Review Summary: Ratos de Porão releases his best work in the midst of a post authoritarian military regime political crisis. Fight corruption with full critical letters never sounded so impressive.
''Brasil'', is the fourth disc of Ratos de Porão, released in 1989 and regarded as the best work of the band to date. The record features the iconic vocalist João Gordo, along with guitarist Jão, drummer Spaghetti and Jabá as a bass player. One of the classic and important formations of the band. Today only remnants are the João Gordo and Jão.
The year was 1989 and a lot has happened in Brazil in political and governmental terms. It was four years that the country run out of a totally radical authoritarian military regime, where walking on the street with different clothes, or even accompanied by more than 2 people, was a reason to get arrested, and be interrogated by conspiracy against the government. Living in a country with this political philosophy was hard, and do any kind of music that was not MPB, and had not the molds of government ideology was even more difficult, verging to the rarity of materials related to the Punk and Hardcore, both as the Heavy and Thrash Metal in that time on the country.
But in view of the band members, it hardly mattered, since the real sense of the disk at that time was further open the minds of Brazilians, saying it is not because the military regime ended, that Brazil has become a first world country. And even with all the danger of suffering censorship and have their records and materials removed from stores, Ratos de Porão released their most iconic album in the history of Brazilian Hardcore, joining with the disc ''Crucificados Pelo Sistema'', that started this sound wave in the country.
There are 21 songs (with 3 bonus tracks), forming 35 minutes of a record full of hatred, anger and extreme disgust with the Brazilian government. Only ''Beber Até Morrer'' and ''HeroÃ*na Suicida'' fleeing the rule in political requirement, addressing the use of alcohol and hard drugs, that due to the factor that the band suffered from such defects at the end of 80s. The quality and weight of the instruments form an infernal opera of revolt, causing the band to grow in Brazil, but without much spotlight as Sepultura had all the underground media and public attention.
One of the strongest and most striking points of the record is surely his cover, which are illustrated with several stereotypes that the population suffers, such as the unnecessary use of police force, as well as corrupt politicians who suck the soul and money of people with lower income and intellectual power. Moreover, the prejudice to say that Brazil is only the country of soccer, samba, feijoada, carnaval and especially poverty.
The disc is an essential item for anyone who is fan of the hardcore world, and obviously deserves more attention as any other work of Ratos de Porão. And due to the success that the disk made in the past decades, the band released an English version. So for those who do not like music with vocals in Portuguese, you can have this alternative to listen to the most powerful drive of the 80s made in Brazil who a lot of people do not know.
Recommended Tracks:
Amazônia Nunca Mais
Retrocesso
SOS PaÃ*s Falido
Porcos Sanguinários
Vida Animal
