Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 09/27/2005
You could call
Latin metal outfit
Ill Niño a cross between
Soulfly and
Linkin Park, leaning a little more toward
the Park. It's a very 2005 combination, one you could consider contrived even, but there's enough genuine and inspired moments on their third album to not write them off as wannabes, enough to even cheer them on and hope they let their inner
Ill Niño out a little more next time. They've got hooks and tension building down just right and while they lyrically border on bland, there's some
Santana-styled breaks and the bouncing between the English and Spanish language keeping things interesting.
"What You Deserve" is for the
Linkin Park fans,
"This Is War" for the
Soulfly crowd, but more mystical, winding numbers like
"De la Vida" and
"My Pleasant Torture" are much richer, worth returning to, and uniquely
Ill Niño. The second half of the album is definitely looser and more rewarding, with intricate songs that take repeat listens to untangle. It makes the predictable plays for
the Park crowd all the more frustrating, but even the everyday cathartic music for "the kids" is graced by a few spicy twists along with
Scrap 60's great grit-meets-slick production. An everyday album from which you can make an excellent EP.
~David Jeffries, All Music Guide
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