in 2014 entitled "Precaria ex Humanitas."
The musicianship this album showcases is very good, at least for the most part. The vocals, for starters, deliver robust roars with a nice amount of range and strength. The best aspect of the musicianship, however, would be the guitar work, dishing out a lot of eerie riffs and melodies to conjure up some potent atmosphere. The drums, on the other hand, do tend to be sloppy at times, especially when it comes to the blast beats that occupy a good portion of the record overall. Luckily, they are solid enough, and they don't reach the point where it makes the music itself unbearable.
On a similar level, the production is a bit of a splitting point for this album. It's very raw and a little screechy, traits that probably can be found in older black metal releases. This means that the mixing is rather inviting for old-school fans of the genre, yet at the same time, those unfamiliar with or new or indifferent to it may not be totally appealed by this style of production. Bottom line, the mixing does hold its ground fairly well; it's just that it does render the music as rather genre-exclusive.
As for the songs themselves, they are composed well. The tracks in this release, while staying true to their black metal roots, has enough diversity to keep the listen interesting and offering of something different. For an example, "Traficando los Organos de la Iglesia" appropriately opens the record with an immediate typhoon of blast beating, haunting riffs, and vocal roars galore. There's nothing that new or innovative, but it works nonetheless. "Estupro a la Conciencia" takes a more atmospheric turn with a bit more dynamic to ante up the tension.
Despite the album's chaotic history, "Precaria ex Humanitas" is an enjoyable dose of black metal. While the percussion could use some work and the record itself may not appeal that much to any outsiders of the genre, everything else about the release is well carried-out. The instrumentation nicely fleshed out, the music is well-written and has good atmosphere. Once again, if you're not interested in the raw black metal craze, it's unlikely that "Precaria ex Humanitas" will change your mind. If the opposite is the case with you, then you'll probably enjoy getting wrapped up in its unpleasant aura.
Score: 7/10 (Solid)
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