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Reborn (1992)
Dark Half was a rather short-lived band from Mexico. They went into the studio in mid-1991 to record their debut album, Reborn, which was released over a year later. This is death/thrash with a strong late '80s feeling. The production is very raw, with a lot of distortion and fuzz on the guitars. The vocals are reminiscent of the barbaric sounds of the South American scene, adding to the savage and primitive vibe of the music.
The guitars are sharp and aggressive, mixing straightforward thrash rhythms with more chaotic death metal moments. The lead guitar solos are hellish bursts that erupt suddenly. The playing isn't the tightest and some of the transitions are rough, but there’s still a sense of structure holding it all together. There are moments when the music is reminiscent of Brazilian bands like Sepultura, MX, or Antítese. This is especially noticeable on "Damned Land," where the riffs feel like a cheese grater being dragged across your face, while the solos add salt to the wound. Meanwhile, "To Take Your Soul" blends in a bit of early Celtic Frost in some of the riffs. The final song, "Death Comes True", even works in slower doom-laden riffs.
It’s clear that Reborn was rooted in the older style rather than belonging to the more standardized, pure death metal sound that was developing at the time. Similar to a lot of Eastern European bands of this era, no one had told Dark Half that the '80s had ended, and that worked out for the best. If you want raw and vicious death/thrash with a gloomy vibe, definitely give this a listen.
The guitars are sharp and aggressive, mixing straightforward thrash rhythms with more chaotic death metal moments. The lead guitar solos are hellish bursts that erupt suddenly. The playing isn't the tightest and some of the transitions are rough, but there’s still a sense of structure holding it all together. There are moments when the music is reminiscent of Brazilian bands like Sepultura, MX, or Antítese. This is especially noticeable on "Damned Land," where the riffs feel like a cheese grater being dragged across your face, while the solos add salt to the wound. Meanwhile, "To Take Your Soul" blends in a bit of early Celtic Frost in some of the riffs. The final song, "Death Comes True", even works in slower doom-laden riffs.
It’s clear that Reborn was rooted in the older style rather than belonging to the more standardized, pure death metal sound that was developing at the time. Similar to a lot of Eastern European bands of this era, no one had told Dark Half that the '80s had ended, and that worked out for the best. If you want raw and vicious death/thrash with a gloomy vibe, definitely give this a listen.
(13 June 2025)
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