Grupo Salvaje

"Here be dragons" was an expression used by the first cartographers to describe the unexplored regions of the world. These far away lands were conjured up to be hostile, harsh and hazardous places. It was a clear warning signal, a call to pacify the adventurers heart. However, it is a known fact that the brave like to rise to the challenge and would see "Aquí hay dragones" as the ideal path to follow. This record is a tribute to dreamers and losers - who are more often than not the same people. Ernesto González was the lead singer of The Pribata Idaho. After the groups lamented separation, Ernesto joined forces with Carlos Perino, Javier Rincón, Óscar Feito and Pepe Hernández, celebrating the birth of Grupo Salvaje whose name pays homage to Sam Peckinpah's film The Wild Bunch and whose firm intention was to plunge into the most dazzling depths of darkness. "In Black We Trust", released in 2003, was a blaze. A blaze because the album, with a duration of a little more than thirty minutes, is made up of nine songs of staggering intensity; a blaze because without intending to be conceptual, it achieved a succinct unity, where Ernesto's powerful voice and the waves of the guitars are fortified on a rock solid rhythmic foundation. After a well deserved break, the quintet is back and are on top form, preserving their sense of identity, but with a surprising widening of perspectives. Inevitably, there are some things that havent changed. Abel Hernández (Migala, Emak Bakia, El Hijo) is in charge of the production once again, and he has also written the musical arrangement together with the group. Any other similarities? Sure, the last album was dedicated to Johnny Cash, June Carter, Sam Phillips and Joe Strummer, well this time the honour goes to the innovative guitarist Link Wray, who sadly passed away last November. The duration of the album remains moderate, 36 minutes in which the group encapsulates their intentions without allowing any space whatsoever for excess baggage. And of course, we can not forget the omnipresent instrumental tension and Ernesto's voice which at its best is without doubt on the same level as Kurt Wagner, Richard Hawley, Leonard Cohen and The Man in Black himself. We are not faced with a particularly optimistic record, but at least the inexorable and, the more often than not, tragic outcome of all these dreamers/losers is a result of their faith in their passions. So the simultaneous guitars in "The Worst Journey in the World" and "Scott's Arm" perfectly illustrate the attempts of Captain Scott's expedition to conquer the South Pole; "Ni Dios ni Amo" recaptures the old anarchist slogan to illuminate its impenetrable darkness; "A Disappointed Man" and "WNP" analyze weaknesses and disillusionments . However, it is probably through the panoramas of "La Hora de los Ocultos", "El Entierro de Bakunin" and "Cénit y Nadir" where we have scent of the dragons trail: beyond their robust rock, always embedded in folk, blues and country, Grupo Salvaje give free reign to their ambitions with unexpected instrumental developments Just there, on the other side, you can have a break from all your battles.

Jesús Llorente :: Acuarela Discos