Vita Imana is an impressive Metal export from Spain and musically this sextet has enough panache to haul a serious international following. The outstanding compositions and instrumental/vocal performances on their new album Uluh are capable of surpassing any language barriers – it’s totally sung in Spanish – and become very relatable to worldwide audiences.
The band’s style is deeply rooted in Groove Metal, Hardcore and modern Thrash. The Machine Head, Sepultura and Pantera influences are evident on tracks like “Craneo” or “Quizas no sea nadie”, among others. However, this band is more than just a replica of someone else’s musical formulas. Their distinctive use of percussion becomes an element that injects the album with a tribal flavor that exudes real authenticity. More than a gimmick, instruments like the Djembe and the Darbuka (both played by Miriam Baz, the only female in the band), impregnates tracks like the infectious “Un nuevo sol” and “Crudo Invierno” with a commanding kinetic drive that seems unstoppable.
But not everything in Uluh is sheer brutality. On the acoustic instrumental “11032011 (Taikos II)” delicate and soulful textures take the lead to produce a Celtic-like atmosphere that proves to be one of the most authentic moments of the whole album. The title track is another piece with a personality on its own. On this ten-minute epic, peaceful-yet-tense semi acoustic passages interplay with a dramatic barrage of drumming, expansive riffing and passionate vocals that evokes the eerie tranquility of the sea, which is also suggested on the cover artwork and by other moments of this musical journey.
Superbly mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth) Uluth is a brave effort that could help to put a spotlight on the current Spanish Metal scene. Vita Imana only needs to become more detached from its obvious influences and the more they do it, the more brilliant future results will be. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy Uluth as the world-class album that it is. Salud!
Track Listing:
01. 11 19N 142 15’E
02. Animal.
03. Crudo Invierno.
04. Corpus.
05. Romper con Todo.
06. 11032011 (Taikos II).
07. Origen.
08. Quizas No Sea Nadie.
09. Craneo.
10. Un Nuevo Sol.
11. Uluh.
Run Time: 49:26
Release Date: January 30, 2012
Check out the song: “Un Nuevo Sol”
