Hocico- Wrack and Ruin

Artist: Hocico
CD Title: Wrack and Ruin
Label: Metropolis Records
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 7-19-05

Is there any doubt left in anyone’s mind that Hocico is the best harsh EBM act in the world? They’ve got the aggression, the tortured vocals, the starkly modern programming, the beautifully creepy introductions, and to top everything else off, they don’t even resort to “Hellraiser,” “Alien,” or “Full Metal Jacket” samples. You could make the argument that “Spirits of Crime” is the best track on here, with its infectious club rhythms, or perhaps the Spanish-language “Ecos,” with its old-school :Wumpscut: vibe and uncharacteristically bouncy keyboard line, or even the dark ambient “Oracion Nocturna,” which sounds like it’s straight out of an old John Carpenter film. Just picking a favorite track misses the point, though; this entire album is perfectly, brilliantly constructed. There’s no filler, there’s no cornball moments, there’s nothing that throws off the flow of the album as a whole. It’s no wonder they’ve gotten such a rabid following. If you haven’t heard Hocico and you’re even remotely into bands like Suicide Commando, Psyclon 9, or yelworC, you should be ashamed of yourself. Put down whatever it is you’re doing right now and go buy this album.

Visit www.hocico.com for more information.