It may be a while since you last went to a gig but if you close your eyes, you can probably remember the beery air and the crackle of feedback. If you can, imagine the lights going down, the crowd going quiet and then a huge, dirty de-tuned note, big enough to shake the floor. So begins the riff that opens ‘Maleza’, the new album from Spanish duo Bala. It’s big, it’s bold and it’s just the start. You’re in for twenty-four minutes of ferocious, doom-laden stoner rock. It’s really quite something.
Made up of guitarist Anxlea Baltar and drummer Violeta Mosqura, the pair make music that would appeal to fans of other noisy duos like ’68 or Rival Bones. It’s a tight, raucous sound characterised by big de-tuned riffs but don’t think you’re going to be pummelled for the entire record. Despite the stripped-back set-up, they still produce a rich, flavourful sound. In fact, this is what makes the album work so well; by filtering a wide range of ideas through a limited scope, it makes for a seething, raucous package.
As the follow up to 2017’s ‘Lume’, this is the band’s first release since signing to Century Media and they are pushing for a wider audience. They definitely have the material to achieve it as this is comfortably their best music yet, marked by a maturity that allows them to blend numerous different genres into a cohesive whole. By channelling the accessibility of melodic hardcore through angular darkness, they sculpt walls of noise into a shape that is as compelling as it is powerful.
The most striking moments on ‘Maleza’ come when they unleash the massive slab-like riffs like the ones defining ‘Agitar’ and ‘Mi Orden’ which might hit like an eight-tonne truck, but also have a regular pulse that keeps your head nodding along. Similarly, ‘X’ throbs dangerously, like a bomb, so when it finally explodes, you really feel the impact. They’re no one trick pony though, and ‘Bessie’ uses a Rhodes piano effect to give the guitar riff a nasty bite, while ‘Rituais’ uses fuzzy distortion to become the hybrid of a grunge song and a buzzsaw. So much variety around their core sound makes for a vibrant overall experience, even with its oppressive guitar tone.
Both band members perform vocals, and while each is distinct, they both use a throaty yell that would scare your nan but still contains enough melody to have you humming along in a bus queue. This is largely due to the texture and flow of their voices, and means their native Spanish isn’t a barrier to entry. Upbeat songs like ‘Hoy No’ have a rich rhythm which they contrast sharply with the druggy chanting sound used on ‘Cien Obstaculos’ and are at odds with the criss-cross of anguished wails that bring ‘Una Selva’ to a close, so while each is distinct, they convey a different emotional tone. It really is very effective.
You can’t overstate the contribution of Mosqura’s drums to the overall sound, even for a duo. She snaps and pounds at her kit in a way that is fluid (especially on the fluttery ‘Hoy No’) which infuses each song with individuality. Given that many tracks feature walls of distorted guitars, it also retains focus and stops the album from sinking into a sludgy mire.
With a love of noise, a dark edge, a sound that is difficult to pigeonhole and a barrage of terrifying guitar tones, Bala are carving a niche, one mega-sized riff at a time. Put simply, ‘Maleza’ is like a beartrap; violent, powerful and once it has its teeth in you, you won’t be able to escape.
IAN KENWORTHY