Spanish band BERRI TXARRAK was formed back in 1994, and these veterans from the Basque region of Spain have released a grand total of seven studio productions so far in their career. “Haria” is the most recent of these, and was jointly released through Graviton Music Services, Kaiowas and Only In Dreams in 2011.

When listening to this production, I was once again reminded of how long I have been out of touch with the metal scene I used to follow so closely in my teens. While I don’t know just how common the style of this band is, it is one that is rather alien for me, and while I am familair with many of the elements incorporated into their stylistic stew the combination and implementation is one that made me raise my eyebrows a few times. And perhaps it is due to my slight inexperience in these parts of the metal realm that I’d describe their general style as a fairly creative and novel one.

It appears fairly obvious that this is a band that do know their punk and hardcore, and occasionally we’re treated to material that points a fairly direct finger back at those origins too. But this is a band that have said their goodbyes to those stylistic expressions a long time ago, and I would guess this threesome at this stage is just to technically proficient to ever be able to return there as well. Too creative as well, and if they even will have the mindset to craft material of the more basic and primal nature that purebred punk and hardcore needs is an open question as well, at least judging by the contents of this CD.

Staccato, pace-filled riff barrages are used throughout, and is the main provider of the occasional punky vibes here. But Berri Txarrak have developed a fairly smooth and compelling variety when it comes to riff constructions of that nature, one that lacks primitive edges and the basic brutality that is fairly common in punk and hardcore. At least in my experience. Instead there’s a touch of pop punk at times, and even some details here and there that reminds me more of U2 while they still were angry men. This is a band that is about much more than this however. Pace-filled riff constructions closer to thrash in pace and intensity and slower paced guitar driven motifs closer to heavy metal in style is also a part of this stew, sometimes with more of a groove oriented sound and on occasion there’s even a nod or two in the direction of the varieties of metal that have Black Sabbath as a direct inspiration too.

The icing on the cake is a subtle mainstay feature present in just about every song in one or more variations: That of light toned, nervous textures of the kind that makes the words post rock drop failry quickly into my mind. It’s not a distinct nor a dominant presence, but one that is hovering in the distance somewhere, adding a very subtle flavoring to these compositions. So subtle in fact that at times I though I was imagining things, and at some points I may even have done so I guess. Still, unless I have developed a hearing condition of some kind or other it is very much present, and does add a frail, subtle coating to the proceedings that makes the total experience a fairly novel one, at least for someone like me with my inexperience in what has happened in metal for the past couple of decades.

This is a well made album of it’s kind from what I can tell, and I’d describe it as a rather accessible one too, smooth and well produced but perhaps lacking the more vibrant edge some parts of the metal environment at least used to demand from their heroes. I see the band is generally described as post hardcore, and while I’d agree that this music probably deserves a post tag of some kind or other I’d place them within an alternative rock or alternative metal segment first and foremost myself, the post to be used as a description rather than a style element as such. As far as a key audience is concerned, those who find the notion of an accessible band blending elements from metal, hardcore and post rock into a dark, smooth stew to be interesting should probably give this album a spin.

 

My rating: 73/100