ALEA JACTA „Tales of Void and Dependence”

Art Gates Records, 2017

Music: Thrash Metal / Hardcore

Website: www.facebook.com/aleajactaoficial

Duration: 47:37 minutes (13 tracks)

Country: Spain

The discussed ALEA JACTA should not be confused with the now defunct Italian death / black horde of the same name. The Spanish band was formed in 1994 in San Cristóbal de la Laguna on the picturesque Tenerife, Canary Islands. So far, they have released two demos, two EPs, one single and a split with HOTTORY.

Aggressive music from Tenerife is a combination of thrash metal and hadcore. The galloping rhythm, simplicity of transmission and positive energy comes from hardcore, but heavy riffs and dramaturgy comes from metal music. There two vocals were used, the main harshly and the second – clean melodic mainly in refrains. The compositions are not too complicated, but they are not monotonous. The musicians are good, but none stand out above the others. They do not have virtuosic skills, anyway the skills are unnecessary in the type of music they perform – that is, dynamic, non-extreme thrashcore. The tracks are quite varied. In most cases the metal element prevails, as in “Swimming with a Lead Lifejacket”, with heavy, sharp guitars, low vocal and dark climate. The Others songs combine equally thrash and hardcore as “Interdependence”. Each song is colored by guitar solos, short and simple. And lot of short, melodic slowingdowns. There are also climatic fragments.

It is audible that every member of ALEA JACTA puts a lot of heart in the play, which entails the listener. Some melodies and clear vocals of refrains remind me irresistibly of P.O.D. (although it’s a completely different musical tale). The production of the music is good, selective. You can not fault anything on the work of the quintet from Tenerife, but the music does not throw you on your knees. This is music for people who like both the aesthetics of speedy metal and hardcore punk.

Tracklist:

1.Prologue

2.Anastrophe

3.Sense of Loss

4.The Other in Us

5.Insight

6.Swimming with a Lead Lifejacket

7.Praying for… (Prelude)

8.Your Presence

9.Searching for a New Self

10.Son

11.The Loop