Muerto en la cruz

Transmetal is one of the most recognizable and iconic names of Mexican metal. Depending on which type of Mexican metalhead you talk to, the name Transmetal will provoke two likely reactions: one of reverence, and another of mockery and disrespect. Among veteran, more connoisseur and working class fans, Transmetal will always be cherished as pioneers of the Mexican scene, whereas white-collar and/or younger metalheads, some of which tend to prefer newer trends or bands from abroad, deride them as poor-quality metal. This phenomenon applies to many fields of the arts in Mexico, and sometimes age has nothing to do with it, since there are “malinchistas” of many types (a term used to describe Mexicans that, in the most extreme posture, extoll everything foreign and scoff at anything national, originated from conquistador Hernán Cortés's known Mexican-native mistress and translator, “La Malinche”, as a historical national betrayer of sorts).

While it's true that Transmetal weren't doing anything particularly innovative with their debut LP, Muerto en la Cruz, when compared to the international scene, one has to take into account that Mexican society has usually been a few steps behind in most things musically and culturally in respect to the First World countries... especially before the Internet age. While thrash and death metal were already rolling with steaming might elsewhere, what Transmetal was doing here was a spearheading movement. Also of importance is to note that they come from one of Mexico's most über-conservative, traditional and staunchly Catholic states, Michoacán. To release a musical album whose title is translated as Dead on the Cross, with obvious blasphemous meaning, undertones and cover artwork, was quite a counter-cultural act in the late 80s. Nowadays, the reaction by conservatives when coming into contact with extreme metal won't be much different, but in those years it was as ballsy of an act as one can imagine.

Getting past the historical context and meaning of Muerto en la Cruz, I have to tell all of my international metal brothers and sisters reading this, it is not a particularly outstanding album, truth be told. Indeed, Transmetal weren't virtuosic or enormously original musicians, and their debut is also marred by subpar production values, with a guitar sound that's kind of weak and not very well defined. It also doesn't help that the riffs and scarce guitar solos are not very enticing, or that they rhythmic section sounds pretty basic and straightforward. The band compensates these shortcomings with a good degree of passion and attitude, with Alberto Pimentel's gruff but decipherable vocals having some charisma and potency, like a Mexican version of Cronos. In fact, I wouldn't describe the band's sound here as deathrash, not yet. This actually sounds pretty much like Venom's early albums; a dirty, unpolished and unapologetic form of speed metal, or proto-extreme metal, with the same kinda naïve and sloppy instrumentation.

The lyrics, dealing with the evil and profane as well as ordinary violence, are simple and sometimes laughable, but again, this also adds to the charisma of this release, undoubtedly one of its sole fortes. Another one would be Edmundo López' solid cover art, originally printed with a sepia tone, but given a blue hue in future re-releases (mine includes the Desear un Funeral EP tracks as bonus). My personal choice cuts from Transmetal debut's are “Rostro Maligno” (Evil Face), with its chaotic tapping solo at the end, “Enviado al Infierno” (Sent to Hell), with propulsive NWOBHM-like riffs, the instrumental “Milicia Infernal” (Infernal Militia), not very different from instrumental tracks made by many thrash acts of that decade, and the record's title-track, whose main riff seems a metal adaptation of Chopin's well-known “Funeral March” main motif. There are other faster numbers, like the inaugural two-minute punch of “Transmetal” or “La Horca” (The Gallows), that sound thrashier indeed, but also sloppier, and therefore not my preferred cuts.

For Latin American metal enthusiasts, this is an album that's worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime, it can be fun and enjoyable as it is, and its short duration benefits the listener, as the style here is pretty monotonic. As a Mexican, I consider its importance can't and shouldn't be ignored nor minimized. Buying this is another thing, as there are waaay better options of the style, and also better material by Transmetal themselves further up into their prolific discography.