Review of Los Sin Nombre - Self Titled Demo

I hate to be a jackass, but I was more than a little confused when I signed up to review this demo. First off, finding any information on these guys was a bitch and a half. Secondly, the name of the band is a little misleading. I thought these guys were from the Americas, but apparently they’re a bunch of pale bastards from Norway. Go figure. And finally, their website lists the band members' names in the bio section, but doesn’t give us a clue as to who plays what instrument. So my first critique in this review, however unfair, is that this band needs to get its act together in terms of packaging and marketing itself before it commits itself to third party inspection. Call me a traditionalist, but I like it when I am familiar with a band and its members before I begin to review its material. Knowledge about the band now out of question, the music itself must be dealt with. From the group’s website, I am made aware that in its earliest stages this five-piece was an Entombed cover band. That fact now committed to memory, I was looking forward to reviewing this disc. How naïve must a poor writer be? These guys sound very little like Entombed. If I had to make a comparison, I’d argue that Los Sin Nombre (Those Without a Name) would fit snugly in the American metalcore scene. Ah, one of those you’re thinking…well, you’re thinking right. This band really is one of those; one of those being a generic but serviceable source for mild headbanging and a few interesting melodic riffs. It’s not that these guys don’t know how to play. It’s that they know how to play like everybody else, and it makes for a much less interesting listen. I get the feeling that these guys are playing more for their own enjoyment than the enjoyment of an audience outside of themselves and a circle of friends that gathers around the garage every Friday night to share a few beers. Don’t slag me as a metalcore hater and write off this review as the drivel of an embittered reviewer. I fell in love with Lamb of God’s Ashes of the Wake and haven’t stopped humping the damn thing a year after its release. Lamb of God is dynamic metalcore. It has an edge, a bite that separates it from generic shouting over workmanlike breakdowns. The guys of Lamb of God play with an air of self-importance that shows in its epic riffs, thematic lyrics, and varying song structures. In other words, songs don’t just meld right into each other, one after the other. About a quarter into this demo’s second track, “Chain Reaction,” I hear this stunningly groovy riff that falls apart in the matter of a few seconds to return to this melodic death garbage we’ve all heard recycled a million times over. Interesting? Not. The opening of “Leave this Soul,” the third track of five on the demo, is another moment of salvation. There’s a rhythm and inflection in the group’s vocalist that matches perfectly with the pummeling riffs, but after a while one begins to notice that the guy just sounds like he’s shouting. For whatever reason, groups always seem to save their most dynamic track for last, and Los Sin Nombre are no exception. “War” is almost a saving grace, but the adage “too little, too late” is all too fitting here. There’s some close picking in the riffs throughout this track, which makes for a more interesting listen than the rest of the album, and the vocalist seems to sing, or shout, with a bit more passion and immediacy. If only the group could have displayed this same sense of immediacy a bit earlier in the album. I would recommend against paying money for this demo, but because it’s available for free on the group’s website, I can’t. Metalcore diehards should check out the Los Sin Nombre website, as every single one of the five tracks included on the demo are available there, and although they rarely sound inspired, you might be able to pick something out to your liking. Good luck.

Release Details

Los Sin Nombre

Self Titled Demo

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