Estater: Esquizofrenia Diabólica | A Return To The Roots Of Extreme Metal
(2026 – Kongsblod Records)
Nostalgia is often confused with “going back to the roots”; while these are similar expressions, they are actually different things. It’s one thing to dwell on the past and the good times you’ve had, reminiscing about bygone eras, and quite another to give your musical project an “old school” character.
“Old school” as a concept—a term widely used lately—isn’t about using nostalgia as a defining element or part of a project, but rather as the core around which a band’s music revolves. In other words—and at least in my view—the idea is to preserve that essence that made a genre, in this case Death Metal, something historic and legendary.
This introduction helps us understand the context for listening to “Esquizofrenia Diabólica,” the new album by the Brazilian band Estater—a group with years of experience but, as far as we know, making its studio debut here after a fairly active run in the Brazilian underground scene.
Estater was formed more than 20 years ago—more precisely in 2005 in the city of Remígio, in the state of Paraíba, Brazil—and despite having participated in a Mortification tribute, shared the stage with Antidemon, and released a few singles, the band had never before released official material on a physical album, making “Esquizofrenia Diabólica” their first release.
And speaking of roots, that’s exactly where we can place Estater—they draw on the most primal elements of Death Metal, combined with elements of Grindcore, and it’s that essence of the genre’s early days that’s reflected in the sound of the Brazilian band Estater. Drawing on various influences from the genre’s pioneers, Estater takes us back to the very earliest, raw days of the most Extreme Metal.
With an intro serving as the first track, the first thing we encounter is the brutal “Pánico Geral,” a radical portrayal of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a sound reminiscent of Mortification’s early days or even the old-school Cannibal Corpse.
Next up is “Mantras Demoníacos,” which incorporates some Thrash Metal elements but always stays within the bounds of hard-hitting, old-school Death Metal, featuring thick, low-end guitar tones and the distinctive voice of Rafael Paulino, Estater’s bassist and vocalist.
The sound is dark, heavy, and leaves no room for anything soft. Estater goes full throttle the whole time, leaving no room for anything other than the most Extreme Metal, but it also features some interesting passages in its riffs and chords, such as in “Mente Vazia,” where the various tempo changes and crushing riffs make it perhaps one of the most compelling tracks on this EP.
Finally, we have the title track of this release. We’re referring to “Esquizofrenia Diabólica,” where Estater crosses the thin line between basic Death Metal and elements of Grindcore.
This debut EP from Estater showcases a band with a well-defined style, which, as we mentioned, draws on the essence of classic early ’90s Death Metal—to name a reference. Estater’s approach isn’t about surprising us or doing something different from what we’ve already heard, but rather about reminding us of the genre’s old essence—and using that as a starting point to create something truly worthwhile, such as “Esquizofrenia Diabólica.”
Estater is simply a trio, consisting of Rafael Paulino on bass and vocals, Caío De Sá on guitar, and Júlio César on drums (if we didn’t say they were the lineup of Estater, they could easily be the front three of any Brazilian soccer team!). With this simple, basic lineup, Estater offers precisely a return to the basics of Death Metal, with a relentless, dark, raw sound devoid of any subtlety—just as it should be.
The production is modest and clearly underground, but with a sound concept that focuses on thick, low-end guitars, as well as deep, driving drum beats that, together with the bass, accompany Rafael Paulino’s distinctive guttural vocals—which don’t seem to follow a specific pattern but come across as quite original and not particularly close to the genre’s usual standards.
The cover of “Esquizofrenia Diabólica” is quite simple and modest, featuring only the band’s logo against a background that resembles a wall in a suburban neighborhood. However, the graphic design inside the booklet that accompanies the CD release features high-quality illustrations alongside the song lyrics (all in Portuguese) and a single photograph of the band. This is a great production for the debut album by a band like Estater, which has been around for a while but was missing that first official release; “Esquizofrenia Diabólica” marks that first step after so much time on the scene.
To give you a taste of what we’re talking about, we’ve included the lyric video for one of the tracks on this EP, “Mente Vazia,” below, so you can start discovering Estater. And of course, as is our custom, we’re also providing the band’s social media links so you can follow them and stay up to date on their latest news…
https://www.extremerecords.com.br/produtos/estater-esquizofrenia-diabolica-up79i
https://www.instagram.com/estaterband
