Under general circumstances, I wouldn’t call good albums being re-pressed news. If I did, this site wouldn’t have room for anything else. But as Heavy Psych Sounds brings the first two Los Natas albums, 1996’s Delmar (discussed here) and 1999’s Ciudad de Brahman (discussed here), back for a new pressing, the only insight I really have to provide is they shouldn’t ever be out of print in the first place.

Mind you, I don’t think they were. The point is Delmar and Ciudad de Brahman are two of the most essential desert rock records since the inception of the genre, and in 1996, the Argentinian trio were pretty much there at said inception. Delmar is the single album I use as an example of tonal warmth. It shoves like classic motorcycle engines and dares to be both loving and sweet at the same time; it is nothing less than a model of non-toxic masculinity wrapped in gorgeous and nearly-30-years-later-it-sure-seems-timeless fuzz.

Ciudad de Brahman, as the follow-up to this landmark debut, stands among the finest South American heavy rock albums ever made. Los Natas — then called Natas — were more directed, and they had clearly learned lessons from the first album. The songs were able to range further into desert psych, but the crunch that would take hold in their riffing and become characteristic as they continued forward was already there in the Man’s Ruin-released sophomore strut. I’ve gone on record on more than one occasion saying that, desert-island scenario, I’ll take Los Natas over Kyuss every time. These records are a huge factor in that.

I’m not here to sell you vinyl, and frankly, Heavy Psych Sounds does just fine in the promo department without my run-on-sentence-producing, so-much-needless-hyphenation ass muddying the waters of narrative. As of this writing, I don’t even know the details of these new pressings — the color of the vinyl, etc. — but I do know that no self-respecting desert rock house can call itself a home without these two providing comfort in the winter. Whether you’re in for “Trilogia” and “Alberto Migre” or “Carl Sagan” and “Tufi Meme,” as long as this is where you end up, there’s no wrong way to go except not going.

And right now I’m especially talking to younger listeners. Folks in your 20s, early 30s, if you’re out there and you don’t know these through simple generational crack-slipping, please know that you’ll be welcomed by the songs and you’re not late, you’re right on time for you. For older heads, who already know them and have lived with the material, I likely don’t have to say a word. Just know that my own revisit to them this week has been satisfying enough that I’ve now just spent 500 words gushing in a news post about what boils down to a record label filling out an order form and getting the mail. No regrets, if you’re wondering.

My genuine hope is that by the time I publish this, I have both received pressing information for the latest editions of Delmar and Ciudad de Brahman and remembered to cut and paste that in blue below. I have to acknowledge, the double-caveat there make it seems like a toughy. But even if this goes live with just some art, a curiously-placed “pl,” links and audio, the point is the music. In light of that, thanks all the more for reading.

Enjoy:

Heavy Psych Sounds Records&Booking is really proud to start the presale of 2 NEW REPRESSES

HPS373 *** LOS NATAS – Delmar ***
– REPRESS of the Los Natas legendary debut album in brand new coloured versions –

WORLD PRESALE:
https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop.htm#HPS373
USA SHOP:
https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop-usa.htm#HPS373

We are stoked to announce that Heavy Psych Sounds Records will repress the entire catalogue of the South American stoner legends LOS NATAS !!

Today we start the presale of the band’s legendary debut album DELMAR repressed in brand new coloured vinyls !!

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 31st

RELEASED IN
15 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL
100 ULTRA LTD SIDE A – SIDE B YELLOW/RED/BLACK SPLATTER VINYL
250 LTD ORANGE SOLID VINYL
BLACK VINYL
DIGIPAK

TRACKLIST
SIDE A
Samurai – 5:04
1980 – 2:38
Trilogia – 5:41
I Love You – 5:28
Soma – 6:44
SIDE B
Mux Cortoi – 2:55
Delmar – 4:04
Windblows – 4:55
El Negro – 5:36
Alberto Migre – 6:16

ALBUM DESCRIPTION

REISSUE of the legendary debut album in brand new coloured vinyls.

Delmar is the debut album of Argentine stoner rock band, Los Natas, released in 1998 under the legendary Man’s Ruin Records. This material was first released in 1996, on cassette, an independent edition the band put out containing eight tracks.

It’s a highly regarded stoner rock album, a masterpiece within the genre. It’s praised for its heavy riffs, beautiful melodies, and overall atmosphere. Fans appreciate its calming, meditative qualities, making it a great choice for relaxation and reflection.

HPS374 *** LOS NATAS – Ciudad De Brahman ***
– REPRESS of the Los Natas legendary sophomore album in brand new coloured versions –

Ciudad de Brahman
WORLD PRESALE:
https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop.htm#HPS374
USA SHOP:
https://www.heavypsychsounds.com/shop-usa.htm#HPS374

Today we also start the presale of the LOS NATAS sophomore album CIUDAD DE BRAHMAN repressed in brand new coloured vinyls !!

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 31st

RELEASED IN
15 ULTRA LTD TEST PRESS VINYL
100 ULTRA LTD YELLOW TRANSP. BACK. SPLATTER IN BLUE-RED VINYL
250 CYAN BLUE VINYL
BLACK VINYL
DIGIPAK

TRACKLIST

SIDE A
Carl Sagan – 3:42
Meteoro 2028 – 4:32
Tufi Meme – 5:56
La Ciudad De Brahman – 4:54
Siluettle – 2:14
Brisa Del Desierto – 2:09
Paradise – 4:12
SIDE B
Alohawaii – 4:18
Adolescentes – 4:25
999 – 1:58
Resplandor – 3:01
Rutation – 3:06
Polvareda – 3:44
Nadha – 3:03

ALBUM DESCRIPTION

REISSUE of the band’s sophomore album in brand new coloured vinyls.

“Ciudad de Brahman” is the second album by Argentinian stoner rock band Los Natas, released in 1999. It’s considered a landmark album in their discography and a key release in the South American stoner rock scene. The album is praised for its blend of stoner rock with psychedelic, progressive, and space rock elements. Reviews often highlight the album’s instrumental passages, trippy atmosphere, and the band’s unique sound.

LOS NATAS was
SERGIO CHOTSOURIAN (guitar & vocals)
WALTER BROIDE (drums)
GONZALO VILLAGRA (bass)
and
JOSE “EL TOPO” ARMETTA (vocals)
CLAUDIO FILADORO (bass)
MIGUEL FERNANDEZ (bass)

https://los-natas.flashcookie.com/
https://sasrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/losnatas_official/
https://www.facebook.com/LOSNATAS/

https://www.heavypsychsounds.com
https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/heavypsychsounds_records/
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/

Natas, Delmar (1996)

Natas, Ciudad de Brahman (1999)

Natas, Ciudad de Brahman (1999)

I’ve made no attempt to hide my fandom for Los Natas over the years. Their 1996 debut, Delmar, has closed weeks on two separate occasions (see here and here), and stands among my personal favorite records, period. House burning, only time to save the Kyuss or the Natas, I pick the latter every time, and not just because I can re-buy the Kyuss records either. I was fortunate enough to see them live at Roadburn 2010, as much as one could see anything with the room so dark, and between chasing down their rare-cuts offerings like Rutation (review here) and putting their last album, 2009’s Nuevo Orden de la Libertad (review here), among the top of that year’s best — a trend that has continued as guitarist/vocalist Sergio Chotsourian has gone on to release three albums with his new band, Ararat, in the years since — the nerding-out has really only continued. As I check the mail to look for a Sergio Ch. solo record to review, I doubt it will abate anytime soon.

So when I tell you that 1999’s Ciudad de Brahman is a special album, understand I’m speaking as a fan of the band’s work front to back. Progressed from the laid back desert sands of Delmar to something harder-edged but still offering plenty of serenity, the 14-track offering would set up the rawer heavy style that began to show itself from their third record, 2002’s Corsario Negro, through the subsequent 2006 outing El Hombre Montaña and of course on El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad as well, the quiet, jammy explorations having found an outlet in the interim in other releases like Toba Trance I and II and München Sessions, all of which were issued between 2003 and 2005.

Like its predecessor, Ciudad de Brahman was put out in North America by Man’s Ruin Records, and between its instrumental stretches, songs like “Brisa del Desierto,” “Meteoro 2028,” the stomping “Alohawaii” and its eight-minute instrumental/longest track opener “Carl Sagan,” Natas‘ second (also their final before adding the Los) full-length is a rich summary of the varied sound they’d come to hone over their years together, Chotsourian and drummer Walter Broide working with a couple different bassists, including Miguel Fernandez here and Gonzalo “Crudo” Villagra in the band’s final (to-date) incarnation. As always, I hope you enjoy.

—

Took a full day off yesterday, which is something I don’t ordinarily allow myself to do, but there was a lot of travel involved. In the morning, The Patient Mrs., the little dog Dio and I rolled down from Massachusetts to Connecticut to do her family’s Thanksgiving dinner, and last night, from there, down to New Jersey, where we’ll essentially repeat the process today. Back north tomorrow.

It would be fine, but I’m having a flareup in my right ankle — you might recall I fell early this year, but that’s more a symptom than the root cause — that is remarkably painful and has kind of played havoc on the idea of walking, which, you know, one might do on a family holiday occasion, even if it’s just to the kitchen and back. Yesterday was an adventure, I expect today will be likewise. Every day is in one way or another.

I guess that’s my way of noting why I’m closing out the week early today, because basically I’m on my way out the door and over to see my family, with perhaps a quick stop off for a coffee and an ace bandage along the way. Monday, check back for Chron Goblin‘s new video, which I’m sure you’ve already seen but is fun nonetheless, and a full-album stream from We Lost the Sea. Tuesday, the Readers Poll goes up, so I guess it’s the kickoff for list season. Might try to do year’s-best-art in the next week or so. Still have a bunch of reviews waiting as well for Bevar Sea, Kind, Bedroom Rehab Corporation, and so on. I’ll do my best to squeeze in as much as I can when I can.

Thanks for reading, have a great and safe weekend, and please check out the forum and radio stream.

The Obelisk Forum

The Obelisk Radio