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SINAYA
Maze Of Madness

Brutal (2018)
Rating: 8/10

Girls, girls, girls… One cannot argue with the talent boasted by this all-female Brazilian posse that has finally gotten round to spitting out its debut record. Sinaya formed in 2010, out of São Paulo. After 2013 EP Obscure Raids and follow-up single ‘Buried By Terror’, the quartet has come up trumps with one of the best thrashing death expressions this year.

If you like mid-paced structures of morbidity mixed with fizzing thrashy outbursts and then all wrapped up in a pungent, fusty death metal coating, then you’re gonna love this guttural emission.

Eight tracks of tight, concise, tidy brutality is what’s on the agenda here as the vocal coughs of Mylena Monaco leave trails of soot-coated phlegm all over the stereo; her fearsome exhibitions are a perfect match for the deep, snarling tone of this sinister little recording that I can only hope gets the recognition it deserves.

Naturally, the peers within the Brazilian thrash / death field influence Sinaya; throughout this album one can hear flashes of old Sepultura, Sarcófago, and the likes. Those deep, juddering rhythms just stink of catchy class before the band starts to embark on measured yet feisty thrash segments, which is immediately apparent on grotesque gems such as ‘Abyss To Death’ – a straight up, uncompromising heavyweight masterclass in how to marry dark, lumbering death metal with arrogant, sneering yet melodic thrash workouts.

It’s the moderate pace of so many tunes which wins me over, however; the chugging malevolence of ‘Bath Of Memories’ is intense and humourless by design, its design consisting of straight-laced, no frills juggernaut patterns that just consistently punch their way through walls.

Sinaya has the feel of a stubborn, no nonsense party able to flex their musical muscles with the best of them, all the while having a natural ability to stay extreme but without having to over-indulge in speed. When the pace does quicken, however, the listener is battered by the vocal spits and that impressive riffery of Monaco and Renata Petrelli, whose leads remain simple yet effective.

Opener ‘Life Against Fate’ has a distinctive punk feel, with ‘Infernal Sight’ offering a more steady trudge to proceedings. But those seeking more aggressive streaks should look no further than the Teutonic splashes exhibited on ‘Deep In The Grave’, which initially starts out as a suspenseful, melodic chugger before flailing like some beefier Nervosa composition.

Throughout this classy opus, you’ll hear numerous influences which range from Obituary to Death to Autopsy. The sound, although not complex, nevertheless refuses to settle into one style as chunky groove metal takes over with ‘Crowd In Panic’, while ‘Buried By Terror’ has a distinctive old school flavour to its bruising riffage.

Maze Of Madness is such a rewarding yet tense effort; the girls really churn out some serious and catchy death metal sure to wipe the smile off your face and decapitate you for good measure.

Neil Arnold

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