ALBUM REVIEW: Fantazmaz – Fantazmaz (Ghetto Bitch Records)
Fantazmaz are the newest export from the thriving Brazilian punk rock scene, and this is their debut album.
Formed in 2019 by frontwoman Thami and guitarist Raf Oliver, they completed their current line-up by adding bassist Chokito and ex-UK Subs drummer Jamie Oliver.
Blending blistering punk energy with a fearless stage presence, they’ve quickly built a reputation for their no-holds-barred performances.
This self-titled album lulls you into a false sense of security with the gentle bossa nova intro Are You Enjoying The Peaceful Skies? before exploding into life with Dead On The Way Home – 35 seconds of unbridled anger and energy.
That pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the record; You Owe Me A Fortune is powered by buzzsaw guitar and propulsive drums, but it’s Thami’s voice which stands out.
Recorded in just two days at Monolith Studio, this is a very modern take on a classic punk rock sound. I’m hearing elements of The Partisans, and the pace rarely lets, with seven of the songs not even making the two-minute mark.
Songs like Distortion, Bullet and Does God Know Misery? are full of searing guitars, powerful drumming and thunderous bass, with Thami’s full-blooded vocals the cherry on the top.
There’s a classic ’80s hardcore influence (Dead Kennedys/Jello Biafra) to fast-paced tracks like Scars Of Downtown (about the loneliness of living in a metropolis) and Corporate Behave (dedicated to everyone sticking it to the capitalist system).
Nine of the 10 songs are sung in English, the exception being Pobreza E Violencia (Poverty And Violence), which is performed in Spanish, and is just as impactful.
It’s only when we get to the closing Just Before Hell Comes Around that things slow down. It has a gothic, more post-punk feel, and shows that Fantazmaz aren’t one-trick ponies, but I prefer the faster stuff.
You’re probably going to hear a lot more about them, as the four-piece are now based in the UK, and play Rebellion Festival this August. 8/10.
