Ill Nino
Confession

THE REVIEW

Are they similar to Disturbed? Absolutely not. Anything in common with Staind? Only a fundamentally melancholic sound. Are they the “anti Static-x”? Maybe so, but in my opinion, the latter are considerably inferior. (Ready to receive criticism). Who am I talking about? About "Ill Nino", a decidedly unique band.

Before discussing their album, it's necessary to highlight the characteristics of this band. It would be enough to talk about their origins to understand that they are an out-of-the-ordinary group, because as their name suggests, they have little to do with the USA, only 1 member out of 6 is American, and incidentally, he is of Italian origin! As for the rest, Brazilian and Peruvian nationalities.

THE HISTORY:

Thanks to their origins, El Nino (this was the band's first name), managed to fuse classic nu metal with Latin rock and with sounds typically spread in Latin American culture, in fact, the band includes a percussionist, Danny Couto. This introduction is necessary for those unfamiliar with the band and for those who might be shocked reading: degenerate metal. "Confession" is the second work of the band led by Cristian Machado (vocals) and founded in 1999 by the Italo-Peruvian Dave Chavarri (drums). The CD dates back to 2003 following the previous "Revolution Revolucion" from 2001. Reading many reviews about this band, I have observed several concerns regarding "Confession", many describing it as too commercial (even here on Debaser). It may be so, but one should not underestimate the quality of this LP, which has nothing to envy neither from the previous work nor from the subsequent "One Nation Underground", on the contrary...

CONFESSION:

It has a rather intricate structure, with very distinct tracks yet with an evident connection, and the lyrics are almost entirely focused on the complex relationship with love. Unsurprisingly, the first track is titled “Te Amo-I Hate You” to testify to the complexity of the lyrics written by C. Machado. It's a very strong track, which in my opinion seems to belong more to "Revolution Revolucion" than to "Confession", because the sound is very powerful, like in few other songs of the album. “How Can I Live” is the first step toward a sonic revolution of the Latin band. The rhythms are more delicate, yet the melody remains always overwhelming, and the chorus is very Latin and catchy. One of the best tracks on the album. The third piece is “Two(Vada Con Dios)” which reflects more than anything the raw spirit of “Te Amo”. Rough sound yet immediate at the same time. The following trio of songs represents the highest point of the album; “Unframed”, “Cleansing”, and “This Time’s For Real” are delightful to say the least, with high tempos, reflective lyrics, and enchanting melodies. “Unframed” is a track with a "Staind effect", reminiscent of the sound of Aaron Lewis's band.

The following “Lifeless... Life...” brings the band back to a more rugged, less Latin, and more metal sound. Perhaps foreshadowing the next “Numb” which apart from having a sound too unusual for the band (a very light base and slightly “pop” melodies), is characterized by a splendid "Latin guitar" solo at the end and high-level riffs. “Have You Ever Felt?” is frankly too commercial, while the following “When It Cuts” and “Letting Go” bring the listener back to Earth, reminding them that "Ill Nino" is always a metal band. Excellent “All The Right Words”; in this song, C. Machado is very reminiscent of J. Davis and the rhythms and solos are in full Korn style. To close the album there are “Re-Birth”, which is purely Latin-Metal, and the stunning Spanish version of “How Can I Live”, in my opinion composed to emphasize that they are and will remain Latinos, almost to reiterate that the life of luxury and success “made in USA” does not belong to them.

COMMENT:

In conclusion, I would like to say that this album too has flaws, for instance, the lyrics, as I have already pointed out, are monothematic, sometimes the bases are too similar to each other, and finally, but this is just a personal opinion, I would have preferred a Portuguese version and not a Spanish one of “How Can I Live”, since they are mostly Brazilian! (3 out of 6). Well, they might have chosen Spanish to make the piece more accessible to people, a choice, that of the album's “commercialization”, which characterized the entire album. I recommend it to all metal lovers, but even those who are big fans of Carlos Santana should get this CD; (Just don’t be scared)!

“Confession” and more generally “El Nino” represent the REVOLUCION of Metal. Truly very good.