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Lately it was a bit quite, but now Latino new metal band Ill Niño just played a few festivals and a mini tour since they released Enigma in 2008. In 2010 they are almost the last of the forerunners of the Nu metal genre and they will keep the spirit alive, even if some call it old school already. That's the way it is, yesterday you were the next big thing and now you are called backdated. But Ill Niño don't sound backdated, coz the New Jerseyans created their own sound by incorporating Latin sounds, acoustic guitars and tribal percussion into their groove-laden tracks. They surely stick to their roots on Dead New World, they even look back at their debut Revolution Revolución. The latino elements are still there, but used more subtle this time. Their songs have catchy refrains and so the potential to become smashers. Songs like Killing You Killing Me, Bleed Like You and The Art Of War have great hooklines, these ones will give you goosebumps! Actually Ill Niño offer pure emotions - from soulfull to raging -, and Cristian Machado's vocals support every feeling and shows the emotional side of the Americans. But he isn't just offering sentimental vocals, he also screams in anger and frustration, best shown at Mi Revolución and the closer Scarred. Serve The Grave is a percussion-driven tune which the band is known for; the vocals are deep and lead into a depressive chorus. I have to criticize that even if they show some outburst of fury, the songs are a bit too shallow. It's probably due to the fact that the vocals are pretty much up-front, so that drums and guitars can't add enough power and heaviness. I miss the punch. The cover version of the Smashing Pumpkins tune Bullet With Butterfly Wings seems to be a bit out of place, but they do it their own way - and that's good.
Ill Niño do better then on their last album and fans of the Latin metal band will dig it!
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