Sunday 2 March 2014

A SAD BADA - White Rivers and Coldest Chains - Album Review


Album Type:Album
Date Released:March 2014
Label: Self Released

White Rivers and Coldest Chains track listing:

1. Rocio de mayo
2. Hide and grieve
3. The march of the saddest martyr
4. Quiet rain and silence segregation
5. Frustration in the grey streets of resentment

Bio:

A Sad Bada is a Chilean Sludge/Doom/Post metal band, originally started as a side proyect in 2008. At that time Fernando Figueroa (Ex - Ocultum) and Pablo Monroy (Matanza) decided to gather some forces on guitars with Gastón Cariola, after some intense rehearsing and several line up changes, A SAD BADA began composing their first songs with the following line- up:

Fernando Figueroa - Vocals and guitars
Gastón Cariola - Guitars
Pablo Monroy - Drums

During this preceding composing stage, Pablo Monroy left the band to dedicate his efforts to Matanza, joining A SAD BADA Andrés Henríquez on drums and Daniel González on bass. With this new line-up, live shows were scheduled and performed on different local venues such as Bar Óxido, Las Américas, Classic Club, etc sharing stage with a bunch of local and very talented bands such as: Budasses, Dr.Zaius, Ocultum, Matanza, Abismo, among others.

On year 2011 and for personal reasons Andrés González and Daniel González left the band, after a short period of inactivity, on 2012 Roberto Toledo joined the band participating on the recording sessions of A SAD BADA´S Rebut album entitled "White rivers and coldest chains". Finally, at the end of 2012 drummer Raúl Valenzuela (Twilight, Animus Bellum, Dios del Humo), on february of 2014 Raul Valenzuela left the band for differences with the other members of the band, actually the band is looking for a new drummer and playing live with Andres Henriquez.

Review:

A Sad Bada finally unleash their début album after teasing the hell out of me for the best part of 12 months or so. I have seen trailers, listened to free songs and samples they have recorded for their début album – White Rivers and Coldest Chains.

And what a fucking album this is. It's 50 minutes of finely tuned down-tempo Sludge/Post-Metal riffs that amounts to one bleak depressing ride into the darkness of human addiction. The album cover gives a great impression what to expect on the album. Take a long hard look at it as A Sad Bada are going to take you on an unforgettable journey.

First track - Rocio de Mayo – pulls no punches with it's unflinching style of bleak anger filled Sludge/Post-Metal vibes with lead vocalist – Fernando – singing his heart out here. You can feel his pain and anger through the intensity of his voice. I haven't heard Sludge/Post-Metal this bleak in a very long time. It can be very depressing at times but A Sad Bada do include a few brief shades of Post-Metal riffs that offers hope in all this darkness and turmoil. But it doesn't last for long as the band venture back into the darkness.

The music is played at a brutal mid pace so don't go expecting any fast-paced riffs as that isn't the band's style. It's loud, uncompromising and beautifully poetic at times as A Sad Bada prove they are one of the bleakest bands to come from the South American Sludge Metal Scene.

The misery continues on Hide and Grieve, a stunning 11 minute epic that has many violent riffs to lose yourself in with the band playing some truly haunting post-metal riffs that will truly consume you. This track shows what a great band A Sad Bada actually are as they have crafted something mysterious and dangerous here with Fernando once again on fine demonic form.

The March of The Saddest Martyr – is another heavy pounding epic that plays out like your worst nightmare come to life. A Sad Bada are revelling in their role as dark messengers of death, decay and misery. The instrumental work is immense through out as this is one of the albums stand out tracks.

A Sad Bada continue their barrage of hard-hitting Sludge/Post-Metal riffs through-out the album's last two tracks and it's a journey that will last long in the memory. Frustration In The Gray Streets of Resentment ends the album on a perfect twisted end. This album will compel you and may even scare the hell out of you but that is the poetic beauty of this album. It shows the true horrific picture of addiction in all it's twisted glory.

If you have the patience for this excellent album you will justly be rewarded with a brutal and punishing assault on the senses. A Sad Bada have delivered an outstanding début album and one that should win them some praise and respect within the Sludge/Post-Metal scene.

Written by Steve Howe

Thanks to the band for sending me a promo. White Rivers and Coldest Chains will be available to buy soon by contacting the band directly.

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