![nebiros – guerreros de lucifer [re-release]](https://www.vm-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Nebiros-–-Guerreros-De-Lucifer-Re-Release-cover.jpeg "Nebiros – Guerreros De Lucifer [Re-Release]")
Info
- Band(s): Nebiros
- Label(s): Nuclear War Now! Productions
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Re-Release
- Release Year: 2024
- Review Date: August 8, 2024
- Author(s): FelixS
Ever since the genre’s earliest beginnings, the bands from South America has been contributing significally to the development of the phenomenon of Black Metal. Most notably, of course, were the Brazilians of Sarcófago and Sepultura, at least for the non-South Americans. But there were really hundreds of bands that all did their bit in defining the genre in the continent. One of such bands was Nebiros from Colombia and while they are still active, it is especially their early material that is seen as “cult” by many. ‘Guerreros De Lucifer’ is the band’s debut album, originally released in 1996 through the band’s own imprint and considered to be the band’s true pinnacle.
As with many bands from those roaring early 90’s Black Metal scene, Nebiros also has a turbulent history full of unexpected twists and unforeseen setbacks. In 1992, for instance, their singer was the victim of a murder and guitarist/bassist and vocalist Feretrum (the left one on the album’s cover) left the band to convert to Christianity and become a preacher there. Because Feretrum could no longer relate to his previous life, he had reportedly burned a large portion of the album’s 300 printed copies. This not only makes for a juicy story, but also that the original pressing of the album has become a much sought-after and an exorbitantly expensive item. While the album saw multiple re-releases over the years, it always remained a fan favourite, so the necessity of yet another reissue is not really in question. Especially not when it is done in the right Nuclear War Now! Productions fashion.
As explained in a few interviews, Nebiros’ oldest surviving member Dominus Saevitum (no original members are left), the band’s main goal was always to create music in line with their prime examples. Much unlike the vast majority of their South American peers at the time, Nebiros didn’t pursue a somewhat chaotic and Thrash-infused Black Metal sound. Instead they opted for a more occult sound that was influenced mostly by mostly European bands such as Samael, Rotting Christ and pre-album Mayhem. Although not all of that primal Black Metal translated perfectly into the music of Nebiros, or at least not in equal measures, they, in the process, came to something that can easily be labelled a unique and quite recognizable sound of their own.
First and foremost it is the primitivism that shines through, but once you get used to the shrill and unpolished sound, the music’s true potential starts to show. For sure it is not of the same level of ingenuity of their European heroes nor do they share any similar musical visionary ideas. Instead, they have mastered the minimalist approach in which the riff and atmosphere are key. Yet, amongst the majority of the more primitive and riff driven songs, there are also tracks like ‘Reconocimiento, Repudio y Aceptación’ and the title track that convey a certain doomy atmosphere and Rock-based song structures and actually proves that the band certainly had a much wider musical scope than most of their South American peers.
Terms like “classic” and “cult” are used all over the place, and thus by no means always on those records that actually deserve that classification. In the case of ‘Guerreros De Lucifer’, we can however stick these labels on without shame, regardless of one’s personal taste, this album has an important place in the canon of South American extreme metal and therefore deserves all credit and admiration.
Nuclear War Now! Productions
- Country: USA
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal, Other
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp
