Album of the Week 16-2024: Miserable – Al Abismo de la Libertad
Miserable has got to be one of the most productive metal bands in Peru. ‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ is their third album of original material in six years, and like its predecessors, it is a breath of fresh air within the thrash metal landscape. They can riff viciously whenever they want to, but they are not allergic to classic heavy metal melodies, and their dynamic songwriting accounts for some of the most engaging thrash metal album listening experiences in a long time. If anything, ‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ might be Miserable’s most dynamic album thus far.
Stylistically, ‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ is comparable to ‘Gran Náusea’ and ‘Esclavo Miserable’, in that it combines clearly Metallica-inspired riffs with a feel that alternates between traditional heavy metal and early death metal, sometimes within the same song. The songwriting on ‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ is just a bit more complex. On average, the songs are shorter than on the previous two albums, but the riff count is higher and there are more twists and turns packed into them. It’s not like Miserable went full progressive thrash metal here, but if a song starts a certain way, that does not mean it will stay like that.
‘Euforia’, for instance, starts out sounding like it will be a triplet-rhythm heavy metal song, only to turn into what is probably the most vicious thrasher on the album. It would fit right on one of Slayer’s latter-day albums, and probably would have been one of the better tracks on them. ‘Un Infierno Feliz’ features an off-kilter, almost horror-like section that sounds like it developed from a jam session between singer/bassist Adrián Del Aguila and drummer Diego Porturas, but also some powerful old-school thrash riffs. Epic closer ‘Yo Predico el Odio’ feels closest to the first two albums in how it lets its riffs unfold slowly.
Contemporary thrash metal albums tend to run out of steam halfway through due to being stuck in the same gear for too long. Miserable never had such an issue and this album is no different. ‘Voluntad de Poder’ squeezes all dynamic opportunities out of a handful of cool thrash riffs by toying with time feel, ‘Pasión Eterna’ combines triumphant guitar harmonies with intense riffing, while the more mid-tempo ‘Abraza la Muerte’ features a particularly spirited vocal performance by Del Aguila. Opener ‘Conquista’ was rightfully chosen as the album’s single, as it represents the overall sound of ‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ perfectly.
‘Al Abismo de la Libertad’ should serve as an example to thrash metal veterans and young bands alike. All Miserable seems to have done for this album is let the ideas flow, after which they compiled those into a highly dynamic and very listenable album. New guitarist Luis Sáenz locks with Jonathan Bustinza perfectly, and he appears to have brought in significant songwriting contributions as well. Miserable still wears its influences from the eighties on its sleeves, but manages to distill those into a sound that is uniquely and unmistakably their own even better this time around. Highly recommended.
Recommended tracks: ‘Euforia’, ‘Pasión Eterna’, ‘Voluntad de Poder’
Kevy Metal 
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