The Chilean black metal/punk band Kalkü was formed back in 2018 and has been active in the underground for quite a few years now. Over time, the band has built up an impressive output, including three full-length albums and a small mountain of other releases. Their latest creation, “Hojas Podridas” (verrotte bladeren), is another burst of raw, venomous energy.
Originally, this EP was intended as a split release with the band PUS, but according to Kalkü’s Bandcamp page, that collaboration eventually fell through. The band even stated that the release would be removed from their discography altogether. However, that hasn’t happened yet — at least not on Metal Archives, our ever-reliable source of information that provides us with the right details 99 times out of 100. There, the split is still listed, alongside another recently released EP titled “Mortuoria.”
Musically, Kalkü once again delivers what we’ve come to expect from them: raw, filthy black metal infused with crust punk influences. The songs are short, fast, and ferocious, and that nasty, venomous sound actually works perfectly. Personally, I’m a sucker for raw production — in the underground we call it “Raw Black Metal” — while outsiders might dismiss it as “bad sound quality.” But for those of us who live and breathe black metal, this kind of abrasive noise is part of the art, part of the atmosphere.
With three furious tracks and a total running time of barely seven minutes, this is a very short release — though understandable, considering it was originally meant to be one half of a split.
Stylistically, there’s a solid mix here: the Un Susurro De Serpiente track leans more toward a traditional 1990s black metal sound, while the first and last tracks clearly embrace a more punk-oriented aggression. The result is a brief yet highly effective dose of chaos — raw, unfiltered, and full of life.
“Hojas Podridas” is a fun, fast, and furious little EP that unfortunately was released only as a private tape, limited to just 10 copies. So, getting a physical copy will be nearly impossible, but thankfully, it’s available digitally via Bandcamp. For fans of true raw black metal, this release is absolutely worth checking out.
84/100
Kalkü:
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram