On the 11th, the Brazilian band Claustrofobia released the album Unleeched , their first work entirely in English, released by Metal Assault Records and distributed in Brazil by the Wikimetal Music .
Recorded during the pandemic in Los Angeles, United States, the album was produced by Adair Daufembach , who has previously worked with bands such as Hangar and Project46 , in conjunction with the band itself.
Exclusively here at Wikimetal , vocalist and guitarist Marcus D'Angelo did a track-by-track analysis of the new album, explaining the concept behind each of the nine songs, as well as sharing some interesting facts about the work. Read the full track-by-track analysis below!
01) Stronger Than Faith
Marcus D'Angelo: Without a doubt, the most powerful song on the album. The riffs are heavily influenced by traditional thrash/death metal, but with that Brazilian way of playing, especially when the drums attack the music in connection with the bass. It was the first time we used seven-string guitars, and the curious fact is that the sequence of riffs was composed with a six-string guitar in our standard tuning and then we transposed it to seven strings, sounding more brutal and contemporary.
We had a sequence ready, but something was still missing, and that's when Yamada [Rafael Yamada, the band's bassist] brought the chorus riff, which fit the composition perfectly. Without a doubt, one of the most powerful riffs on the album. The catchy chorus and strong lyrics are also highlights. It's not enough to just have faith; you have to fight without complaining, be devoted to sacrifice, volunteer in the battle to conquer, tame your own demons that haunt you like the most sinister cult of the century, and ultimately face it all head-on, however cruel it may be. It was a unanimous choice within the band to open the album.
02) The Encrypted
Marcus D'Angelo: This song sounds like a machine, simple strumming patterns full of secrets, a lot of interaction between the three instruments. I dare say it's perhaps the heaviest song on the album. The lyrics are very interesting, something about the clash of ambiguity, prosperity through decadence, that puzzle that is each individual's personality; no one will ever understand what goes on inside your mind and you will never escape yourself. The chorus of voices with the tribal melody over a 100% Brazilian groove calls for movement.
03) Neuro Massacre
Marcus D'Angelo: This was the first single released, a classic Claustrofobia composition. The riffs are fast, broken, and disturbing, leading the way to lyrics that expose a self-destructive, impatient, and angry thought process, which actually represents a defense mechanism. Fun fact: this riff came from a jam session we had the day Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany (laughs). That's all.
04) Psychosapiens
Marcus D'Angelo: This is my favorite track on the album, a monstrous hip hop/death metal song. My best vocal performance, lyrics responsibly destroying the human race, and a chorus possessed by fury with backing vocals Caio [ D'Angelo , drummer] "malako" drumming along with the bass dictates the perfect groove. Draining psychotic brains raping the earth with blood-stained hands. Trust plays dirty in secret…
05) Corrupted Self
Marcus D'Angelo: Hellhammer influences featuring Marc Rizzo , who delivers an epic solo. He volunteered to participate, and we created that hardcore/death metal base especially for him to showcase his skills. The unsettling riff and drum lines are a massacre. The bass nuances in this song are incredible and make all the difference in the atmosphere. The lyrics are about being born and raised in Brazil, the cradle of corruption, where being corrupt has become an act of survival. We also express our contempt for the hypocritical pseudo-revolutionaries who, with their superfluous speeches, boast about attacking the poor, sick, but lack the courage to attack the disease itself.
06) Unleeched
Marcus D'Angelo: The song that shares the album's name. All the riffs were created by Caio, and I just refined them in my own style. We went crazy in rehearsal, trying out all possible variations until we reached a consensus. It's a 100% Claustrofobia song with those drastic tempo changes, which could easily fit into albums like Thrasher or Peste . It has samba, a sample from the master Alborghetti, etc. We are "un-leeching," we are united, and together we begin a revolution in our thoughts, removing everything that might chain us. There are treatments that use leeches for healing, and sometimes we have to be sucked dry to understand the value of freedom and our convictions. Exposed to this pestilent race, we develop antibodies for progress. This one will destroy the mosh pit.
07) Snake Head
Marcus D'Angelo: These riffs were born on the same day as "Neuro Massacre," when Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany (laughs). The lyrics were written by a talented and great friend of ours, named Ivan Goetschi . He assists us with all the lyrics, but when he heard this song firsthand, he responded with these masterful lyrics. He felt the serpent's vibe. This was the only track that wasn't finished when we entered the studio; we finalized it during the recordings, and it became the most mysterious track on the album.
08) Crawling Back to Yourself
Marcus D'Angelo: A very powerful song that we chose to leave for later so as not to lose the album's potency. The rhythm is contagious and the lyrics are heavy; the idea for the lyrics came from Yamada, and I adapted them to fit the vocals. There are many vocal nuances, elements that we've been gradually adding over the last few years. The album begins a moment of redemption, when you understand that you need to be 100% yourself, but from that definitive choice you realize that this path back, of detachment, will be very difficult. For this reason, you go to hell and return to yourself, crawling and seeking to recover.
09) 2020 (March to Glory)
Marcus D'angelo: Without a doubt, it was the most different song we've ever composed. I have many different riffs and melodies that I play randomly on the guitar that we never thought would fit into Claustro, but at the last minute Caio encouraged us to do this one, which became "2020 (March to Glory)". For the first time, I recorded clean vocals as the main element. It was a challenge I had to face with the help of my bandmates.
The year 2020 provoked many reflections in us, and it was very pertinent to talk about it, but we chose to approach it from a more organic point of view and through inner questioning, without accusations or judgments. I wrote this song in partnership with my great friend Ivan Goetschi (mentioned above).
The music is very moving, and the clear vocal chorus perfectly summarizes it all. It's something like: "We are all anonymous and ordinary warriors, wandering and dreaming big across the earth from the womb to the grave, but surely, in some way, we are united in the pursuit of glory, of light, each according to their level of consciousness." I'm very proud of this song.
It's worth highlighting the importance of producer Adair Daufembach in characterizing and enhancing the album's sound. A master. The album ends in a very emotional and beautiful way. It was made to be appreciated from beginning to end, like in the old days, and that gives us that feeling of a first record.
Unleeched represents healing, progress, and liberation.
