Caifanes Review

Caifanes was a Goth rock/Post-Punk/Progressive rock band that formed in Mexico City, Mexico in 1985. It consisted of members:

• Saul Hernandez (Vocals)
• Alfonso Andre (Drums)
• Diego Herrera (KeyBoard)
• Alejandro Macrovich (Lead Guitar)
• Sabo Ramo (Bass)

Famously known for revolutionizing music in Mexico and paving the way for other Mexican rock bands. At the time there were no other bands like them, as playing rock music was looked down upon in Mexican culture norms and studios did not want to sign bands up for that very reason. Following the major success of their debut album they would go on to release 3 more albums before disbanding in 1995.

Like my Foo Fighters review instead of doing a review of an album I listened to for the first time. I thought it would be neat to go back and do a review of one of my favorite albums of all time.
My Dad was the reason I got into them in the first place. I remember he would put on some songs by them and I would love them when I was a little kid. Which would later on influence my love for rock music as a whole, so as you can see they're very personal to me. That being said I'll try to be as unbiased as I possibly can.

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Songs
Mátame porque me Muero (Kill me cause I'm Dying)
The starting point of the album. This does a great job at showing you what tone to expect from this album. That tone being melancholy yet beautiful at the same time. Saul Hernandez's vocals shine on here and towards the end of the song they incorporate string instruments which sounds awesome. Lyrically it's a love song but it has it's dark twists by Saul singing about being buried alive but requests a picture of his love one to be buried with him so to not feel so lonely.

Te Estoy Mirando (I'm looking at You)
This next track is more upbeat then the previous. The bass on here is great. The band also incorporates a
Xylophone into the song which doesn't sound too out of place. Actually it goes well with the piano that's also introduced later on. The drums really POP on here as well.

La Negra Tomasa (Black Woman Tomasa)
A Cover song of the 1937 original by Guillermo Rodriguez Fiffe. This is an outstanding cover, one of the very few instances where the cover is more popular then the original. Sabo Ramo's bass carries the entire song, it's simple but catchy. The drums are also great, elements that are vital to that signature latin sound. The song in it's entirety is around almost 8 minutes long. Though it seems to end around 3 mins and 26 seconds. Everything after that sounds like it was added last minute and is nothing but instrumental, they do try to do things to make it interesting but I'm not gonna lie to you and say it's not boring. To it's credit it does end with it making you feel haunted.

Cuéntame Tu Vida (Tell me your Life Story)
Next one up, this is one of my favorites of the album. All throughout it's very somber and depressing like a person losing hope. The lyrics compliment the mood as well. Up until near the end it starts getting uplifting and ends with Saul's beautiful vocals giving one last yell. The guitar, bass, and keyboard really shine on here

Será por Eso (Could that be why)
Será por eso takes it down a notch and is pretty mellow and slow. It has these beautiful high pitch notes from the keyboard that compliments the electric guitar's reverb sound nicely. This track also utilizes a saxophone near the end of the song that sounds awesome.

Viento (Wind)
My favorite track off the album, I liked it so much I played it in front of my guitar class in middle school. Which I can't help but cringe really hard at the thought because I butchered it. Needless to say this track is kickass. The guitar riff that's played is very catchy and the guitar pedal effect being used gives it a cosmical tone to it, the keyboard only adds to it. The drumming on here also sounds very nice and simple.

Nunca Me Voy a Transformar En Ti (I'm never going to turn into you)
The most upbeat song on the album. This track sees the return of the xylophone. The drums really shine on here, there's even a drum solo added in as well. Bongo drums are also introduced on this track near the end of the song, it mixes well with the other instruments and doesn't feel out of place.

Perdí Mi Ojo de Venado (I Lost my Deer eye)
Weird name right? Well a deer eye in Mexico is a charm that magically is supposed to protect one from transmitted sickness. Which tie in with the lyrics as Saul sings about how he's experiencing bizarre symptoms after losing the charm. This track is fast paced and Alfonso's drumming is superb on here as well. Sabo Ramo's bass is also phenomenal and goes well with the keyboard, another favorite of mine.

Amanece (Dawn)
The fastest song here, there's a lot to like about this one. This song kinda feels like a race against time. The electric guitars are awesome on here. The drums are fucking great on here especially when it ties in perfectly with the bass. The keyboard's effects that are sprinkled throughout the song sound beautiful.

La Bestia Humana (The Human Beast)
This track is very funky. The start to this song is an assault coming from the drums and keyboard working together. Once again Alfonso's drums are constantly delivering punches throughout the song. The electric guitar is also periodically used to heighten the tone. The bass once again is slapping hard on here. I also love how the song's ending sounds like machine gun blows.

Nada (Nothing)
The last song off the album, this track slows it down. The keyboard let's itself be known at the start, this last song really is Diego's time to shine. They also use a variety of drums on top of the traditional drum set. The bass is periodically used throughout to keep things interesting. Near the end all of the instruments come out for one final performance. Which flows well with Saul's beautiful vocals. All in all a wonderful track to end on.

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Final Thoughts
In Conclusion this was a phenomenal start off point for Caifanes and set the bar high for those who would follow in the Rock en Español movement. Their debut album is the only album where they have that Post-Punk aesthetic. Following their other 3 albums they would develop their own style and stray away from the goth rock scene. Listening to this album makes me feel like I'm in a pitch black room by myself. I will also eternally be grateful to my dad for introducing me to them. I'm also extremely happy to be sharing a little bit of my culture with you guys and hopefully you guys can enjoy it to. So if you're a fan of bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Joy Division, or just enjoy Post-Punk, Goth rock, Latino music in general. I definitely would recommend giving this a try, It's totally worth it.

If I had to rate it out of 10: 10/10

Favorite Songs

• Mátame Porque Me Muero (Kill me cause I'm dying)
• La Negra Tomasa (Black Woman Tomasa)
• Cuéntame Tu Vida (Tell me your Life Story)
• Será por Eso (Could that be why)
• Viento (Wind)
• Nunca Me Voy a Transformar En Ti (I'm never going to turn into you)
• Perdí Mi Ojo de Venado (I Lost my Deer Eye)
• Amanece (Dawn)
• La Bestia Humana (The Human Beast)
• Nada (Nothing)

For those interested in checking it out here's a preview song: