G&P Review: Chulo

Chulo
Odio a Primera Vista
Grindcore Karaoke
At this point, to proclaim oneself a drug crazed grind freak is not exactly a novel proposition. Plenty of bands have appropriated drug tropes either in praise of their preferred pharmaceutical or to acquire a second hand edge by posing as a latter day Hunter Thompson. But being from a genuine narcostate like Colombia does give Chulo’s “Narcosarcasmo” a cred that their first world peers lack on Odio a Primera Vista (Hatred at First Sight in ’Murican). And like your favorite misused medication, a little bit of Chulo goes a long way with 11 songs of Man is the Bastard filtered through early Agoraphobic Nosebleed dished up in eight minutes. There is zero subtlety to the band’s weapon of choice: it’s blunt edges and relentless in a way that will leaving you craving variety.
I believe a great bass tone can take you far, and Chulo will leave you missing some dentition, but that power never gets harnessed toward any clear goal. The songs, in isolation, have a great suffocating atmosphere, but even in eight minutes they begin to blur into a faceless wall of smashing bass and screaming as each song body slams into the previous. “Puertas” and “Society” are notable simply for easing back the tempos enough to break through the brick wall of noise Chulo has erected.
Odio a Primera Vista is nasty and noisy but ultimately one dimensional. If Chulo hopes to get regular customers hooked on their product, they need to promise a more varied trip next time out.

[Full disclosure: The band requested a review.]