VARIOUS ARTISTS "Brutal Africa: The Heavy Metal Cowboys of Botswana"

VARIOUS ARTISTS

“Brutal Africa: The Heavy Metal Cowboys of Botswana”

Africa is really the final frontier as far as metal goes (unless you count Antarctica) but there has always been some kind of rock music there. I remember hearing recordings of some heavy psychedelic stuff from Zambia that was done in the early 70’s. To say that African heavy metal is a unique subculture is putting it mildly. They are wildly devoted to the music and take the visual aspect to extremes. Ergo, we have the leather and spike festooned metal cowboys of Botswana, a Southern African country that is half engulfed by the Kalahari Desert.

Svart Records has decided to take a look at those black leather cowpokes with this compilation of Botswanan bands. The quality and style here varies wildly but I want to go on record right now saying that I support all these bands. Their struggle is what the metal spirit is all about and I salute them!

We start with two cuts from CRACKDUST, “Deranged Psychopath” and “Desecrate”. Those names scream death metal and there is some of that here, but I would describe their approach more as groovy thrash. Both tunes are very acceptable and feature some twin guitar work as well; this band could definitely be signed here in the West. METAL ORIZON are considered one of the “grandfathers” of the African metal scene and have been around for a long time. “Ungazetted Mortuary” is for sure one of the best tunes on this comp, if not THE best. Some really cool and crunchy riffing that combines classic and modern styles with odd barking vocals. We also get “We’re Rolling”, which is a bluesy, mellow ballad with vocals that are frankly kind of weak but a sweet guitar solo.

OVERTHRUST are actually getting to be well known in the West and are by far the best known of the Botswanan bands. They roast your ears with two blasts of crushing and groovy death metal, “Psychosomatic Torture” and “Slay the Spectator”, the second of which gets my nod as the best. I could easily see these dudes opening for CANNIBAL CORPSE or SIX FEET UNDER. At the other end of the spectrum we find PMMA and “Imprisoned to Death”. Great Googly-Moogly, what an awful song this is. Imagine “atmospheric” nu-metal like THE DEFTONES, but with horrid falsetto vocals dueling with black metal grunts. God love them, but I was lucky to make it through this song once!

Things return to sanity with a couple of heavy groove metal cuts from STANE, “Dictator” and “Run For Your Life”. Both would appeal to fans of LAMB OF GOD. The comp finally ends with a pair from WRUST, who have been holding the flag high for Botswana for quite a while now. “God of the Insane” is another death-groove tune with noticeably talented guitar while “The Day of the Sacrifice” is a track that incorporates some African rhythms and native language vocals into something more uniquely African. Of all the cuts here, this last one is the one that truly seems to create an African metal style.

So quite a range here. Headbangers with a taste for novelty and something a little exotic should seek out “Brutal Africa” and throw their support behind these pioneers of a brave new world.

SVART RECORDS