Antes do Fim

Antes do Fim comes across as a form of mixed genre thrash from Brazil, with a stated influence of various punk/hardcore and US/European heavy-metal and speed-metal bands. They play a primitive form, from the basic drums to the bombastic bass and heavy speech Portuguese. Although, the guitars keep a more intricate form, only by comparison. The recordings for Antes do Fim apparently back then had limited budgets, and only so many metal bands, albeit extreme-metal bands by '86, were emerging from Brazil. So you can imagine the style is a little wobbly and experimental. I can possibly picture Dorsal Atlantica on some Brazilian sponsor program to get relief funds to record their album. Using a phrase to paint an exaggerated early black-and-white picture like: Help this poor, struggling band make a Brazilian R$ (real) and produce this recording. Showing a degrading scene with the drummer holding two twigs and an overturned mop bucket, while the singer cups his hands over his mouth while alternating between vocal-guitar imitations and normal vocals, and while another member uses a tarnished 3 string bass guitar, with the bass guitar saying -a--ha instead of Yamaha.

This release is a bit different from the split they did a year prior, as well as how they would sound two years later on the second full length. On the Ultimatum split, there was a more clear and defined heavy-metal and speed-metal side, with a punk rock undertone on some songs as well. Along with plenty of falsettos and shouted singing attempts, while lending simplistic rhythms and traditional solos. Although, within a more, overall, tamer placing. On Antes do Fim the vocals would become more villainous and deep. As well as the overall music would peak its intensity with faster drums and faster guitars. Here, they definitely sound like a death-thrash band musically. However, would be the kid who would play along. But not totally conform to the game like the others. Lyrically and ideology speaking they would steer from gore and satanic themes for their own purposes. As is more in evidence on their next album.

Looking at the music, it does stand out at points (if only intermittently peeks) and has its own metal-shining (with some tarnish). The riffs keep the songs moving and changing, although within only a few different variations. He can primarily sway the song with a strummed fast style, while ending it in a series of quick, single notes. He tends to use this particular riffing style quite often. The bass guitar is actually louder in the recording than the actual guitars. That might be one aspect of their hardcore and punk influences heavily bleeding through. It is played clean and very pronounced. Although, due to the recording, it peaks volumes and makes the speakers buzz at points on their end. It reminds me of some low budget 70's or before movie, where if a live band is playing too loud it can give it that unmixed, distorted buzz that tells you the speakers are too small to handle it. Well, that might be a good thing for a metal band, to have a loud sound that might potentially blow your speakers; or was too heavy for their own.

If you can picture a primitive tribesman with no shirt and not as much as a fur crotch-and-crack-blocker, holding two big bones in each hand and pounding animal skinned drums, then you can somewhat envision the drummer. He has unashamed and very basic, barbaric chops. He doesn't peak past a medium or faster, pounding thrash beat. Clunking the sticks up and down, like him and the snare have some unfinished business. The cymbals are also much lower than his bassy sounding snare, and his extra bassy bass drum; with the hi-hat somewhere in between. Which makes them sound much more prominent, without an occasional higher noise for resolve. The vocalist wouldn't even try to pass his English language exams anytime soon back then. It wasn't too uncommon that some well known Brazilian bands around the time or later would use their mother tongue. On here, he has a very thick Portuguese vocalization. Even when he distorts his voice, you know that Portuguese emits from his lips. However, it gives it a certain distinction listening to it. He primarily uses a deep, roughened, quick, mild gruff most of the time. However, he might change it up with a higher toned sounding yell or a rare falsetto. Also, there is a thick layer of echo or delay on his voice. It makes it stretch out when he might yell or go higher toned.

I think this album has its own distinct personality. A release that you would have to be there ultimately experiencing it or have it grow on you to appreciate it completely. Realistically, it does lack in some areas of production and comes off as patchy. And some of the instrumentation comes off as very basic, to a point of some moments having been not so time-enduring. Although, Antes do Fim sounds different, even within its own contexts is only just a casual listen for me due to its bare bones simplicity. Another words, it would be a little less charming even if it was released somewhere in the 90s or even now. I've listened to this a few years ago and thought the same thing upon relistening to it again now. Maybe you'll be spoiled too by wanting or expecting it to be original and multi-layered coming from an earlier and extreme year of 1986. Another evolving year for Brazilian metal. A year when extreme-metal was becoming more dominate to a previous year when traditional speed and heavy was more prevalent release wise.

Overall, that doesn't entirely rob you from mid-80's roughened thrash, that is displayed on Dorsal's first, with a tad bit of an earlier influenced hardcore and punk salute. And a musical sound that could be considered death-thrash in execution. Also, I couldn't have really seen this release as being sold in other continents without "Brazilian-" or "South American-" metal being attached. It probably can't be described on its own without those connotations. So if you're looking for a well rounded thrash album, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you don't mind some eccentricity in your listening menu, then I still recommend this to you. With a time-stamped feature of '86 and enclosed with an authentic smell of primitive South American jungles.