Record of the Week: TERCER MUNDO Ser Nosotros Mismos LP
In the years since their instantly classic and universally lauded first EP, the punks behind TERCER MUNDO have relocated from Monterrey (epicenter of the Mexican drug wars) to Mexico City (a place with plenty of its own problems—and also the subject of this month’s scene report). Their 12″ isn’t quite as in-your-face as that record (which famously featured a photo of a naked, legless female corpse, shot in the chest and captioned with the phrase “Mexico 2012—60,000 human beings dead. Now go party and score some cocaine.”) but it doesn’t have to be. They got your attention. This is more subtle, but no less incendiary. I can’t help but think of Presionados, the 1989 LP by XENOFOBIA, who also hailed from Mexico City. The cover of that record featured los cerdos facing an angry mob, fists in the air; the back of this one has a lone man pelting a rock at a wall of faceless cops. In 30 years, how little has changed—in fact, it seems like things have only gotten worse. “Espero llegar al dÁa / Que acabe esta pesadilla.” TERCER MUNDO take elements of classic Mexican hardcore and make them their own—they pick up the pace, put blistering guitar leads and solos on top. Bile drips off the vocals, provided by Dave Rata (of RATAS DEL VATICANO), who seems to be the primary songwriter here, also playing bass and guitar on these recordings. A contender for record of the year, it comes in a hand-screened sleeve, with a risograph printed insert with lyrics in both Spanish and English. Pick this one up while you can. (Cintas Pepe)
