‘Insects’, Breed 77’s 4th album, contrasts refreshingly with the previous output from the flamenco-metal quintet. This may sound obvious, but the watchword for ‘Insects’ is ‘metal’. This time it’s up to 11. Breed have always been a metal beast but on this album their usual flirtations with groove metal, nu-metal, grunge and balladry are swept away by a tide of 80’s thrash riffage and blistering NWBHM guitar virtuosity.

This is also their first album with Mexican drummer Oscar behind the kit, and he sets a furious pace and ups the ante as far as rhythmic complexity is concerned. Paul’s vocals also take on a rougher edge than usual throughout the album, typically taking the form of rapid-fire, thrash-y growls, with his trademark wail used judiciously for maximum effect. The Mediterranean flourishes that have long been their trademark are ever-present, but rather than being given centre stage they are subtly woven throughout, adding spice and flavour to the meaty metal core. While we’re on the subject of overwrought metaphors, Insects also has the distinction of being conceptually more unified than any other Breed 77 release to date, though to call it a full-blown ‘concept album’ would be rather stretching it, as the songs are largely tied together thematically, rather than as a narrative. Lyrics are anti-authoritarian, with the impressions of a call for action against oppression. In the majority of the songs this is handled quite well, especially when it focuses on opposition to war or is combined with sinister imagery such as in ‘Forever’, ‘New Disease’ or the titular ‘Insects’. At times, however, the lyrics can be rather cheesy with lapses into generic ‘rebellious’ posturing against vague clichés. There are also songs with a more introspective direction, as is the case with ‘Who I am’ and ‘One More Time’. Nevertheless the driving concept combines with the music to make an album darker in feel than previous Breed releases.

First single ‘Wake Up’ is an effective opener, setting up the sense of urgency and fury that drive the album, gathering momentum up to a violent crescendo. In my opinion, however, it is the following track, ‘The Battle of Hatin’ that is the crowning jewel of the album. Named after the historical defeat of the crusaders by Saladin in twelfth century, the epic song features galloping guitar, a soaring chorus and blistering solos as well as a clear lyrical focus, bringing together many of the bands best elements. Solos abound and Felice and Caparros are not shy about showcasing their musicianship all over the album, but nowhere better than in the haunting, proggy instrumental ‘In the Temple of Ram: Rise of the Bugs’. The whole record stands up well to repeat listenings and an attempt to single out any tracks as filler would be difficult indeed. This is a testament to the great musical talent and songcraft involved, as none of the songs are short but they remain engaging enough throughout to keep one’s finger away from the ‘skip’ button. ‘Guerra del Sol’ is a fantastic closer to the album, bringing the supercharged assault of the previous songs to an anthemic crescendo before dissipating the energy in a fade out chorus. However, it doesn’t quite end there. Bonus tracks on the disc include the album release of the Cranberries’ classic and Breed 77 live staple ‘Zombie’ and a Spanish language version of the title track. The cover is a worthy effort, sacrificing some of the subtlety and poignancy of the original for rocked-up energy and aggression. Despite its theme it sounds somewhat out of place when taken with the songs in ‘Insects’, but it is nice to have an album version after rocking out to it at live shows for so long. Whether you think (as I do) that ‘Insects’ is Breed 77’s best album will depend on how you feel about the shift in musical style, but there is no denying that this album is their heaviest and most ambitious work to date.