
Morbosidad is a name that is fairly commonplace in the realm of death/black metal, and their latest work, Profana la Cruz del Nazareno, only further solidifies their status in the scene today. While nothing on this disc transcends the traditional aesthetic of black metal, Profana… is a fine example of why sticking to an old formula isn’t such a bad proposal in many cases.
While listening to this album, it is clear that Morbosidad were heavily influenced by the legendary likes of bands such as Blasphemy and Beherit. Now, I’m a sucker for bands who achieve an atmosphere similar to the aforementioned groups, but I can tell when a band excels above the rest, and it is certainly the case here. The band quite often uses the phrase “Morboso Metal” when speaking about their music, and I fail to think of a term more appropriate for Morbosidad. The morbid and twisted nature of the music comes across in the most heartfelt fashion, and retains a sense of sincerity that is rarely paralleled by second rate worship bands. The most prevalent image that comes to my mind when listening to this is that of an army of medieval soldiers storming into a village, killing and raping mercilessly at their own will. This image is derived from the very warlike, and at the same time morbid atmosphere that this disc contains, all of which greet the listener with a complete absence of campiness or self parody.
It is worthless to listen to small fragments of this album at once, as each track works with another to form a bestial, warlike sonic experience. Twisted and sickening guitar riffs are scattered across a pummeling rhythm section that brings many classic second wave black metal bands to mind. Over this are some truly revolting and disgusting vocals that serve the purpose of completely justifying the band’s status as “morbid”. The overall theme of the album seems to be a ruthless and vicious thrashy black metal attack that is quite similar to that of a primitive battleground, though there seems to be a deviant and depraved sexual theme that plays a minor, yet crucial role in defining the experience of this album. When all of these elements come together, they form a cohesive and relentless musical ride that is to be experienced time and time again.
These guys simply wanted to make a simple, yet effective piece of unrelenting black/death metal that compels the person listening to go slay some nearby Christians, and I can attest that they were most definitely successful. The spirit and simple honesty of release play a huge part in making it such a great listen, and I recommend this to anyone who likes their metal played raw, repulsive, and uncompromising.