PUYA - UNION
MCA Records - 2001
By James O'Toole
Puya are a four piece band signed to MCA in 1999. Union is their second album, following their debut CD Fundamental.
Describing Union and doing it justice is no easy task. Puya are slightly reminiscent of Sepultura, Soulfy and Brujeria, but they have a very individual sound. They combine nu metal with their Puerto Rican and Caribbean roots, which is a really interesting mix. What's more, it works very well and sets them apart from the current crop of metal bands from the US.
Tracks on Union which I really enjoyed were Ride, Erizo, socialize, Bridge, No Interference and Matter of Time, which has a really catchy, radio friendly chorus. There aren't really any weak points on this album to single out - some songs have more memorable vocal lines than others but the music is excellent and interesting throughout.
One of the most diverse tracks is track seven, Si Aja. The guitar comes in at the start of the song, then drops out until near the end, where the vocals also become more aggressive and combine with tribal sounding drums to close the song. The middle section of the song has a strong Caribbean sound, with a nice piano line and loads of layered percussion and melodic vocals. Puya aren't afraid to drop the guitar out at times and let other instruments carry parts of the songs, though there is no shortage of heavy or melodic guitar work on Union. Additional percussion throughout gives the album extra dimension by drawing on the band's Latin influences and really fills the music out extremely well. Combine double bass drumming with a mixture of complex percussion and tight, chunky guitar and bass and you have a really fat overall sound.
There are lots of other areas where Puya's Puerto Rican roots also shine through. The vocals switch from English to Spanish and back again and alternate between melodic and ferocious. All four band members contribute vocals and percussion and there are a host of guest performers, mainly Puerto Rican musicians who contribute piano, guitar, rumba percussion and trumpet. Album closer and title track Union comes across like a relaxed, extended jam.
Puya have toured the US with bands such as Fear Factory, System Of A Down, Type O Negative, Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers, showing their versatility and appeal to a range of audiences. I had never heard Puya's music before listening to this album, though I just missed them supporting Fear Factory in Vancouver in July, which is a shame - if they can capture this sound live it would make a great show.
This album isn't like anything I have heard before and is a refreshing change. After hearing this album I am definitely interested in checking out Fundamental. Buy Union, keep an open mind and you will find yourself nodding along and ondering why you haven't heard of Puya before.
8/10
MCA Records - 2001
By James O'Toole
Puya are a four piece band signed to MCA in 1999. Union is their second album, following their debut CD Fundamental.
Describing Union and doing it justice is no easy task. Puya are slightly reminiscent of Sepultura, Soulfy and Brujeria, but they have a very individual sound. They combine nu metal with their Puerto Rican and Caribbean roots, which is a really interesting mix. What's more, it works very well and sets them apart from the current crop of metal bands from the US.
Tracks on Union which I really enjoyed were Ride, Erizo, socialize, Bridge, No Interference and Matter of Time, which has a really catchy, radio friendly chorus. There aren't really any weak points on this album to single out - some songs have more memorable vocal lines than others but the music is excellent and interesting throughout.
One of the most diverse tracks is track seven, Si Aja. The guitar comes in at the start of the song, then drops out until near the end, where the vocals also become more aggressive and combine with tribal sounding drums to close the song. The middle section of the song has a strong Caribbean sound, with a nice piano line and loads of layered percussion and melodic vocals. Puya aren't afraid to drop the guitar out at times and let other instruments carry parts of the songs, though there is no shortage of heavy or melodic guitar work on Union. Additional percussion throughout gives the album extra dimension by drawing on the band's Latin influences and really fills the music out extremely well. Combine double bass drumming with a mixture of complex percussion and tight, chunky guitar and bass and you have a really fat overall sound.
There are lots of other areas where Puya's Puerto Rican roots also shine through. The vocals switch from English to Spanish and back again and alternate between melodic and ferocious. All four band members contribute vocals and percussion and there are a host of guest performers, mainly Puerto Rican musicians who contribute piano, guitar, rumba percussion and trumpet. Album closer and title track Union comes across like a relaxed, extended jam.
Puya have toured the US with bands such as Fear Factory, System Of A Down, Type O Negative, Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers, showing their versatility and appeal to a range of audiences. I had never heard Puya's music before listening to this album, though I just missed them supporting Fear Factory in Vancouver in July, which is a shame - if they can capture this sound live it would make a great show.
This album isn't like anything I have heard before and is a refreshing change. After hearing this album I am definitely interested in checking out Fundamental. Buy Union, keep an open mind and you will find yourself nodding along and ondering why you haven't heard of Puya before.
8/10
