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In art, therefore in music too, there have always been works which approached the genre they belong to in a fresh, extraordinary way. The individuals who created those pieces of art, staying true to what they believed, full of innovative ideas and inexhaustible energy, were far ahead of their time. In this vein, the work, the music in particular, of one band is what I want to talk about here.

This band was left in obscurity and was marginalized because either the world and the music industry were not ready to accept a new musical reality or perhaps there was not enough promotion. Maybe even the artists themselves had a different worldview at that time. I honestly do not know; the theories are many.

Parabellum from Medellín, Colombia were very good at what they did back in the 80s and rightfully gained worldwide recognition, especially in the underground scene. Before Mayhem released the notorious ‘Deathcrush‘ back in 1987, Parabellum came first with the release of their demo ‘Rehearsal‘ in the year 1984(!).

Their music was supreme in a twisted way. This is innovative, extreme work, possessing rabid vocals combined with perverted guitar rhythms wavering between death, thrash and speed metal. Raw and hard, way more than its contemporary music, with a dark background, this is a lost gem from the depths of Latin America. Raw underground black metal, fast and beautiful: these are the words that define their music which makes them stand out simply because they have their very own sound and can easily be compared to bands like Sepultura, Sarcófago etc. Their later work, EPs ‘Sacrilegio‘ in 1987 and ‘Mutacion Por Radiacion‘ in 1988, went down the same road but with a clearer sound.

Sadly, the band stopped in 1988 leaving us wondering what these pioneers from Medellin, Colombia could have achieved. We will never know and, in my opinion, they are a missing link in the black metal music scene. What Parabellum started stopped way too abruptly. For the fans of the extreme scene who don’t know them, I suggest that you devote some time to listen to their work. Believe me, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Michael Natsis

Discography

Rehearsal Demo 1984
Sacrilegio EP 1987
Mutacion Por Radiacion EP 1988
Tempus Mortis Compilation 2005

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