The Summary Judgment Reviews:
Title: Union
Artist: Puya
Label: UNI/MCA
Release Date: 6/12/01

Rating: 5 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Redwolff (5/31/01):
    If Sepultura's aim was to make you shake your booty, they would sound like Puya. The official website explains that the members of Puya grew up in Puerto Rico with only two radio stations available to them: one that played metal and hardcore and one that played all Latino dance music. This explains the schizophrenic fusion of headbanging metal and mariachi that is Union-- truly a union of different types of music. And Puya does justice to both sides of its personality, creating a surprisingly interesting, if somewhat disconcerting sound. Just when you think a shredding guitar solo is about to begin, Puya launches into a funky salsa beat, and vice versa.

    I had heard about Puya prior to receiving this review disc, but had never actually listened to them. The first time I put the CD in my stereo I immediately liked it, and it's been living there ever since, I just keep playing it over and over. Union is definitely going to be on my list of top ten albums of 2001. The band's use of different types of percussion instruments, screamed vocals, harmonic choruses, rap, funk, salsa, powerful bass chords and classic guitar solos in rapid succession is a challenge to the ears. Songs like "Ride" and "No Interference" lean more toward hard rock or metal, while "Numbed" and "Bridge" display more of the band's Latino heritage. "A Matter of Time" is fast-paced, straight-up pop music. This is, above all, a really fun album to listen to and I honestly cannot find a bad song on it. Union's 14 tracks will not kick your head in, but they will definitely tickle your ears.
    5 out of 5

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