Maruja

Maruja, not to be confused with the chocolate bar, just dropped their debut album Pain to Power: ten years of hatred and contempt for the warmongering rich, finally poured onto a record. They've just kicked off their European tour with a show at the very small Paradiso Tolhuistuin Club, so of course I had to be there.

With the Palestinian flag hanging proudly, the band opened the mosh pit from the very first song. There wasn't a single second, until "Born to Die," that the infuriated, crazed crowd didn't mosh and mash into one another. The saxophonist was the main antagonist for anyone trying to watch without breaking every bone in their body, making sudden movements with his saxophone that came close to jabbing the spectators at the front.

The highlight for me remains "Look Down On Us," nine minutes of Maruja at their best and most honest. It's an emotional rollercoaster of hope and hatred, and the band fully makes use of that live. With the frontman and saxophonist looking like cult leaders, opening the pit with hand gestures the crowd obediently followed, though at moments it tipped just slightly into self-importance.

"Born to Die" is the one song I just can't get behind. It's the opposite of what makes Maruja so strong: drawn-out, slow-paced, and boring to listen to on the album. Live, it's the same but worse. The song sounded like it would never end, and it's the reason I sold my second ticket for later this year.

That said, I love what Maruja have started here, and I'll definitely come back for another live show when new music drops. It's a big recommend for anyone who either wants to eat the rich or just wants to mosh their feelings away.