When a Metal band, from any country and any Metal genre you can think of, releases more than one album, comparisons are done between the albums. It's a common feature that everyone has, a natural thing you do on a subconscious level. So what "World in Collapse", the second album from the Brazilian trio AFFRONT (from Rio de Janeiro) brings to the fans in comparison with "Angry Voices"?

The answer is pretty simple: evolution. On their second album, as a consequence of many shows and rehearsals, the trio Thrash/Death Metal work is pending to their Thrash Metal side, as the Death Metal essence decreased. So their musical sounds more technical and melodic (take a listening to the guitar solo of "Dirty Blood" is a fine example of how the melodies improved), but still aggressive (and the brutality is still on their music, but matured). Some influences from Old School Thrash Metal can be detected in many points (the vocals reminds the dry tunes that Mille Petrozza used on the past, the dry outfit reminds things that SODOM and DESTRUCTION used on the 80's), some touches from traditional Heavy Metal can be heard here and there, but their musical personality is the very same. But don't worry, for their personality is still here, full of energy and aggressiveness, and it keeps being actual.

The sound quality is the main key for the fine result of "World in Collapse": recorded at Musicálico Studio at Rio de Janeiro between June and August of this year, with M. Mictian and R. Rassan sharing the responsibility of producing this album, and couting with the mixing and mastering of Ciero at Da Tribo Studio at São Paulo (he is the same one who previously worked with names as RATOS DE PORÃO, KRISIUN, CLAUSTROFOBIA, TORTURE SQUAD and others), the result is a sound that is dry and clear, and this features makes all the instruments be heard equally. And the effects and tunes used by them are excellent, being aggressive, but in a way the listener can understand what is being played. It's an opposition to the greasy tunes of "Angry Voices". And the artwork of Edu Nascimentto (a fine Brazilian graphic and tattoo artist) bears the aggressive feelings of the band against the corrupt government. As the words from the beginning of this review state clear, AFFRONT evolved musically and technically, exploring in a better way their musical work.

"Dirty Blood" show fine guitars (both on riffs and solos), and have a dry and sharp aggressive impact; "Your Lies, Your Fall" bears a slow insight, but with a great amount of energy (a very good chorus, where the harsh vocals tunes fits in a very good way on the instrumental basis); "Favelas, Senzalas" has a brutal and hooking grasp (due the melodies), for it's a personal view of those who are born in the slums and are treated like slaves by the government; on "Monument to Hate", the balance between their approach on Death/Thrash Metal is 50%-50%, with a great work from bass guitar and drums, creating a solid rhythm mass. A hooking groove influence can be heard on the guitar riffs on the beginning of "Violence", but it comes truly closer from Thrash/Death Metal from the 80s. There's a subjective influence from tribal Brazilian music on the rhythm session of "Ancestral", a song with a sharp grasp due the excellent riffs. With fine contrast between slow parts with Thrash Metal adrenalized moments can be heard on "Forgotten by God", another great moment from bass guitar and drums. Another song with touches from Brazilian regional rhythms is "Sowed by Lies", where bits of Frevo music can be heard, but always with a bitter essence, even on the fast parts. And "Mazurka" is what Brazilian people calls "Chorinho" (an essential musical genre from the country), a song from Villa Lobos, a short song that closes the album. These ones are the best songs, but all of them are excellent as well.

All that's left to say: AFFRONT shows a great evolution on "World in Collapse", and becomes one of the strongest names of Death/Thrash Metal Brazilian scene. Hear it and blow your ears to pieces!