BALCANES

“Demasiadas cabezas alrededor a punto de explotar atómicas. Fascinadas por el sol disfrutan los golpes en trance.”
(“Too many heads around about to explode atomic. Fascinated by the sun they enjoy the hits in trance.”)

There are bands that by insisting in imitating schemes in a millimeter way, in the name of a fidelity and a misunderstood authenticity, end up making us hate certain musical styles that at first we had found exciting. Sooner or later it ends up happening with all styles, let’s not be honest. But there are also bands with which the exact opposite occurs. One perceives that they play what they play because it cannot be otherwise, because it is exactly what they want to do and what really springs from their guts, and end up making their own sound their own. Fortunately, Balcanes belong to this second group, and they also do it with so much talent, one can only surrender to them.

Balcanes, is today and in its latest mutation, a basic trio of guitar / bass / drums from Oviedo, and “Carne Nueva” its most recent incarnation (worth the redundancy, this term is rarely so accurate) of its wild and non-transferable sound. I say mutation, because since its appearance in 2014 with the 7 ”Plataforma / Autopista” in Discos Humeantes, the band has undergone several changes in formation and sound scheme. Their first reference showed a brave group when it came to experimenting, and from the first moment very capable of stirring the listener with that uneasiness, uncomfortable and at the same time exciting feeling of true art. “Carne Nueva” is a distillation of this art in its most basic and traditional entry way, that is to say, a classic trio of high intensity rock guitar. Because yes, it is what they felt like doing, because Balcanes do things like that, instinctively, from their meat, guts torn wide open. Tomorrow it can be anything else, but today, “Carne Nueva” is a monumental rock album, powerful, that hurts and itches in all the scars of old battles and catches and subdues you again without any possible escape, when you thought you knew all the tricks to escape.

In its brutal and unbearable simplicity, in its immense love for its music and its art, Balcanes is the flesh of our flesh.