So much of the death metal coming out of Latin America is of a purity more apparent that most other regions of the world; that is, the energy flow and overall vibe is gut-delivered and soul-derived, the lack of pretense immediately obvious. That is exactly what one hears on Mortificy’s Burn and Suffer. The Brazilian group has been dwelling in the underground since 2000 and shows no signs on compromise on this (naturally) blast happy, straight forward death metal serving.

You’ve heard it all before and little on Burn and Suffer will make the muscles around your mouth stretch to capacity from your dropped jaw, none of which means a damn thing in the context of listening enjoyment. In other words, Burn and Suffer is well played and rock solid as a death metal album in the grand Brazilian tradition. Throaty mid-range growls combine with organic Gatling-gun blasts and razor riffing (ala Krisiun), and more than a modicum of memorable cuts.

The songwriting on display sticks to the fundamentals, generally meaning vocal patterns that follow the guitar lines and a philosophy to that screams: ‘We’ve got a great riff here, so why would we keep departing from it?” That’s oversimplifying things a bit, but the central point remains: the arrangements on this album are fundamentally sound.

Those fundamentals are put to good use since there are several songs of note here and not a single one that isn’t worth your time. “Behold the Desecration” sets apart for its appealing Hades-gallop and a great hook. Hell, it’s even got a certain swing to it. “Abnegating Legacies of Supremacy” is one of the cuts representative of the album as a whole since the balance of teeth-rattling blasts, gallops, grooves, and stabbing riffs is heard front and center. And you’ve got to love the break into a stone cold groove amidst the blasting warfare on “Slaves of Faith,” while “Desolation of the Religion” just kills, the topmost cherry the threat conveyed by that ascending guitar line.

Burn and Suffer does a marvelous job of providing the old school death metal fan that prefers the Brazilian model a means to get his/her DM groove on without having to think so darn hard about it. Mortificy’s newest work is free of self-aggrandizement and full of glorious Death. Nicely done.

[Visit the band's website]

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