Hocico - Tiempos de Furia

I thought that Hocico's 2008 release, Memorias Atras, was a great album, one that this act at the forefront of the Mexican aggrotech/dark electro/electro-industrial movement could never top. Then out came 2010's Tiempos de Furia (TdF), a masterpiece of pure aggression that leaves a mark - it's an album that matters.

One of my favorite things about Hocico is the knack that programmer Racso Agroyam has for developing flawless transitions from verse to chorus and back again. This talent is strongly evident throughout TdF. Beat-driven verses flow into melodic, synth-driven refrains, perfectly supporting vocalist Erk Aicrag, who has a talent for channeling his anger into lyrics that range from the wonderfully twisted to the tongue-in-cheek, all delivered impeccably. This is a guy who's great at being pissed off, and never has that been more evident than in this release.

The album is comprised of 13 original tracks in a well-thought-out order. It opens with the slowly-intensifying "I Want to Go to Hell" -, where repetitive, harsh electronics push the song forward as Aicrag murmurs about hanging out with Satan (good times), and ends with "Los Espejos Rotos", a quiet, synth-oriented piece that tapers off and adds a definite conclusion to the album. This is, on a grand scale, what occurs throughout the album - an ebb and flow, songs and groups of songs that build, then crest, then tumble.

Track two, "Where Words Fail, Hate Speaks", pulls back on the intensity that was built up in the intro and begins with a rather minimal, wandering synth line, but becomes a beast once the heavy bass beat kicks in. This energy carries through to "Flesh to Lacerate", with its startlingly joyful, melodic, looping synths, which work perfectly with the violent lyrics.

Hocico almost manages to maintain this energy buildup flawlessly, following with the beat-heavy "Dog Eat Dog", TdF's first single, but stumbles on the unfocused "Hey...It's Me", the weakest song on the album. Luckily"Bite Me!" kicks in, and the energy finally explodes. This is an awesomely aggressive song, nearly relentless with heavy beats and emphasis on the vocals.

"Lost Fate", with its march-like beats and minor key, and "Kiss of the Apocalypse", the obligatory instrumental track, provide a bit of a lull, but the pace picks back up with "Twist the Thorn", one of the best tracks on the album. The intro and chorus are heavily EBM-influenced, with a melodic keyboard line that's a bit out of character for Hocico, but Agroyam flawlessly transitions those moments into the aggressive assaults Hocico's fans are accustomed to. Because of the EBM elements, this track has a potential mass appeal that makes it one of Hocico's most club-appropriate tracks to date.

Title track "Tiempos de Furia" is beat-driven and probably the most aggressive track on the album, but while it has some interesting moments, it doesn't stand out to me. What DOES stand out to me is the track that follows it: "Not Human", the best track on the album and my personal favorite in their entire library of work. You know those songs where there's a moment - a single moment - that you can put your finger on and say "There. THAT just made the song for me"? 2:18. Sleepy synths slowly build up, adding layers, adding murmured vocals, building, transforming, and becoming. At 2:18.

Hocico wisely followed "Not Human" with the only song strong enough to follow it: "Altered States". For my personal style, this is the best dance track on the album, with its churning, distorted instrumentals that push forward monotonously, with clever melodies thrown in and some nice, angry vocals. I can't sit still while listening to it.

Tiempos de Furia is a fantastic album. If you can appreciate heavy beats, harsh yet melodic instrumentals, and some nice, angry growling, TdF is a must. I can't wait to see if Hocico continue the trend and top this one with their next offering, but until then, I'll keep this one on 'repeat.' Mar 02 2012