Futuro – Sao Paulo Punks Share Secrets of Time and Space

Futuro – “Os Segredos Do Espaço e Tempo” Review

First, thanks to Cuzface for the Futuro review. I don’t know how to put diacritics on type without searching it out, let alone discovering a band like this, as there is so much out there. Read another one of his reviews on Man – Eaters. A band that, like Futuro, fits a genre and yet blends in a twist … here. https://meatsheetfanzine.com/moonkisser-man-eating-dope-bodies-jer-bang-three-quick-reviews/

Hot off the presses everyone! This new slab was released Sept 14th on Bandcamp, where I “shop”. https://futuro.bandcamp.com/album/os-segredos-do-espa-o-e-tempo . This time around we are going to head South to Latin America… specifically Brazil… with Futuro… and what I believe is their 4th full length… “Os Segredos Do Espaço e Tempo” (Secrets of Time and Space). As of late, and not that it is a surprise considering Latin and Latin America’s storied history in punk, there is a lot of high-quality stuff coming out of Latin America (or even US Latin Americans and Latin European countries for that matter) within the past few years.  

Raw Brigade, Lumpen, Sin Reaccion, Muro… I could go on. Futuro is also one of those bands.

I had the absolute pleasure catching these folks live as they hoofed it all the way up to Washington DC for the Damaged City Fest 2017 in which I was in attendance.

I had heard them first on their 3rd full length A Torre da Derrota (Tower of Defeat)  https://futuro.bandcamp.com/album/a-torre-da-derrota.

So, when I found out they were on the line-up for the 2017 Festival, I was stoked at the thought of being able to see them on stage. They were very cool people and when I scored a t-shirt from them, they were just really kind and genuine people considering how long the flights must have been.

Now when you listen to that 3rd album, not only do they cover Sado-Nation’s “Mom and Pop Democracy”, they also were pokin’ around Damaged City in Sadi-Nation and Saccharine Trust t-shirts. So, from that you can kinda start to see where their allegiances are musically.

My quick summary of their style is the punk that was there right at the top of the rollercoaster just before you went over and plunged deep in to hardcore.

While most who review tend to use the FFO (for fans of) listings, for this band I will be using the WLIAT (will listen in addition to). You know, bands that would go well with them on stage perhaps. The right wine with the right cheese. Also, if you were listing in a playlist, what might complement.

So, to illustrate the sound and the time they sound influenced by my list of WLIAT – Avengers, Even Worse, Sado-Nation, False Prophets, Red Scare… maybe Legal Weapon. 

They have a very deliberate sound. Clean but still aggressive. As typified by the first song “Gestalt”.

A very atmospheric but powerful tune.

I love the chord progressions and change ups with a little reverb that they use to great effect and some great ending riffage.

Next, we have “Prisao Material” (Approaching the Material). This ties in with the, right at the precipice before the “hardcore”, punk sound. Driving beats but still keeping that atmosphere and cool change-ups from the first cut.

Following right after is the mid-tempo and more melodic “Mandamentos” (Commandments). This has a really cool echoey reverb on the guitar that pushes their atmospheric approach even more.

Then BAM!… the money-track… “License to Fail” with a beat and vocals that make you just wanna move in any way and by any means necessary. This leans almost to a slightly sped up Avengers with more snark if you will. Camila’s voice almost sounds sort of “Penelope” in this one too. I could see them just busting in to “I Believe in Me” right after this.

Following… that “atmospheric” approach just gets deeper with “Vida Liquida” (Liquid Life). Still very punk but they push that reverb and crisp sound they have really hard on this one.

Then, the closing track… the fascinating “The Third Eye” which when listening, I get sort of a punked out psych song. Yet in some respects it reminds me of something that X would do on a later album. But with punk power!

To close out, an extremely cool band and nice people too. If you like this, I would highly recommend all their releases except perhaps what I believe to be their first “MMX” as they seem like they were trying to find their sound on that one, but soon after that it is off to the races of punk rock enjoyment.

This may even be my favorite release by them so far. Not a dud in the mix. 

Enjoy and support Futuro and cool bands like them. 

Reviewer – Cuzface