About Me
here we have a true metal hardcore band formed in the mid 90's. rooted with
pride and honor in the old and new schools of these two musical pourings.
forefathers in their hometown monterrey, nuevo leon, mexico in their style, so
to speak, descending from the attitude of bands like the cro-mags and agnostic
front.
if rightfully one could assuredly state that this was the band whocreated and
developed what is today one of the strongest scenes of their country, achieving
a considerable recognition within the local underground, nationally and even in
other underground streams of latin america. their sound and ideology started
from an "old school hardcore" with a certain dosage of "metal" portraying a
noticeable influence of other bands beside the aforementioned, such as slayer,
slayer and sick of it all. nonetheless, after their first demo, recorded in '
97, in the songs written in the process of latter times, one can observ how the
doses of metal steadily incremented. to a degree in which today their sound is
influenced and can be likened to that of bands such as: machine head, maroon,
stigmata, killswitch engage, chimaira, all that remains, lamb of god, shadows
fall, exodus, sworn enemy, skinlab, zao, hatebreed, life of agony, merauder, and
sub-zero........... and be it as varied, interesting or strange as some might
find it, furens actually manage to blend integrally all of their influences in
one way or another (namely lyrics, music, attitude or presence) to ultimately
show what they are: " a band with a true and unique feeling". altogether one
could say that if their first homonimous material comes across as a hardcore
deeply rooted in the "new york style" of those years, the second one entitled
"ovecome" (2002) tries and succeds in demonstrating the progress and experience
and musical experience through a more easily grasped, but intense metal, cause
of a blending of influences spearheaded in the one hand by "age of quarrel" by
the cro-mags and "burning red"/"the more things change" by machine head in the
other.
and in their most recent and latest production, perhaps both formulas of their
two previous records are kept, but adding to this much more brutality through a
thrashier feeling, breaks, and a speed moreso accentuated, and of course,
without eliminating that distinctive feeling of rage or hatred that emanates
from the guitars and vocals.... the latter constantly alternating between
melodic and ripping.
and so, developing their sound, but leaving their attitude and ideology almost
intact, the band regroups in 2001, after its fatidic break up of '98, thus
initiating the years of inactivity. for within the lifetime of this band there
have been great and varied dead periods, as well as varied and different line
ups, but always fronted by one or the two of the brothers (carlos- vocals, raul-
lead guitar)
it is not in vain to say that currently there are former furens members spread
in more than 10 bands of the local scene, among which rave from hardcore, punk
or even metal bands. a fact that undoubtedly reveals the furious as true young
blooded veterans, who currently fluctuate between the ages 21 - 28.
and in case some might ask why is there so much variation in the styles adopted
by the exmembers themselves. the answer could be that the furious listen to not
only the bands that make an influence to furens, but they go though and cover
various styles in their record collection, and for different moments on their
lives. it is not strange to go to a barbecue at their house and find that the
background music is the bouncing souls or social distortion, to later see them
change it to the sound of spm, dre or dmx, and finally watch them babble because
of the effect of tequila and beer to celtic frost, napalm death, neurosis or
skinless, and see them greet a new dawn to anthrax, exhorder, testament or
nuclear assault. each one has their own personality and their own musical taste,
but mainly, they all converge in most of the same, specially regarding their own
and real pouring.
AN UNUSUAL START
if we were to detail the farthest startoff point of this band , it would be
important to say that , as weird as it may seem, it all started with an old
acoustic guitar of raul's, with it he learned to play when he was 12 or 13 years
old, playing exploited, agnostic front and circle jerks songs. the young
"skinhead" uninterested in school didn't own an electric instrument till 2 years
later, when he got a stolen amp and bass. it was in that old acoustic guitar
that the first chords of "madness" and "not a traditional man" were first
played. but these songs weren't yet named so, since some of these riffs would
first belong to another hardcore punk band with skinhead tendencies to which
raul joined ..... but not for long. he'd then form his own band (furens) as bass
player with his own songs, with a drummer (sannie) and a guitar player (ciro)
both of whom in these days are part of the punk rock band kluster. since the
first practice 4 songs were completed and recorded ("my behavior", "sickening",
"silent voices" and "madness") the same which a week later would have names,
lyrics and vocals by carlos, raul's older brother, who had just broken up with
his project metal band that resulted unsatisfactory. it was thus that furens
started out full on, on spring break '95, letting out all of the bullshit that
filled the minds of two adolescent brothers who came from a good neighborhood,
in which existed one of those so called "homes" that silently crumble, moral and
economically. due to this fact they had to study, practice and work at the same
time, not only to acquire instruments, but also to buy clothing, pay for school
and food. it is perhaps as they say "something good has to come out of something
bad".... so there.....
as the next few years passed the band developed and became known from '96
through '98 thanks to the support of faithful friends and fans, and of the then
"hardcore-punk" scene of monterrey. being furens the first band to brand their
distinctive style of hardcore, since in those years this scene was more strongly
associated with punk rock and its tendencies, and not so much with the style
that we now know and consider more of madball or cromags for example. it was
thus that they created a new scene with no intention of making a division, it
was simply that different people who got interested in this "new style to the
city" started going to their shows (straightedgers, skate-boys, skinheads and
metal heads) while many others stopped being part of the same...... some held
grudges and grew resentful, others dissapeared, but the true ones prevail and
remain there.
in 1996 they won first place on the CEDECO contest, among over 40 bands in the
"amateur" (beginner) category, winning a money price to replace the second hand
equipment and instruments that they owned. and in 1997 they won again, this time
second place, but in the "professionals" category, to then become 12 hours at a
recording studio and make their first studio demo, simply entitled: furens. the
judges of the aforementioned event claimed to never before have seen such a
viloent slam or circle pit in their lives. the moment the furious went up on
stage to plug in, the espectators emptied the bleachers to come down and be a
part of the violent pit, which was of such magnitude that clouds of dust rose at
the rythm of "black days" and "obligate". the moment the winners were announced
the judges themselves shook as the roaring discontent of the crowd was heard
because of the second place.
nonetheless, and as mentioned above, the band dissolves, due to internal
problems and to let things cool off. more than 2 years passed, maybe lost, or
maybe not, if we consider that on one side, this dissolution was given as the
second and never recorded demo was being made, and on the other side if we
appreciate that in those years the furious acquired a greater musical
experience, by patricipating with different instruments in other bands and
projects. raul joined as drummer to the band "against". carlos kept on singing
with their original drummer, sannie, humberto (who now sings for "por vida")
and beto (ex-endless) in a group that for some was still furens, but for many
others wasn't. at this stage they only performed a couple of times in the length
of three years, and with a pair of never recorded songs ("al despertar" {at the
wake} and "entre muros" {between walls})
it was exatctly in that year of '98, not long before the break up, that furens
were transforming themselves more into the metal side, evenso, today they
themselves assure that if they'd had the needed ability as musicians from the
beginning, they would have always played the style they play today.
RESSURRECTION OF THE PHOENIX
once the adversities were resolved in previous years, furens re-emerges as the
phoenix. this time it would be carlos who'd give the first step to retake the
path (proposition for raul to return) a reconsideration of the concept, sound
and members was made. without a doubt this time the second skin would be
conceived in the flames of metal. raul would shift from bass to guitar, in the
drums and bass would be ramiro and toño (within 2002) members of what today is
"invictus maneo", but as they left the band to be part of the aforenentioned
band, one who is as the tird brother would step in to play bass, carlo, who even
got in in time to record for "overcome" drums would be handled by cesar (joining
in 2003) and their joungest and recently welcomed second guitar player, fer
(also member of last bullet, joining in late 2004)
the making of the song "scorn" would give way to their second independent
recording, which would mark their return under the name "overcome" (2002) a
record with 8 songs. made under real events, captured in their lyrics and with
charecteristics aforedetailed.
once everything related to the pressing of the cd was done and concluded with,
furens took part in various tours and events, obviously related to the
dimentions of an independent underground band, among which stand out: opening
the monterrey performance of kittie in 2003 and also forming part of the bill
with chimaira in late 2004, performing in the nuevo laredo tatoo convention,
contest winner as most voted for by the audience of the radio show "new metal"
to play alongside ill niño (although the event was cancelled in its latter
stage) two performances in tampico, texas, and of course multiple local shows
and events alongside their brother bands: invictus maneo, por vida and last
bullet.
it's been almost three years to the date since that recording which marked the
second coming, and even though each member has their own occupations and
responsabilities, furens maintains firm and constant in thier performance and
development, (what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger) through at
times slow, but sure steps that periodically drive them into distress, maybe for
being a metal band in a country with little if not nule support by distros and
record companies. that as many of us know there aren't any in mexico who fully
focus on metal. to this we can add the poor engineering, mastering and recording
quality of most of the local recording studios, that are little informed or
experienced in how to record metal acts. and to finish with, let's not forget
the high prices that all of this conveys.
FROM THE FILTH OF THESE MEN'S EMPIRES
despite all this bullshit, we can assure that furens will go on from "yesterday,
today and always", their third and last production is in process, its name:
imperator/from the filth of these men's empires. with 6 new tracks entitled:
fuego en la sangre "fire in the blood", through the eyes of the wolf, sacra,
from the filth of these men's empires and two new songs as of yet unnamed and
still in process.
letting all the anger that can be unleashed be felt through a crafted
metal-hardcore, these new songs will probably make a certain remembrance of that
old thrash of past decades, but being made to be felt as a new strengthened
band, concise in their attitude and ideology, with enough experience to face any
type of challenge or adversity..... furens has been present since the beginning
of it all, and will continue to be around, for good or for bad..... as their
friends often say:
"long life to the godfathers of monterrey hardcore"
these new tracks will be complemented in their third production with other 5
songs of the previous one, (overcome) rerecorded to pull out the thorn on the
side and the bad taste that the insatisfactory recording engineering left. it is
expected that all of this will be concluded in march 2005.
currently furens continues to be a band that is true to their roots, who have
adopted hardcore for almost a decade , as as a way of life more than a musical
style. dedicating their essence to their scenes, and seeking always a greater
expansion. here's a band that is symbolically self denominated as the phoenix,
for its imposition to the fact of dying, the griffon for experience and wit of
the game,
as the dragon for its strength and if we were to speak of a real animal, we'd
speak of the wolf.
furens: latin word meaning furious, filled with rage.
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