A Great “New Beat”
In 2007, hard rock band the Bronx announced that they would be releasing a mariachi record El Bronx alongside their standard punk record, The Bronx. After the success of their first mariachi record, they decided to keep the trend going by releasing Mariachi El Bronx in 2011, confirming that their shift in sound was no novelty, but something they planned on expanding upon. And expand upon it they have, with their newest release Mariachi El Bronx (III) which they’ve released under the artist name Mariachi El Bronx. This change in style is no joke, and no fleeting fad, these guys have really nailed the mariachi and hard rock blend.
Mariachi El Bronx (III) starts on a very high note with its first few songs. Early tracks like “Wildfires” highlights the band’s ability to seamlessly combine their alternative rock roots and their newly adapted mariachi influence. There is a somewhat prevalent assumption among hard rock fans that strings and horns can make rock music turn soft, but Mariachi El Bronx show us that alternative rock instrumentation can really add to the intensity of a song, not take away from it. Their use of mariachi instruments and style elevates songs like “Raise the Dead” to levels of excitement that the classic Bronx sound may not have reached otherwise. Mariachi El Bronx (III) ends on a gorgeous, bittersweet note with the song “Valya”, that ties together neatly the highs and lows of the energy on this album.
Not every band can take such a drastic leap in sound and be successful with it. Mariachi El Bronx (III) is by no means a hardcore record, and they may lose a couple fans over their transition to a mariachi punk band, but those aren’t fans worth having to begin with. Mariachi El Bronx has beaten all the odds with this record, and made a transition that is worth paying attention to. If you’ve ever wondered in mariachi and rock music go together well, the Bronx has a definitive answer for you – hell yes!
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