If you think that Sepultura is the only decent metal band from Brazil, you definitely haven’t heard Opprobrium!
This death/thrash monstrosity has been infecting the metal scene for more than 20 years now, at first using the name Incubus and then changing it in to Opprobrium in 1997. Under that moniker the band released only one album called “Discerning Forcesâ€, which proved to be a phenomenal combination of brutality and technique, but never gained the proper attention it deserved. Metal Mind Productions presents the exclusive re-issue of this album which brings back one of the most valuable death/thrash productions ever to emerge from the jungles of Brazil! The album was recorded entirely in Rio De Janeiro, which gave it a truly primal feeling. The music on “Discerning Forces†is an old-school death/thrash metal feast – tracks such as “Uncleanâ€, “Escapismâ€, “Merciless Torture†and the closing tune “Awaken To The Filth†bring back the best traditions of extreme music and spice it up with a hint of Brazilian blood. The really intriguing part of the album, however, were the lyrics, conjoining such contrary topics as violence and Christianity (which was one of the reason for the comparisons with Mortification). But even without the controversial lyrical content, the album proved to be a solid piece of crushing metal annihilation.
“Discerning Forces†will be available in a new digipak edition limited to 2000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on golden disc. The release date is set on 23rd June 2008 in Europe and 5th August 2008 in USA (via MVD).
Opprobrium
“Discerning Forces†(remastered)
Label: Metal Mind Records
Cat. No.: MASS CD 1184 DG
Barcode: 5907785032644
Format: CD Digipak (limited edition of 2000 numerated copies)
Genre: death/thrash metal
Release date: 23.06.2008 Europe / 05.08.2008 USA
Tracklist:
1. Digitrap
2. Discerning Forces
3. Ancient Rebellion
4. Dark Entanglement
5. Drowning
2. Discerning Forces
3. Ancient Rebellion
4. Dark Entanglement
5. Drowning
6. Escapism
7. Merciless Torture
8. Moments of Despair
9. Blood Conflict
10. Awakening To The Filth
7. Merciless Torture
8. Moments of Despair
9. Blood Conflict
10. Awakening To The Filth
Bio
The band’s origins reach back to 1986, when two brothers from Rio De Janeiro, Francis and Moyses Howard, decided to form a metal group in New Orleans, where they lived at that time. They called their formation Incubus and begun working on their debut material. In 1987 Incubus released a demo tape entitled “Supernatural Deathâ€. Although containing only four tracks (and less than 15 minutes of music), the material was enough to sign a deal with a small label called Brutal Records. The band’s debut LP, “Serpent Temptationâ€, landed in stores in 1988, instantly winning the sympathy of death/thrash enthusiasts. The album contained a rough mixture of viciousness and fury, backed by powerful guitars and angry vocals. This mixture caught the attention of Nuclear Blast Records who agreed to release the band’s follow-up, “Beyond The Unknownâ€, in 1990. The album easily surpassed the debut in every aspect, in time becoming a true metal classic. Soon after releasing their second LP, Incubus decided to take a break from their musical career and remained in hiatus for the next seven years. In the meantime, the pop-rock band Incubus from Florida grew more and more popular, eventually overshadowing their death/thrash namesake. This forced the Howard brothers to change their band’s name to Opprobrium in 1997. The group not only begun working on new material, but also re-recorded their first album (completely changing the vocals and slightly altering the lyrics), to release it along with their second LP as a double pack in 2000 .
“Discerning Forces†finally saw the light of day in the year 2000 as Opprobrium’s debut and Incubus’ third LP. The album brought the group back to their musical roots, delivering a straightforward sonic assault comparable to older recordings by Destruction or Sepultura.
After releasing their debut album Opprobrium left the scene, but never officially split up. In 2008 the band resurfaced on the Internet and announced that they’re working on the material for a new full-length release. During the wait, fans can once again experience the power of “Discerning Forcesâ€, which still remains the best piece of work by the Howard brothers and one of the most intriguing albums in the history of Brazilian metal.
The band’s origins reach back to 1986, when two brothers from Rio De Janeiro, Francis and Moyses Howard, decided to form a metal group in New Orleans, where they lived at that time. They called their formation Incubus and begun working on their debut material. In 1987 Incubus released a demo tape entitled “Supernatural Deathâ€. Although containing only four tracks (and less than 15 minutes of music), the material was enough to sign a deal with a small label called Brutal Records. The band’s debut LP, “Serpent Temptationâ€, landed in stores in 1988, instantly winning the sympathy of death/thrash enthusiasts. The album contained a rough mixture of viciousness and fury, backed by powerful guitars and angry vocals. This mixture caught the attention of Nuclear Blast Records who agreed to release the band’s follow-up, “Beyond The Unknownâ€, in 1990. The album easily surpassed the debut in every aspect, in time becoming a true metal classic. Soon after releasing their second LP, Incubus decided to take a break from their musical career and remained in hiatus for the next seven years. In the meantime, the pop-rock band Incubus from Florida grew more and more popular, eventually overshadowing their death/thrash namesake. This forced the Howard brothers to change their band’s name to Opprobrium in 1997. The group not only begun working on new material, but also re-recorded their first album (completely changing the vocals and slightly altering the lyrics), to release it along with their second LP as a double pack in 2000 .
“Discerning Forces†finally saw the light of day in the year 2000 as Opprobrium’s debut and Incubus’ third LP. The album brought the group back to their musical roots, delivering a straightforward sonic assault comparable to older recordings by Destruction or Sepultura.
After releasing their debut album Opprobrium left the scene, but never officially split up. In 2008 the band resurfaced on the Internet and announced that they’re working on the material for a new full-length release. During the wait, fans can once again experience the power of “Discerning Forcesâ€, which still remains the best piece of work by the Howard brothers and one of the most intriguing albums in the history of Brazilian metal.
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
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