When you open up for a new festival, you need a really good first act to get the party started; for us at Metalcamp 2011, that band was Brujeria, and who could compete with that?

Metalcamp was as hot as the drug-plantations of central and southern America from which the band hails (or so the rumour goes), and they began their angry escapade with the speech of Pete Wilson, of course followed by the band entering and playing Raza Odiada (Pito Wilson) at full blast!
Even though the heat was so intense I could literally see myself melting, I could do nothing prevent my head from banging and my throat from shouting along to the furious lyrics, and there were more people standing beside me who clearly felt the same. Not very many though, at least not to begin with, where the ground was pretty desolate, especially considering who were playing I thought. As the music began though, more and more came rushing to the front of the stage, and even though the place never got really crowded, there was a very nice amount of people rocking along after only a short while.

“We are looking for soldiers for the Brujeria army!”
- El Fantasma (vocals)

Well, audience big or small, the Mexican drug-lords weren’t about to let it affect their show in the least!
The band, consisting of El Podrido on drums, El Cynico on bass and El Hongo on guitar, was surely rocking the stage, but it was definitely the two vocalists, El Fantasma and Juan Brujo, who really kicked ass up there and gave nothing less than a stellar performance; from their fiery speeches (almost exclusively in Spanish) to their incredible dance routines (shown best in Anti-Castro) and skills at getting the audience to sing along (especially the Si/No part of Consejos Narcos) they were one hundred percent focused from the first minute to the last! Which was lucky, otherwise I would have been afraid Juan Brujo might have cut either himself, or at least the microphone wire while he was swinging his machete around.

As I mentioned, Brujeria didn’t exactly have the largest crowd in the history of the Metalcamp festival (especially not to start with), but those who were there were dedicated and ready to do their bit in creating a good feeling for the show; there was moshing almost directly, which only grew in time, and as I already mentioned people were only too happy to shout along to the band.
We in the crowd also got to try our hands, or feet really, at some dancing as the outro song Marijuana was half sung/half played as playback as first the musicians and then later the vocalists would say thanks, and leave the stage.
El Fantasma was soon after to be found at the entrance of the backstage area, shaking hands and getting photographed by fans…

I wrote the last time I saw these guys that they far surpassed my expectations (which weren’t small to begin with), and yet I find myself in a position now where I must say that this time was, incredible as it may sound, even better still! This was mainly due to the even greater joy of performing which could be seen in the two vocalists.
I can’t imagine how they will top this, but I sure do look forward to seeing them try.

Setlist:

Raza Odiada (Pito Wilson)
La Ley De Plomo
El Desmadre
Marcha De Ódio
Colas De Rata
Vayan Sin Miedo
Anti-Castro
Revolución
Hechando Chingasos (Greñudos Locos II)
La Migra (Cruza La Frontera II)
Consejos Narcos
Brujerizmo
Division Del Norte
Matando Güeros
Marijuana