Having been dropped like a red hot shit by the music media following a disastrous PR stunt in 2014, Texan deathcore merchants Upon A Burning Body have a lot to prove, but will brand new record ‘Straight From The Barrio’ be enough to silence their critics?
Explosive opener ’Til’ the Break of Dawn’ rather succinctly presents ‘Straight From The Barrio’’s appeal; bold, brash and chock-full of bluster. UABB are on fine form here. The Latin element of their music is also brought to the fore, with the use of nylon string acoustic guitars fitting seamlessly with their trademark deathcore assault.
UABB keep things over the top with the one two of ’You Don’t Own Me’ and ‘Media Blackout’. Sitting somewhere between Slipknot and Attila, neither track does anything particularly new with the deathcore formula, but it’s that much harder to care when the beatdowns are this heavy, and the lyrics are this silly.
His band may be tighter than any animal’s arse you care to name, but the star of the show is undoubtedly vocalist Danny Leal, whose larger than life presence ensures ‘Straight From The Barrio’ sits atop the deathcore pack. Whether he’s referencing Ke$ha in the album’s title track or spitting bars like a less nauseating Chris Fronzak on ‘B.M.F.’, Leal shows impressive vocal dexterity throughout.
While more aggressive tracks on this album manage to hit their intended mark, the band falter when they stray too far from this path. Closing ballad ‘My Distorted Reflection’ sits uncomfortably with the majority of the album’s cocksure swagger, while ‘Leave The Pain Behind’ is a dead ringer for Motionless In White’s ‘Reincarnate’, struggling for identity as a result.
Overall, ‘Straight From The Barrio’ is most easily comparable to the Fast and Furious film franchise. Sure, it might be daft as fuck and, at times, a bit corny but taken with a few grains of salt, it’s heaps of fun.
3.5/5
‘Straight From The Barrio’ by Upon A Burning Body is released on October 28th on Sumerian Records.
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Words by Josh Graham (@jollyboyjosh_)
