MASACRE formed in Medellin, Colombia in 1988. In a country with a nascent yet revered black/death metal scene (thanks to legends like PARABELLUM and REENCARNACION), MASACRE played in the chaotic and brutal style of their South American peers, coupling the intensity of their music with sociopolitical lyrics that reflected the violence and corruption that surrounded them. After several demos and the excellent "Ola de Violencia" EP, the group released their debut full-length "REQVIEM" in 1991 via Osmose Productions. A revered classic in its own right, the LP set the stage for a live demo, a re-release of "Ola de Violencia" as a split EP with the mighty PROFANATICA, and the doom-ridden "Barbarie y Sangre en Memoria de Cristo" EP before a period of dormancy in the mid-90s. SACRO arrived in 1996, showcasing a marked evolution in the band's sound. Their second full-length is a muscular offering of tightly constructed black/death metal, retaining the maniacal energy of the early work while honing the musicianship to a degree of excellence that surpasses its predecessors. Speed and brutality are in equal measure, with a precise execution pummeling the listener into subservience. Vocalist Alex Okendo provides a noteworthy performance here, with the macabre realism of his Spanish-language lyrics not merely heard but truly felt by its audience. Treading a delicate balance of classic chaotic SA deathrash with the blunt-force brutality of US death metal of the time, SACRO is a standout release and a crucial document of death metal art. - P. Lautensleger
