Metal and Hardcore music come in different flavors, the differences between which would not necessarily be obvious to someone who didn't spend some time listening and comparing different styles or subgenres of Metal or extreme music in general. Boundaries between genres (or sub-genres) are quite fuzzy: we can't really draw a clear line between Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal, Thrash or Death Metal and Hardcore. Some fans listen to music based on a preference of a particular flavor of the given genre and disdain music that sounds a particular way, even though to an "outsider" the two styles may not seem very different. Cross pollination always exists among styles and genres to the point where we can't exactly say if a particular example belongs into one or the other category, yet we still see them as separate entities with their own identity. In part the reason for this is the existence of scenes - music is created in particular places and different scenes form their own expressions.

With Metal becoming popular globally this fracturing can be reversed in places where scenes haven't established but influences come all at once and are free to blend with one another into original expressions and sounds. Well, the Brazilian trio NERVOCHAOS seems to me to be a result of such a melting of styles and sub-genres of extreme Metal and Punk. Their music has something from old-school Death Metal, Thrash Metal, and raw, primitive Black Metal in the vein of SARCÓFAGO or MYSTIFIER. Satanic lyrics seamlessly coexist with and almost Punk attitude, leather and studs aesthetics with cameo cargo shorts. This eclecticism seems to parallel the eclecticism of Brazilian culture, which is colorful mix of European, African and Native American influences. NERVOCHAOS do their thing and don't try to fit into one pre-formulated image or sound, which I can appreciate. "Ablaze" is the eighth full-length album since the release of their first demo album in 1996, and you can tell immediately why their reputation is so high.

The album clocks at the fifty minutes mark and is an intense, raw, primitive ride from start to finish. NERVOCHAOS' style is straightforward, the riffs are primitive and the song structures are simple, but the music is played with such an energy and skill that cannot but be captivated by it. What is more the songs are not formulaic and the album - which is a bit on the longer side for a Death/Thrash album - isn't boring and repetitive. The songs on the albums have different vibes: some are fast and aggressive Thrash, some slower and groovy but always heavy and head-bangable, some have evil Blackened vibes, some brutal Death Metal vibes etc. In terms of individual songs I really like the Thrash rager "Walk Away" that has a bad-ass SLAYER-like main riff; the closing song "Of Evil and Men" has some really catchy grooves and evil vibes; shorter songs like "Mors Indecepta" and "Stalker" offer no frills, pumped up, muscular Death Thrash.

"Ablaze" is a display of pure savagery and bad-assery, everything from the guitar-work, to the drumming, vocal performance is excellent and the album as a whole is very entertaining thanks to its energy but also because the band has a unique sound. If you crave some primitiveness and aggression, this album will sure as hell satisfy your inner caveman.