Calamity – Imminent Disaster (Self-Released)
Sunday, 20th December 2015
Forming five years ago as the cover band Silent Screams, Puerto Rico thrash quartet Calamity changed names and decided to tread on original paths – unleashing a 6 song EP last summer prior to issuing this debut full-length Imminent Disaster. These 10 songs display more finesse and intricacy than your average start up twenty-somethings, necessary for establishing the possibilities of a distinct style in a genre flooded with retro-Exodus and Slayer wannabes.
Tight picking and chest-thumping uppity tempos that circle in the Znowhite or Heathen wagons makes the title track an instant pleaser – especially for the slower, methodical guitar break against Fernando Rivera’s supplementary bass plucking. At other times the band know when to decelerate and hammer home that monster mid-tempo pit riff to rally the troops – as “Homeland or Death” or “Silent Screams” lean towards the modern side of exhilarating wall of death material.
Triplet runs plus frantic tempo changes factor heavily into the gallop-oriented “Eye of the Storm” – drummer Eduardo Acevedo showing remarkable restraint during the twin harmony laden break but being appropriately progressive and tentacle-like in his fills when called for. A lot of times the career of hometown heroes Cardinal Sin comes up often, the skilled stop/start transitions and obvious attention to melody instrumentally against all of fury, speed, and aggression making “Ripping the Sky” and “Endless Demise” surefire headbangers.
Guitarist Berny Santos doubles on vocals, and his raspy roar gets the job done but won’t win any spectacular awards in the thrash world – we’ll see how things progress on the follow up outings. Imminent Disaster is not your average effort as the stellar musicianship translates into an exciting roller-coaster record that can aid Calamity in their world domination odyssey. Hopefully the next recording will have label backing if the group choose to tread down those channels – as their talent and songwriting is on point.
