Breed 77: Un Encuentro

The unique selling point of Gibraltan metallers Breed 77 has always been the fusion of Mediterranean elements with metal music. So flamenco guitars, a distinctive Latino feel and even random changes in the language from English to Spanish are all standard for them. The results are often spectacular. No more is this the case than in fourth album Un Encuentro (An Encounter), which is actually not new material, but a greatest hits album with a twist: it’s sung entirely in Spanish.

The tracks chosen have been selected from all three of their previous albums. Un Encuentro wisely starts as 3rd album En Mi Sangre did with Petroleo, a powerful track which sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the album, seeming somehow to represent the band’s entire output within one song.

Most of the other 10 tracks should be familiar to Breed 77 fans. Four were singles, and two have already featured on two albums. This is not a bad thing, as the likes of La Ultima Hora are among the best songs the band has produced, and the core appeal of this album is the chance to hear classic songs in another language.

The key question is “Do the songs work as well in Spanish as in English?” The answer to that is a resounding yes. Songs like El Rio (The River: the band’s only top 40 UK single to date) have never sounded better, and indeed there is a distinct feeling that this album is Breed 77 revealing what they are are supposed to sound like for the first time.

There are, however, a couple of problems. Firstly, the track selection, while valid in some cases, could have been better in others. Was it really necessary to hear a third version of Rompiendo el Silencio for example? And Oracion Final has already been heard in Spanish. And as for the inclusion of the one minute long non-song Viento de Levante (The Eastern Wind), which too many bands insist on including with albums these days, the less said the better. These are three tracks which, while good, should really have been replaced with less stale ones. The other problem is that as the lyrics are not in English, Un Encuentro is unlikely to appeal to non-current fans. Even with understandable lyrics, the band has never really entered the mainstream in the UK (compare to the likes of My Chemical Romance and The Lost Prophets, for example) and it’s hard to see Un Encuentro changing that.

If you have already heard Breed 77’s previous albums, with Un Encuentro you can appreciate them in a whole different light, for ten tracks at least. If you’re not a fan, but can get around the Spanish and appreciate inspired flamenco metal, then this might be just what you are looking for.

Un Encuentro is out now on Albert Productions.