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This has a great album cover.
Considering the band's background and the fight against oppression
in their native Brazil, the figure portrayed on the cover having a
belly laugh and wearing a red clown nose must represent some sort
of political figure or something. An individual intentionally depicted
as nothing more than a circus clown in need of a grip on reality.
Well whatever the case, this is a band that needs to be taken seriously.
The fact is, they've been around about as long as another Brazilian
act that's gained more notoriety over the years, Sepultura of course,
yet Overdose matches up with them very closely on the musical
scale, yet remains still a little known cult favorite in this part
of the world.
That's about to change with this album. Only knowing them from their
"Scars" release, though they've had several others, I first got into
the band for their extremely aggressive approach, militant exhibitors
of the fight for freedom-of expression in this case. "Circus of
Death" takes a varied route in the presentation, no less heavy
than before, but not tied in to a one-dimensional style where by the
time the disc is half over, you can't for the life of you distinguish
the last song from the first. In that regard, the sound here is varied,
each containing an identity all its own.
The elements of traditional thrash still exist in many cases, however
many of the songs as in the case of "Dead Clouds," and "Profit,"
for instance, fire off round after round of heavy hooks and "The
Healer" is as good an example of "groove-core" we'll find, perhaps
their biggest departure. "Circus of Death" is not at all commercial
by today's unacceptable standards of judgment, but Overdose
shows they can build on their sound and take it in other directions,
while not turning anyone's attention away from the main stage.
Released by Pavement
Website : http://www.pavementmusic.com/
Review by Vinnie Apicella
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