Review by Greg on December 2, 2025.

Here I am, back on the Chilean soil in the company of a new killer thrash band, well aware that the country's a well seemingly impossible to run dry but hey, who am I to complain? These gentlemen have actually been around since the turn of the millennium, and, despite the rather literary moniker, there isn't much highbrow about Acrostic – I mean, we're talking about a bastard offspring of crossover thrash, crust, and hardcore they themselves label as 'noisethrash'.

Somewhat accordingly, their latest effort Cosmo(A)gonía starts with an absolute blast, after the nice buildup of the relatively long (longer than most tracks, in fact) intro 'Descenso En Fractal'. 'Encarnación' is stuff to break your volume knob to: foot slammed on the throttle pedal, energy oozing from every pore, and let the riff do the talking. Hell yes, the best kind of opening to get listeners pumped, since it also lays the blueprint for the whole LP. In a way, the inclusion of a V8 cover ('Destrucción', off their local legendary debut Luchando Por El Metal) makes sense, as a proto-speed metal cut from the days of yore amongst some equally stripped-down episodes, although there's certainly a more melodic component, as well as a bigger employment of the lead guitars, including the almost 'Hit the Lights'-like solo in the middle. 'Exaltación Solar (Ekpyrosis)' is another highlight, with its slightly more melodic refrain and solo.

On the other hand, most of the record's middle chunk is a barrage of shorter and shorter tracks – some ending even before you've had the time to recite the title of 'Complejo Industrial Militar Y Cuarta Revolución Tecnológica' – and they have no intention whatsoever to slow things up, driven by Pablito's obliterating drumming, and topped with a myriad of screams courtesy of the other two members, Pelao and Janito. It's only logical that one would find a more tangible punk influence, like on 'Las Altas Esferas Del Poder', firmly in The Exploited territory, or 'Panzerkunst' echoing 'Ausgebombt', that is, nobody's favourite song off Agent Orange. I later learned that 'La Fila Hambrienta Y Gris' and 'Edificios' date back to 2007(!), but they blend so well with the rest of the tracklist it's hard to notice. If anything, it shows that Acrostic have remained 100% faithful to their roots, while also having come a long way in terms of personal improvements. However, it also shows why I'm always somewhat reluctant to call myself a crossover fan through and through, despite having listened to a lot of it – I still can't shake off the feeling that some songs are just too brief, and they come to a halt without feeling like they said everything they wanted to. It's explosive stuff nonetheless, so feel free to ignore my ramblings if you're into the genre.

Basically, what ensures that Cosmo(A)gonía is a full-length release, instead of an EP, is the closer 'La Era Dorada': amassing 11 minutes and a half, here is where Acrostic more or less pull a reverse 2112 on us. Now, normally this kind of songs end up overshadowing the remaining tracks but, if anything, putting it at the end escapes the typical 'load blown too early' effect. It's also instrumental, if you felt that wasn't enough. It has a distinct Aztec character, based upon relaxing bass lines and featuring wind instruments with a certain adventurous flavor, all of which makes me see it as something that Ukrainian prog weirdos Cosmic Jaguar might have written. Regardless, it's a long track, no two ways about it. Especially considering that the only substantial shift happens only at 7:40, with the entrance of electric guitars leading to a heavier coda. It's not the kind of track that progresses, so to speak, as much as it's something to immerse oneself in. It's an unpredictable conclusion, for sure.

But yeah, for the rest, Cosmo(A)gonía goes down as quick as a tequila shot, and packs as much of a punch. I guess you won't always be in the mood to hear 'La era dorada' in its entirety, but the journey leading up to it is hella fun. Here's hoping the guys' next instalment won't take another decade.

Rating: 8 out of 10