Head: Insano | The Future That Lies Ahead
(Cuervo Records – 2024)
I’m not very fond of press campaigns or marketing hype, although much of it is unnecessary, but even so, I still can’t break the habit of checking, searching, and seeing what new things I can find to listen to. That’s what happened with this album by Head, a band from Buenos Aires, which has already made a name for itself with this, its third album (two full-length albums plus one live recording).
Head belongs to the Groove Metal/Metalcore genre, with the line between the two styles never being very clear, a doubt that the band takes care to reinforce, all with a very Argentine filter in its results. Is that a bad thing? No, quite the contrary. It shows the personality that Head displays in its work. All in all, what we find in “Insano” is enhanced by the concept of the album itself and the unity between the compositions it contains. The apocalyptic atmosphere that the album recreates comes from both the artwork and the message proclaimed by the lyrics of the songs.
From the very beginning with “Ambición,” Head’s approach is clear, with a sound based on a strong foundation of “groovy” guitars (so to speak), with interesting and predominant bass lines in the final result, vocals between guttural and clean, with a rather modern idea in terms of sound and “cybernetic,” if I may use the whimsical term, which is in line with the idea of this work. The percussion is tremendous, with drums that know how to handle the constant changes in tempo and rhythm, added to a range of different percussive sounds that give it another color.
The changes in rhythm and tempo are not only characteristic of the genre but also become a constant in Head, demonstrating great versatility. One thing that is appreciated is that the guitar solos in each of the tracks are present, and that is another great virtue, knowing how to combine what sounds current with the basic elements that make metal unique.
But not everything is banging and crashing in Head. Behind all their thunderous sound are melodic lines that make their offering more interesting. That’s what we can hear in tracks like “Antes De Partir” or “Como Un Animal,” but they also include a piece like “Doctrina Del Terror” that flirts with thrash metal, or “Siempre Estuviste,” which follows the same line.
“Insano,” as you might imagine, is the title track of this album, and undoubtedly one of the most interesting tracks, while with ‘Mentiras’ and “La Lengua Del Diablo,” Head maintains the line already demonstrated. With “Nunca Encontraste La Razón” we find an interesting ballad combined with a truly pretentious solo, and together with “Somos Uno”, they are perhaps the most distinctive tracks on an album that otherwise has a unity of sound and style. “Monstruo” demonstrates, once again, the versatility that Head offers in each track and throughout the entire album.
The album does not offer much information about the band or the recording, except that it was recorded at Head Home Studios, so it is understood that it is not only an independent production but has been recorded and worked on by the band itself, which adds greater value since the result is really very good. The final result in terms of sound stands out a lot.
As for the cover, it is truly excellent and eye-catching, offering a concept that is reflected in the artwork throughout the album, whose inner sleeve contains the lyrics, some illustrations, and a photo of the band, but they forgot to include the recording details and, above all, the band’s information!
Head may not offer anything different from the daily bombardment of bands currently playing in this same genre, but their touch of Argentinean flavor, their quality, and their promise to be much more than what we hear give the band a margin that allows us to stay tuned for what comes next. For now, “Insano” is a good step forward.
To learn more about the band or contact them, you can do so through:
https://www.facebook.com/Headmetaloficial
https://www.instagram.com/Headmetaloficial
To hear some of the band’s music, here is one of the video clips released to support this album:
