HEADHUNTER D.C.
Born... Suffer... Die
(Mutilation Productions)
67:25min

Time really flies! It’s almost unbelievable that 25 years have already passed since Brazil’s HEADHUNTER D.C. released their classic debut full length "Born… Suffer… Die" via Cogumelo Records… But it’s great to see that the band is still around these days and even stronger than ever before! I gotta confess that I personally discovered HEADHUNTER D.C. rather late (yeah, shame on me, I know!). My first contact with the band was the 2005 re-issue of their "…And The Sky Turns To Black… (The Dark Age Has Come)" album. Because of that I don’t have the usual nostalgic memories on their early days and also no real strong connection to "Born… Suffer… Die". So, from today’s point of view, the album sounds a bit sloppy to my ears. Ok, it’s pretty raw and intense, but it was still lacking in the band’s own identity and musical skills to convince me in the same way as the fantastic material that was yet to come. Maybe the line-up changes (only vocalist Sérgio "Baloff" Borges and guitarist Paulo Lisboa are still in the band nowadays) were a good decision after all, who knows? Don’t get me wrong here: "Born… Suffer… Die" is by no means a bad album, it’s got a quite typical South American Death / Thrash flair to it and it also features newly recorded versions of the four songs off their "Hell Is Here" demo from 1989 (included in the bonus section of this re-release). So, fans from the early days will probably praise this in a similar way as I praise debut albums from bands that I grew up on. Musically you still hear alot of different influences in the songs. From raw Thrash Metal, to Grindcore (just check out ‘Death Vomit’ as a reference) to early Death Metal… elements that were melted together way better in their songwriting in the years to come though. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album Mutilation Records has just put out a deluxe reissue of the record. It comes as a 2 disc digipak and includes lots of old band pictures, flyers and liner notes from Luis "Angelkiller" Jr. (vocalist / bassplayer for the defunct Brazilian Death Metallers INFAMOUS). Disc 1 features the same material as the remastered Cogumelo re-release edition from 2002 and also the same bonus tracks (the already mentioned "Hell Is Here" demo, the 1990 3-song promo tape and two live tracks from 1994 and 1995 respectively). An additional live DVD with a show that the band played in Brazil on February 15, 1992 (playing time approximately 45 minutes) completes the package. The setlist that night consisted of the entire "Born… Suffer… Die" album (only the short ‘Disunited’ got replaced by the equally short NAPALM DEATH cover ‘Deceiver’) and you get a good impression of how much the guys already raised hell in those days. Unfortunately the quality of the video is rather poor (filmed from the side of the stage), so it’s more a historical document than a DVD that you’re going to check out more often. A funny side note regarding this DVD: I watched it exactly 25 years after the show took place (Februrary 15, 2017). All in all this deluxe edition is still the best treatment the album has gotten so far, so if you are a die hard HEADHUNTER D.C. fan or your collection is still lacking in "Born… Suffer… Die" anyway, make sure to grap a copy of this version. And if you like what you hear (and see), make sure to pick up everything else from these guys afterwards. You’re gonna love it for sure! More band information at www.facebook.com/headhunterdc, for ordering details or general label contact go to www.mutilationrecords.com.br

Frank Stöver

Frank Stöver

HEADHUNTER D.C.
Born... Suffer... Die
(Cogumelo Records)
67:33min

HEADHUNTER D.C. is without a doubt one of the most underrated bands ever to emerge from the Death / Thrash Metal underground. Formed in 1987, they have released 3 full-length albums thus far (a new full-length album is anticipated entitled "God’s Spreading Cancer"). Here we have the reissue of their debut "Born… Suffer… Die" that (on my opinion) is an early-90s underground gem. More specifically, the album was released in 1991 and is nothing but a lesson in violence, aggression and intensity. HEADHUNTER D.C. deliver rough, traditional Death Metal with loads of Thrash elements in it. It is more than apparent that HEADHUNTER D.C. have been influenced to a great extend by the 80s early-Death Metal as well as their country-mates SARCOFAGO. Still they have a strong identity of their own without copying any of their influences. Although HEADHUNTER D.C. have a rough, intense sound they are also technically skilled thus differentiating themselves from other acts of their time. To celebrate the ultimate reissue of this underground classic, Cogumelo included their "Hell Is Here" demo from 1989, three tracks from the "Promo Tape 90" plus some live tracks as a bonus. I admit that the sound of the bonus material is not that good (completely understandable if you consider that the bonus tracks originate from tapes) but I guess they serve their cause as archive material that simply enhance this reissue. I am not quite sure how many people still exist out there who still praises the early Death / Thrash scene, but for those still loyal to the spirit this reissue is essential.

Manolis A.

Manolis A.

Related reviews / interviews:
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Pandemic Unredemption - Live At... (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - A Hail To The Ancient Ones... (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Punishment At Dawn (Rick Peart (CD) / Frank Stöver (DVD))
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Death Kurwa! Live In Warsaw 2013 (Hacker)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - ...In Deathmetallic Brotherhood (Thomas Ehrmann)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Brazilian Deathkult Live Violence... (Hacker)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - ...In Unholy Mourning... (Kunal Choksi)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - The Darkest Archives... From The Death... (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - ...In Unholy Mourning... (Stefan Franke)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - ...And The Sky Turns To Black... (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - ...And The Sky Turns To Black... (Hacker)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Punishment At Dawn (Lem Lycurgus)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - God's Spreading Cancer (Michael Tak)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - God's Spreading Cancer (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Interview (Frank Stöver)
HEADHUNTER D.C. - Interview (Nathaniel Colas)

Leave a Reply