Review by Felix on February 21, 2023.

Some days ago, “Beer Drinkers Survivors” celebrated its 9th birthday. Yet it sounds fresh and lively like it did on the day of its release. Acidez perform (as always) with an enormous dose of energy and it is almost an ironic twist of fate that exactly the opener does totally convince. “Waiting the End” is a good start, but I miss the fantastic mix of speed, intensity and catchiness that makes the guys from Mexico to such a great band. But let’s face the facts: when looking at the entire album, it does not matter that the opener and a small number of further tracks leave a little space for optimization. “Beer Drinkers Survivors” houses a solid number of high velocity pieces with a high addiction factor. The speedy, pretty sinister “Acido corrosivo”, the programmatic “S.P.N.D.”, the gloomily echoing “Creador destructor”, the hammering “Acid Thrash Terrorist” or the stubborn “Revolution Is My Destiny” demonstrate powerfully, how fantastic punk-thrashing, adrenalin-driven and unwavering songs can be. Acidez have a clear musical vision and they give their songs an easily identifiable form, but they never fall victim to their own formula. No song suffers from boring elements, everything is vital, impetuous and based on total conviction and devotion. Especially during the aforementioned highlights, it is definitely not easy to transform from a reviewer into a fanboy. But in view of my biblical age, I cannot call myself a boy anymore, come hell or high water.

The production equals the musical content: it is direct, straight in your face and without any useless frills. Guitar and bass, drums and vocals – what does it take more to express the power of punk (thrash)? Okay, maybe the very rare moments that feature additional sounds – the bell at the beginning of “One Day on Earth” wants to contribute a satanic touch. That’s cool and the song also shines with a great main riff, but Acidez find their best form whenever they embody the urban rebels who spit in the face of an ossified society. With this background, it is almost inadequate that the dudes pose with a limousine on the inner side of the gatefold album. Punks don’t need this kind of status icon – the monumental showpiece of Acidez is their music. It breathes the air of of house canyons, backyards and dreary youth centres and boasts with punkish credibility.

Some bands have a so-called signature song (“Highway to hell”) or a signature riff “Smoke on the Water”), but the Mexican quartet leaves its handwriting in more or less each and every song. Their compositional approach is not too far away form that of Germany’s OHL, who also realize their pure, sharp-edged vision of speed / thrash again and again. And so it is no surprise, that Tupa’s vocals may lack variation, but he sounds raw, honest, energetic and combative. This is what really counts. And no matter how simple the riffing is: the guitars shape a fanatic, homogeneous vinyl that even holds some melodic moments every now and then (“Y sigue la destruccion”). The cycle closes with the title track. Due to whatever reasons and just like the opener, it does not fully reach the class of a lot of songs that lie between them. Nevertheless, everyone who has just a small affinity for wild, impulsive and explosive, simple but not primitive music has to look out for this (or / and any other) vinyl from Acidez. Honestly, I always asked myself, why Donald T. did not realize the idiotic idea to build a wall between his strange country and Mexico. Now I know. The excellent music of this quartet would have blown it away.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10