Countdown to MDF X: (21) Brujeria

Brujeria means witchcraft and this Mexican death metal band will want to put you under their spell Saturday, May 26 at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest. First formed in 1989, the lineup of the group changes, the members conceal their identities and they use stage names. There could be six  people on the stage when they play, maybe more. Sometimes so many people have microphones it can seem like a rap show.

Brujeria writes songs about sex, drugs, satanism, the occult and of course La Migra (you know, immigration police). This is crushing death metal with heavy riffs and crashing drums, sometimes dipping into the doom or grind genres. There is also a good bit of humor (as in their “Macarena” spoof “Marijuana”).

I listened to a lot of Brujeria trying to choose a couple of representative songs. Every new album is different from the last. I think the music changes somewhat with whomever happens to be playing in the band at the time. So think of Brujeria as a collective, or coven if you will, of like-minded artists dedicated to presenting a united front of sound with a consistent philosophy.

I finally decided to post three of the songs I liked best and leave it at that. Brush up on your Spanish and throw up your horns. Brujeria ha venido por ti!