Buñuel – Mansuetude

Buñuel – Mansuetude
Release Date: 25th October 2024
Label:  Overdrive/SKiN GRAFT
Bandcamp
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal, Progressive Noise Rock.
FFO: Oxbow, The Jesus Lizard, Idles.
Review By: Andy Spoon

I am not generally someone who claims to be a longtime fan of noise rock, experimental noise metal, or noise-prog, but I have really enjoyed music by behemoths like Daughters (pre-controversy) and IDLES, who’ve crossed the mainstream bridge to success in recent years with the help of the Fantano boost. I’m really hoping that the industry takes note of the Buñuel effect, which is going to hopefully catch as many glances as the aforementioned industry giants. If you are a fan of manic, slow-burning loud songs that will get you in the mood to rage, you cannot pass up a chance to experience The Mansuetude. 

One of the things that I noticed is that the album started off SUPER strong, featuring absolutely massive beats and slamming grooves with triple kicks, anthem-esque refrains, and angsty riffs on the growly bass guitar. I was incredibly pumped and thinking that this was about to go straight into 5/5 territory for me. Unfortunately, the album took a much slower and unfortunately more…experimental…turn, having multiple tracks in a row that were crafted of purely endless melodic drones with intermittent tom or snare hits while vocalist Eugene Robinson rhythmically chanted poetic refrains full of. 

There was no doubt a serious intensity and fury that was implied, but the high of the near-orgasmic state of the first 3–5 tracks fizzled out into a repetitive onslaught of angry one-note dirges that left me feeling momentarily-deflated on tracks 6 and 7. My excitement went from a zenith of interest to wishing the back-to-back slow tracks would end, so I could possibly see if the pace might pick up again. Thankfully, it did by track 8, High speed Chase; and I was back to feeling the full power of the Buñuel effect, whatever you might argue that is. To me, it took a while to fully-appreciate, not to mention sitting down and really getting my mind in the right headspace. 

I immediately felt a sense of wonder as well as skepticism listening through this album. I think that Eugene might be one of the unknown geniuses of the rock and roll scene, lending his abilities in such a way that will only be appreciated decades down the road. I think people who are genre fans already understand the magnitude of exactly what Buñuel is, but there is a less-likely chance that people who enjoy metal or independent music will really understand the mantle that Buñuel has picked up now that Daughters is (justifiably-so) done for good (at least Alexi – burn in hell, by the way). 

The overall feel of Mensuetude was just a pure assault of gritty bass, furious drums, screeching guitars, and stunningly-powerful vocals. I was left wondering if it’s possible to make a comparison to the same type of rage and power that The Mars Volta once had in the early 2000s; where if The Mars Volta was cocaine and Latin music, Buñuel is meth and noise rock. I really do mean that in the absolute most fanboy-ish way, This album is something different, something much more agonic, more real in many ways. Dare I say, if it wasn’t 2024, I wouldn’t have felt it as much, either. There is an apropos nature to the blend of angst and feel that Mensuetude offers in spades. 

As a final note, I think that this album is definitely going to appear to the audiophile community in the same way that Trout Mask Replica might. There is nothing but chaotic stereophonic engineering from first to last. I highly suggest wearing good headphones while listening or using a good stereo setup with dynamic left-to-right clarity. My favorite track for this effect was Pimp. 

Congratulations to Buñuel. This album is not only an AOTY contender for me, but has opened me back up into the noise rock genre after Daughters broke my heart in a profound way (Just listen to Sinner Get Ready and you’ll know). I wasn’t really wanting to get deeper into this type of music again, until today. All I have to say at this point is, Holy Shit. 

(5 / 5)