Campo de Extermínio

One thing is clear, that a select group of Brazilian bands in the mid to late 80's had unwritten rules of the way a song should be written. The number one stipulation is: anything goes. And I mean anything and everything. For example, you could get your knocked up sister, during a harsh and drugless labor, and of course a cheap microphone. Her screams of agony would end up being recorded, reverb thrown in and pasted during a climatic moment on the album. And this would be considered extreme and perfectly ok by this group's, then, growing and gaining chaotic standards.

With all things considered. Some of these bands were intense and overtly aggressive. I remember putting on this album and hearing a slower chugged simplistic riff. And thinking, 'alright, at what point are they going to throw in a ridiculously fast, outrageous, blast beated, you-just-name-it section?' Then lo and behold, a minute later, I got what was expected and deserved: a decent faster section was the concrete, then the next track paved the way. Holocausto plays a barbaric and belligerent form of death-thrash, that is at times more death than thrash. The dirty and thick production, as well as his vocals can be persuasive reasonings. In 87' and having deep, growled and muffled vocals seemed like only a rudimentary addition to the morning route. Although, depending on the song it might sway between I'm-going-to-die screams and a roughened, projected growled rasp.

If the average, everyday, extreme metal listener stumbled upon this, the production can come across as a little unsettling. However, it does fit their brash playing style and attitude quite snugly. Although, I can imagine it was probably mixed and processed with confusion. 'Alright, guys, which instruments do you want to be loudest?' 'What do you mean? Of course, all of them.' The recording sounds as if, all of the musicians where attempting to out due one another, yet, at the same time. Making it not have a certain instrument come out of the pack in the lead, and at certain times run leaderless and flush.

The primary riffs aren't complex if comparing it to today's death metal standards of tight and technical. And even when he is using a slower riff, there might only be a simple continuous chugging combined with single notes or chords. However, when they speed up, which is about half and half, he might play less measures, and switch it up more often. And can often play a basic riff to a quick enough point to where you can only hear the tone of his guitar and guess what is going on. When the music is playing blast-fast, he uses a more quick and fast-for-the-sake-of-fast mentality. Like playing a few single notes back and forth at hyper disorienting speed; though with sometimes little memorability. But when slower or mid-thrash range, he might use a more paced riff that has a timed head-bangable rhythm. The vocals work to a slight advantage with this riffing style. The music might be chaotic background noise at a point. But the vocalist will use a quick spray of words and slight pause, then repeat. This can be helpful to getting into finding a head-nodding motion.

The riffs combined with the drums sound like they are both battling each other for who can win the right to be loudest, especially when at break neck speed. I'm sure the drummer went through new snare heads and frequent doctors visits to alleviate his sore arms and legs from playing. He will literally be all over the set, no matter his ability to accomplish a qualified fill or blast. His snare drum sounds like muffled bass at times. And as if his 'snares' (metal wires on bottom of snare drum) are at times loose, causing it to catch against the bottom head only when he pounds on it.

Campo de Exterminio breaks all of the conventional rules, yet might instinctively fall into a certain mid to late 80's molding of extreme death-thrash. Like a given share of Brazilian bands, they use all Portuguese song titles, and throw in the mix an underlying Third Reich mentality. I can you tell you from this, they weren't trying to impress anyone, but a select few who are into overtly primitive, aggressive and chaotic metal. I think they do stand apart and were possibly pushing and evolving ahead of their time with this. Even if they didn't gloat about it and go for mass appeal. Because the production and the musicianship might strain some ears, and their mentality might offend some other morally high ground folks. But that is all part of the fun, isn't it?