"One Nation Underground" deserves to surface

The concept of a Latin metal as a genre may seem a bit far-fetched. What's next, country opera? Folk hip-hop? Gospel trance? Believe it or not, though, Latin metal is exactly what Latin-American band Ill Nino's plays. Already having produced two spectacular Spanglish albums, their third installment, "One Nation Underground," bests them both. The lyrics are emotionally charged, the meaning is powerful and the music is memorable.

"One Nation Underground" is packed full of feeling. Beginning with their first track, "This is War," lead singer and song-writer Cristian Machado pours passion into his words: "This is war/And I swear that I'm not giving up or giving in/This is war?" Machado inserts raw emotion into every song, giving the listener the distinct impression that they have an aural window into Machado's soul. Similarly, the lyrics complement the level of emotion perfectly. This can be heard in "De la Vida" where loud drums and screamed lyrics quickly fade into a calmer, questioning mood as Machado sadly sings "I speak/Expecting some connection/While hosting the deception/of what will never be/But the one thing that is missing/Is the only thing that keeps you listening."

An interesting feature of Ill Nino is that they sing interchangeably between Spanish and English. The Spanglish lyrics add to the music as the meaning of the words is clear even to those who don't speak the language. While the majority of the songs are English, Spanish is used as the song grows more passionate. This is evident in "Violent Saint," where the song is in English until "I am the only thing that destroys me/I hold my own convictions/Yo me rompo (I will break)." Ill Nino also mixes in hard rock and screaming lyrics with more melodic tunes, creating a range of songs from mostly-singable to mostly-screamable that covers the middle ground.

Ill Nino also incorporates Latin rhythms into their music. The beat is quick and distinctive, as are some of the guitar chords, such as in "Corazon of Mine," where a softly strummed guitar complements the chorus. Ill Nino's percussion is vivacious and one of the most important elements of their music, and drummer Dave Chavarri does an excellent job of making his presence felt without drowning out his fellow band members.

Although it's a close call, the best song on the album is "Everything Beautiful." The song's introduction is an extremely Latin drum and guitar, but the true beauty of the song is in the chorus. Machado's emphasis on the first word of each line creates an auditory ocean as the emphasized words hit your ears like crashing waves. The song, a subtle cry of pain over memories of an ex, is beautiful, and easy to sing and remember.

The only downside of the album is that it's not going to be on the radio anytime soon. Ill Nino isn't independent (they're produced by Roadrunner Records, home of bands Slipknot and Nickelback), but the band just hasn't been able to get enough of a following to make radio air waves. While this may not be a shortcoming, it's unfortunate that such a talented group hasn't been able to generate the publicity to get their music out.

Ill Nino's "One Nation Underground" is an excellent album. Three of their new songs are available on Ill Nino's web site, and any fans of hard rock should immediately give them a chance. The band once again combines their Latin roots with metal to produce a unique sound packed with emotion, meaning and Spanglish. Who knows - you just might like it.