NEUROSIS (Colombia) “Verdun 1916” (CD) - Reeditado por Viuda Negra Music Bogotá - Colombia 2003 editado bajo licencia de Neuro Music Jorge Mackenzie - Grabado en los estudios "Audiovisión" en Bogotá D.C. Durante Setiembre de 1994. Ingeniero de Sonido : Juan José Virviescas - Producción y Arreglos : Juan José Virviescas y Jorge Mackenzie - Bonus Track "The White Man" grabado por la misma alineación del CD "Verdun 1916" en concierto en Medellín el 15 de Julio de 1995, Guitarra adicional en concierto por Nicolás Amaya.- We are in front of one of the hyper mega legends of the South American Metal, the Colombian band NEUROSIS! , who does not know who is Jorge Mackenzie? We are in front of an album that many bangers think is the best thing ever created in our continent, I include myself!
This disc is the re-edition of “Verdun 1916” (Music Talisman, 1995), in this occasion with a redesign of the cover, including all the lyrics and bonus live track of which we will speak more ahead. I am totally thankful to my great friend Jorge Mackenzie to send this jewel to us, one signed and dedicated for Roxana and another signed and dedicated for me, thank you very much for the deference bro’!!! I will begin to describe the booklet, I must say that it’s an extreme professional design, completely printed in couch paper, the colors are very well used, the perfect contrast, totally legible, everything very well balanced, it’s pleasant and always comforting to see a work of this quality!!!
The theme that opens this bloody battle is “The Eyes of the Soul”, a song of heavy beginning, truly crude riffs, a lot of these riffs make me remember some of the “Spiritual Healing” ones and the voices per moments similar to those of “Human”, I think that I do not need to say more, right? , the voice of Arley Cruz is tremendously sick, soon we have “Politicians”, what a good theme, damned!, it begins in a malevolent way, with macabre riffs, soon infernal growls ala Chuck, give step to the vomits of Arley Cruz, I must stress that Jorge Mackenzie not only is a consequent legend with his ideals, but a great musician, a great composer, his lyrics are fundamental in which NEUROSIS has gotten, indeed the lyrics of “Politicians”, I like them a lot, they are short but concrete, effective! “…I don’t need no lies, I don’t need your rules, let’s start a war…” later we have “Military Sacrifice” a beginning with guitars ala SLAYER (old), that per moments remembers me to “Black Magic”, but with the voice of Chuck, remember that Jorge Mackenzie is an old soldier and his influences are not improvised, he is an authentic old guard Headbanger, the gem continuous with “Deprived Of Liberty”, an instrumental 4 minutes, influenced by the old school Thrash Metal, between DESTRUCTION and SLAYER, with very good redoubles and forceful percussion! Soon “Full of Thorns” comes, great theme! the lyrics leave me perplex and stupid, I am convinced that Jorge Mackenzie is an authentic Metal soldier, the nonconformity captured in this lyric, like in many others, the rejection to all pose and mask, only make him say to everybody the right things in their own face, staying standing up in Metal, without giving in, all that clarifies me that Jorge Mackenzie is somebody loyal to his convictions, there are reasons for what he is a legend. I could listen to “Full Of Thorns” without rest “…some were left in the way are changed their convictions, you had to be strong and take the damn risk, I did not want to be a lawyer, laws are relative, I did not want to be a business man, money is ephemeral, I wanted to be a musician, music is perpetual and my pocket is empty, but I am fucking proud!!!!” later comes the huge hymn of the Colombian Metal and a South American hymn, that takes the name of the bloody battle of Verdun and in addition gives the name to this album, a song that was seen and listened everywhere, “Verdun 1916”, hit that had the famous video clip in MTV - HEADBANGER' S BALL, any South American that has never sung “LA HISTORIA ES CRUDA PERO NO ES MUDA!!!” knows nothing about his or her Scene! , I do not have words to describe such success, what could I say? Only that the people who haven’t listened to this track, which is a bedside song for any Metaller of our continent, will not be never able to be called Metalhead! later we have the theme “Involución”, the particularity of this track is that it’s the only theme of the album where Arley Cruz writes the lyric, it’s also the only track where the music has not been composed only by Jorge Mackenzie, but between Jorge Mackenzie and Arley Cruz, it’s a tremendous song as well, I cannot deny that when I listen to the part where the lyric says “Muerte espiritual, espiritual”, remembers me to the classic one of DEATH, not only for the word itself, but also for the vocal register of Arley Cruz, I realize for the furious interpretation and the lyric that Arley Cruz shared a great nonconformity about the anesthesia of masses, about the rotted flock, I have to admit that we are plagued of zombies!, when I read the lyric of “Involución”… “Futuro autómata, futuro clon, futuro robot, futuro inerte!!!” and simultaneously I listen to the forcefulness of this theme, with sick, heavy and raw riffs I just want to torture all impure posers who are just queers, taking like a fashion, which really is a way of life, an expression, no WIMPS, no POSERS, no GLAMFAGS!!!
Later we have “Intro El lamento” (Extracto De La Ópera Requiem De Mozart)” which does not require any extra commentary, the following song is “El paso del tiempo no cura”, a very aggressive theme that induces you to mosh, the gunner percussion of this track will keep you ready to fuck from the beginning to the end and totally schizophrenic, then follows the song “Bautizados en rencor”, a devastating song, a hard, direct and furious critic to the Church, “…la Iglesia es el negocio y el fanatismo la enfermedad!!!”, tremendous hit! , soon follows “Marea Negra”, a quite Death Metal beginning, crudity and evilness guaranteed from these Gods of the South American Metal, a very apocalyptic lyric, great technique and skills in between, the solos are really brilliant and done by Alexei Restrepo, who participates in this track, It’s one of the most worked songs without a doubt, soon comes “Convención Ancestral”, the shortest theme of the album with hardly 1’16”, quite violent, destructive, desecrator and perverse end!
Such a good album, the hugest never before created by a South American band, to finish we have a bonus track, which does not appear in the first issue of “Verdun 1916” (Music Talisman, 1995), it’s “The White Man”, which also includes the lyrics, recorded live in Medellín on 15th July 1995 by the same line-up who recorded this disc, Arley Cruz (vocal), Jorge Mackenzie (guitars), Camilo Rodríguez (bass) and Edgar Sarmiento (drums), but in this bonus live track there is an additional guitar, which is Nicolás Amaya, I must say that this album is completely indispensable in any collection of the world, this is one of those memorable and perpetual discs that will always leave an indelible mark in the Metal history!!!

NEUROSIS (Colombia) “Masters Of Thrash” (CD) – Neuro Music 2007.- Again Jorge Mackenzie, leader of the legendary Colombian band NEUROSIS, is surprising us with this material that has 15 tracks, including 13 covers of bands that left their mark on the brain and hears of this great South American warrior.

The presentation of the disc is great, with lots of colored photos. In general, the work is very professional, believe me, you want to review stuff like this one! And, well, since my bro’ Mackenzie sent us signed discs, I wanted to thank him for his consideration…

Opening it’s "Postmortem" and "Raining Blood", two SLAYER classics from a record that changed the course of mankind ("Reign In Blood", fucking novice!), played in a masterly way with a truly hellish voice! Another excellent performance is ASPHYX’s "The Rack" from the s/t album, you won’t be restless after hearing that one or after listening to "Forgotten Past" from DEATH, hymn that was immortalized in "Leprosy" album… mosh and violence are guaranteed!
The disc starts so rabid, with Thrash and Death Metal covers, that you might think that Jorge Mackenzie only stands up for extreme Metal; but the truth is that this musician shows us a big part of his influence and knowledge about Metal, coming from the bad old days, I mean early 80's, with such classics as "Knock 'em Dead Kid" (MÖTLEY CRÜE), played in the Death Metal vein… Vince Neil would shit his leotard if he heard this deadly version. NEUROSIS also does 70’s anthems as "N.I.B." (BLACK SABBATH)…
This is a good record, full of energy and the great personal touch that Jorge Mackenzie always adds to his work. Here you will find more covers from HALLOWS EVE, METALLICA, DIAMOND HEAD, DESTRUCTION, SOD, etc.... so, please, give it a listen ‘cause NEUROSIS is an old band that has some of the best Metal musicians hailing from South America.