Altar

Flores Y Fuego

Pirates Press Records, 2023

http://www.facebook.com/FloresyFuego

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/22/2023

A female fronted hardcore punk outfit from Guadalajara, Mexico, Flores Y Fuego (Flowers And Fire) take their distaste for modern life and turn it into powerful and insightful songwriting from the perspective of front woman Melisa Rat Lalo Fer.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

“Soy Tu Voz” (I Am The Voice) opens the listen with Melisa’s biting vocals, throbbing bass and thundering drums in the sturdy and driving post-punk climate that welcomes a tuneful guitar solo, too. “Muerde El Anzuelo” (Take The Bait) follows, and carries a bouncy, harmonic flavor that pairs well with the shouted singing that somehow still carries a toe tappin’, head bobbin’ spirit amid the healthy riffs.

Further along into the 8 tracks, “GDL” offers a bristling and hard-hitting display of fury and melody, while “Deceso” (Death) leads with a bit of atmosphere via the reverb and delay before building into a thick and rowdy album highlight the rumbles with a charged intensity.

Onto the back half, the chunky bass of the title track segues into the raw, hard hitting and anthemic delivery that might remind you of Bad Religion with a gym membership, and “Existir” takes its time flirting with jazz ideas before erupting into a uniquely rhythmic version of hardcore. “Por Una Cadena Más Larga” (For A Longer Chain) exits the listen with incendiary rhythm section and tuneful guitar moments that tip their hat to the almighty Brian Baker (Dag Nasty, Bad Religion, Minor Threat).

A raging and very focused record, Altar finds Flores Y Fuego discussing empowering women, suicide, police brutality, and the daily struggles of living in today's world. Their music is diverse and memorable, but in a very traditional hardcore sort of way, and the parallels to the legendary Los Crudos are warranted and come with much praise.

Rating: A

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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