Ascensão is the third album by Brazilian thrash metal band Black Pantera, released on 11 March 2022 via Deckdisc and produced by Rafael Ramos[1][6][8][9][10][11] and the band members.[8]
| Ascensão | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 11, 2022 | |||
| Recorded | October 2020 | |||
| Studio | Tambor Studio (Rio de Janeiro)[1] | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal, hardcore punk[2][3][4] | |||
| Length | 38:43[5] | |||
| Language | Portuguese | |||
| Label | Deckdisc | |||
| Producer | Rafael Ramos, Black Pantera | |||
| Black Pantera chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Ascensão | ||||
Recorded over the course of 13 days[3] of October 2020 at Tambor studio in Rio de Janeiro, the album was already ready one year before March 2022, but its release was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][9][12]
As with previous albums, the band discusses racism issues in the lyrics.[4] In an interview shortly before the album's release, the members said it would be possible to write a whole album every day with all the racism and intolerance episodes that take place in Brazil, citing the murders of Durval Teófilo Filho and of Moïse Kabagambe as examples.[12]
The album features Rodrigo Lima (Dead Fish) on "Dia do Fogo", a song criticizing Jair Bolsonaro's rule's policies towards the Amazon,[4] and Tuyo on "Estandarte",[2][3][13] an anti-homophobia song.[4]
Concept
editCover and title
editThe cover is a picture by Victor Balde taken in November 2019 and depicting Ana Francisco and Carolina Antônio, two women from Meconta, Mozambique, holding machetes, holding hands and protecting a child.[3] The image is part of the collection "Lute como uma moçambicana" (Fight like a Mozambican woman), by the brand Com Respeito, and is inspired by the works of Giovanni Marrozzini.[1][3][6][8][9][13][14] Deckdisc acquired the rights of the picture from Balde, who gave all proceedings to the depicted pair.[3][12][13]
The title that was originally thought was Ascensão do Império Preto (Rise of the Black Empire), but the band shortened it to Ascensão (Rise) because they felt the previous name excluded other victims of prejudice, such as women and the LGBTQIA+ population.[3]
According to bassist Charles da Gama, Ascensão "speaks of many matters and of the rise not only of the black people, but the rise of any person that wants to relate, regardless of skin color, gender, religion, of the rise of all people who are really being oppressed in Brazil and in the world over".[13]
Promotion
editThe album title and cover were announced on 17 January 2022, the same date on which they announced their first single, "Padrão É o Caralho".[1][9][14] It and its video were released on 21 January 2022. Its lyrics begin with the verses "A coisa tá linda / A coisa tá preta" ("Things are beautiful / Things are black"), which challenge the use of the word "black" in Portuguese as a synonym of "ugly" or "bad" in the idiom "things are black".[6]
The second single and video, "Fogo nos Racistas",[15] came out on 19 February 2022.[7][11] The lyrics reference figures such as Django Unchained, Luís Gama and Ogum. The video has a cameo of Madalena "Madá" Gordiano,[3] a woman from Minas Gerais who was enslaved for 38 years, since she was 9 years old until December 2020, when she was set free.[3][11][13]
On 13 March, the band did a show to celebrate the album's release in a public square in Uberaba, their hometown.[10]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Cultura Sem Censura | 10 |
Anderson Silva, from Cultura Sem Censura, praised tracks such as "Mosha", "Padrão É o Caralho", "Não Fode o Meu Rolê" and "Revolução É o Caos" and concluded his analysis saying that the three members "deserve to be more and more listened and worshiped as the foundations of the new Brazilian rock".[2]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mosha" | 2:43 |
| 2. | "Padrão É o Caralho" (Pattern My Ass) | 3:08 |
| 3. | "Delírio Coletivo" (Collective Delirium) | 3:07 |
| 4. | "Fogo nos Racistas" (Fire on the Racists) | 3:39 |
| 5. | "Não Fode o Meu Rolê" (Don't Fuck Up My Nigh Out) | 2:53 |
| 6. | "Revolução É o Caos" (Revolution Is Chaos) | 3:42 |
| 7. | "Anti Vida" (Anti Life) | 3:01 |
| 8. | "Dia do Fogo" (Fire Day (featuring Rodrigo Lima)) | 2:39 |
| 9. | "Evilcred" | 3:34 |
| 10. | "A Besta" (The Beast) | 3:15 |
| 11. | "Eles Que Lutem" (Let Them Fight) | 3:07 |
| 12. | "Estandarte" (Banner (featuring Tuyo)) | 3:55 |
| Total length: | 38:43[5] | |
Personnel
edit- Charles Gama – guitar, vocals
- Chaene da Gama – bass
- Rodrigo "Pancho" Augusto – drums
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Ferreira, Mauro (17 January 2022). "Black Pantera revela nome e capa do terceiro álbum da ativista banda mineira". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Silva, Anderson (12 March 2022). "Ascensão: Black Pantera - Rápido Pesado, sujo e bom pra c4r4lh0!". Cultura Sem Censura. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mateus, Bruno (11 March 2022). "Black Pantera lança 'Ascensão', necessário petardo antirracista". O Tempo. Sempre Editora. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Aiex, Tony (11 March 2022). "Atração do Rock In Rio, Black Pantera lança um dos discos mais poderosos do ano – ouça". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Ascensão". Amazon Music. Amazon. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Nascimento, Silvia (21 January 2021). ""Não seja escravo de um espelho": single de Black Pantera questiona padrões estéticos". Mundo Negro. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b Ferreira, Mauro (19 February 2022). "Trio Black Pantera lança música para queimar o preconceito racial em single do álbum 'Ascensão'". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Diniz, Augusto (6 March 2022). "Sem rodeios, banda Black Pantera canta músicas políticas e antirracistas". CartaCapital. Editora Basset. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d Borell, Gabriel von (17 January 2022). ""ASCENSÃO": Black Pantera anuncia novo disco com capa poderosa". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b Barbosa, Daniel; Galvão, Paulo (8 March 2022). "Banda mineira Black Pantera levará sua mensagem antirracista ao Rock in Rio". Estado de Minas. Diários Associados. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Aiex, Tony (22 February 2022). ""Fogo nos Racistas": Black Pantera bate de frente com o racismo em novo clipe; assista". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Andrade, Flavia (24 February 2022). "Black Pantera: Brazilian crossover thrash trio speak to Chaoszine about music, society and sharing the stage with Living Colour at Rock in Rio Festival". Chaoszine. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Black Pantera – Ascensão". Página do álbum no site oficial da Deckdisc. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Black Pantera lança primeiro single de "Ascensão"". 89 FM A Rádio Rock. Grupo Camargo de Comunicação. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ Sanches, Pedro Alexandre (23 February 2022). ""Expõe pra queimar!", defende o Black Pantera". Farofafá. Retrieved 21 March 2022.