What is there that can be said about Bogota, Colombia's MURO that can even remotely rationalize the true force of nature that they are both in the recorded setting and as a live entity? The initiated know the deal but for those that don't... welcome! Originally released by the outstanding Nordic based Byllepest Distro label in 2017, the "ATAQUE HARDCORE PUNK" 12" was repressed for the band's explosive appearance at NOT DEAD YET 2018 and the Canadian tour that followed shortly thereafter. Channeling the ferocity of other regional greats while contributing a take on the genre that is undeniably all their own, Beach Impediment Records is honored to aid in the North American advancement of this modern day South American hardcore punk classic. Each record comes in a DIY style paper sleeve containing two massive poster inserts, all of which was screen printed and assembled by the members of MURO at their Casa Rat Trap Collective in Bogota. Keep an ear to the ground as there will be more to come from this outstanding group in 2019. Limited to 500 copies. Our take: Debut LP from this hardcore punk band from Bogota, Colombia. This LP came out as a hard-to-get Norwegian pressing in 2017, but Beach Impediment have done a 500-copy run so we North Americans can get our hands on it more easily. It’s rare to see a hardcore punk record get any kind of repress these days, so you can imagine Ataque Hardcore Punk must be special. And it is! Muro brings together a bunch of different threads of hardcore punk in a way that sounds natural, fresh, and exciting. I hear elements of UK82 (particularly faster stuff like Ultra Violent), d-beat, and primal pogo-hardcore like Blazing Eye and S.H.I.T., all with a dash of Una Bestia Incontrolable’s progressive experimentation. However, despite reminding me of all of these things, Ataque Hardcore Punk also sounds like a classic hardcore punk record. Muro combines these elements organically, like they’re just a shit-hot hardcore punk band doing what feels natural rather than a bunch of record nerds or punk historians showing off their influences. The recording is raw, the songs are brimming with memorable moments, and the record’s packaging is also spot-on. The jacket is not only screen printed, but hand-assembled on paper that reminds me of old European or South American LPs. There are not one but two huge posters, and everything is packed with illustrations that are super punk yet avoid cliches. I often feel like I have to choose between purist and progressive strands of hardcore, but Muro lets me have my cake and eat it too.
