A vibrant musical collective based in the heart of Houston, Texas, Ritmo Lokura is a band shock-full of talent and of style. ‘Te Lo Digo A Ti’ is the title of the group’s latest genre-defying single. A blend of reggae and latin music, with no small amount of soul, pop, and ska thrown in the mix. The results are electrifying and groovy.

During the song’s relatively normal runtime of little under 4 minutes, the group manage to squeeze in a sizable instrumental guitar intro that’s way too sweet and soulful for words to describe. Right afterwards the song begins to reveal its stylistic acrobatics. With a beat that’s solid and rocking, brushing off against the syncopated, upbeat-heavy rhythm guitar part, funky and tight, the song boldly shows off its lack of regard for conventional genre boundaries. A rather fruity organ part flows through the song, soloing to its heart’s content, adding a rather distinctive flavor to the fresh cocktail of sounds going alongside it. 

With its snappy drums, juicy bass, balanced guitar parts, and rather intricate build, ‘Te Lo Digo A Ti’ flows with extreme ease. Adding the rich latin vocals and ultra-charismatic horns to the mix only makes the song that much more special. A stunning release from Ritmo Lokura. 

Comparatively, Sense of Noise draws inspiration from bands such as Ill Niño and Gojira, who are renowned for their mix of heavy metal with more global, rhythmic influences. But Sense of Noise stands out for including inspirations not only in the rhythms but also in the song’s whole conceptual and thematic tone. The prehispanic myth of the Sumidero Canyon, which motivated the music video, presents a gripping story of honor, resistance, and the hardships of Indigenous people, therefore giving the song layers of cultural resonance.

“From Here to the Unknown” has complex mixing instruments. The guitars of Alonso Cuadros and Diego Caná ground the song in both melodic lines and forceful, crunching rhythms. Mao Rubio’s bass provides a strong, basic groove that locks in with Bart Chanona’s drums. Using percussion brings a special flavor and drives the rhythms with a complexity that enhances the foundation.

Apart from the percussion parts, Nib Sen’s keys and synthesizers offer an atmospheric background improving the cinematic sense of the song. The production carefully integrates these components to make sure the ambient aspects take the front stage rather than the strong instrumentation or screaming vocals.

Jerome Chanona fronts the song vocally; his strong and expressive growls fit the aggressive yet sad mood of the work. Bringing intensity with an undercurrent of sorrow, the vocals in “From Here to the Unknown” are reminiscent of those of Anders Fridén of In Flames or Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity. This gives the song a dual-layered emotional character since it simultaneously roars with violence and considers more profound subjects.

The song’s modern, professional production captures the several facets of the band’s sound while maintaining all clarity and balance. The band has put great effort into defining their sound, and this song especially shows their development in this field. Particularly in slower parts of the song, where synthesizers and atmospheric components take the front stage and allow for contemplation before the music returns to full metal assault, the production’s cinematic qualities shine well.

Still, the band distinguishes itself from other bands in this field with their use of thematic concentration on Mexican history and prehispanic folklore. Comparisons to Ill Niño, Gojira, and In Flames are appropriate; but Sense of Noise creates their niche by integrating their music with cultural and rhythmic inspirations that set them out.

“From Here to the Unknown” has historically and culturally reflective lyrics. The song chronicles the Sumidero Canyon, a Mexican site rich in indigenous resistance history. Reflecting on issues like racism and classism that still affect underprivileged people today, this story functions as a potent metaphor for the larger challenges of these populations. Like most of Sense of Noise‘s work, the lyrical content of the song explores social injustice while nevertheless keeping a realistic but hopeful view of life and death. One amazing illustration of Sense of Noise‘s ability to combine heavy metal with cultural storytelling comes from “From Here to the Unknown”. 

Combining Latin rhythms and instruments with melodic death metal classics like snarling vocals and strong guitar riffs by the band produces a distinct and aggressive yet reflective sound. The film production and conceptual depth of the song provide listeners with a combination of energy, melody, and cultural relevance. 

Glock is a heavy pounding tune with unstoppable catchy flow, it sounds like nu metal’s natural modern evolution. Its diverse vocal deliveries fueled the energy and aggression with their dynamic shifts, with both offering different paths for banging anger relief in a raw powerful sound that drives the listeners crazy. I loved how it started from the top dynamically and even started building up from there, heading towards a big pounding sound that kept on getting heavier in an incredible progression with intense breakdowns. The production handled the mix of heavy crunchy riffs and blasting electronic beats cleverly, with each element being perfectly layered to be fully heard and digested, making its impact.

Glock is one hell of a rocking mix by Love Ghost and Dan Garcia with a remarkable production by Eipi, showing great passion and energy that’s easily channelled through music. Looking forward to more from you guys, keep on rocking. Cheers!

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Haunted House has a groovy moving pace that’s pretty obvious right from its irresistible opening riff. Its powerful catchy beats and melodies will get the listeners hooked, while the badass smooth vocal melody pumps energy through its words and boosts the dynamics with its unstoppable flow. BrunOG‘s haunting beat will take full control of your senses, leaving you humming it and nodding your head for quite some time, and as the song’s structure progresses it offers dynamic twists and turns with diverse deliveries by Finnegan Bell and guest Mexican artist FLVCKKA, keeping things fresh and interesting till the very end. 

Haunted House has an upbeat sound with an addictive beat and eargasmic flow. It mixes diverse sounds and approaches in a unique organic mix that’s appealing to a wide range of audiences. Looking forward to more from Love Ghost, keep on rocking. Cheers!