Acrania (2)

With three full length albums, an EP, and a powerful and charismatic live show led by guitarist/vocalist Luis Oropeza, Acrania has firmly established that the band’s mission is to integrate Latin instruments and rhythms into traditional Thrash/Death in such a way that they constitute a major element of the songs rather than just acting as a curio used for intros, as well as to pay homage to their musical heritage. The Mexico City-based act also features the staggeringly talented lineup of: César Cortés on guitar, Alberto Morales on bass, and J.C. Chávez on drums. Coming from a similar line to bands like Atheist and Cynic, Acrania manages to create death metaller environments with touches of Jazz, Samba, Bossa, Salsa and more, using a permanent lineup of vocals, guitars, bass, drums, percussion (congas, timbales, etc.), tenor saxophone and trumpet that result in this style to which they refer to as “Latin Metal”. Their third album, “Fearless,” is a definitive statement of intent from the band. This third album is a clear example of what the word selfmanaged means. “Fearless” was produced, recorded and mixed at Archway Studios in Mexico City by J.C. Chavez and Luis Oropeza, drummer and vocalist/guitarist respectively. This album is once again a challenge to metal conventions and a testament to creativity and indifference to metal purists rules. “Fearless” was mastered in Tower Studios by Brett Caldas-Lima (Cynic, Megadeth). The cover artwork for the effort was again in charge of Berlin-based artist Eliran Kantor, well known for his work with bands like Testament, Iced Earth, Sodom and more. Acrania is also a band that does not hide it’s political, religious and anthropological vision of the world in which we live in, I.E., in “People of the Blaze”, the first single off of “Fearless”, vocalist Luis Oropeza states that the track refers us to the “crushing of Mexican culture at the time of the conquest, its sacrifices, its pyramidal vision of society and its hegemony”. Released thanks to the support of the National Council for Culture and Arts who saw in Acrania a Mexican musical product worthy of support, “Fearless” is until now the band’s finest offering so far. The band was formed in Mexico City in 2006, although their first studio EP, “In Peaceful Chaos”, was recorded and released until 2007, this due to a personal and musical growth together between members who sought the perfect balance between Latin Jazz and Metal. In November of 2010 Acrania released their first full-length album entitled “Unbreakable Fury”, to mark this release, Acrania played a mini tour in Germany with the support of The Wacken Foundation (Berlin, Soest, Dresden) receiving a highly positive support from european audiences. Their second studio album entitled “An Uncertain Collision”, was released in October 2012 with support from the National Council for Culture and Arts (CONACULTA) of Mexico, this album has been named as Best Album Of The Year by several magazines in Mexico including Search N Destroy and Rolling Stone. Acrania received an award for Best Album Of The Year from Kalani Metal Awards, it has also been listed in the Best Albums of 2012 by Sweden’s Global Domination along-side Candlemass’ “Psalms For The Dead”, Diablo Swing Orchestra’s “Pandora’s Piñata”, Kreator’s “Phantom Antichrist” and has been highly praised by specialized media such as Metal Underground, Bravewords, About.com Heavy Metal, The Metal Crypt, etc. This has taken them to extensively tour around Mexico and Europe sharing stage with bands as Diablo Swing Orchestra, Death To All, Exodus, The Agonist, The Faceless, Legion Of The Damned and Havok.