When people think about South American metal, comparisons are usually made to Brazil’s Sepultura. Although Argentina’s Jesus Martyr are close in proximity to Sepultura’s homeland, they are far away from that band’s sound. Jesus Martyr’s sound is more comparible to Fear Factory, with the band’s use of sampling, vocals and overall sound. Opening with "Next Biologycal Crisis", the band displays their heaviness with their thundering drumming, bass-heavy music and angry vocals. "Etheral New Era" is almost the exact opposite to the first song with music and vocals more comparible to the likes of Stone Temple Pilots with a much more mellow, soothing melody which breaks into ferocious death metal with Damaged-like vocals. "100% Organic XXX-Tasy" is a slow powergroove tune with whispered and angry vocals, which is a track I tend to just skip through. "Carnivore" is a high-tempo thrash-type track with highly synthetic sounding drums, but lacking anything solid to make it very listenable. "Glamour Of Divinities" is a very bass-heavy powergroove track with vocals you’d swear are being screamed straight from the windpipe of Burton C Bell. "Your Inner Lachrymose" continues on with the highly synthetic drum sound and solidly energetic groove. "Back To Basics" is exactly as the title indicates, the drum pattern, vocals and guitar are all very basic, with a typical and rather boring, just a typical and basic song. Things start to pick up with Low Resolution "Lifelines", a very Soul Of The New Machine-like track. The last four tracks - "Impersonal World", "Sudamerican Porno", "Nailed" and "Nutritive Soul" are somewhere in the range between Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory and Frontline Assembly, with some Marilyn Manson-type vocals thrown in for a little variety. I personally am a fan of early Fear Factory and Sudamerican Porno certainly sounds as though it could fit anywhere within their discography. Jesus Martyr aren’t an exact clone, as a lot of their material varies but their influences can be traced to other artists easily. I actually like this album, songs like "Next Biologycal Crisis" and "Glamour Of Divinities" had enough to keep me entertained long enough to not get a sudden urge to dismiss the band totally and toss their CD in the trash on first listen. Depending on your musical tastes you’ll either love them or hate them. If you dug Fear Factory’s Soul Of A New Machine, then I’d definitely have to recommend this one to you, it’s worth checking out.

Written By: Teufel