Tumbas – Dolor

Dolor (Pain in English) is the latest and final album from Bogotá, Columbia’s post-punk/deathrock quartet Tumbas. Released May 20th 2020 via Symphony of Destruction, a Brittany based label who donate the money from downloads to benefit “anarchist collective projects and oppressed people in need”.

The money collected from the digital downloads in 2020 ($93 in total) was given to the project “Tu Cambio $ Es El Cambio” to get non-perishable food, cleaning supplies and pet food for the most vulnerable families in these uncertain and difficult times in Colombia. In May 2021, Symphony of Destruction raised another €223 from selling its test presses in benefit and solidarity with Colombian people and protesters victims of police brutality.

Tumbas create a dark atmosphere from the opening title track, With shimmering guitars over an upbeat danceable rhythm. After a mid-point solemn lull in the energy, the band picks it right back up delivering a rousing finish. The darkness continues into second track “Lo Que Nos Une Nos Sepera” (What unites us separates us), if anything adding more spooky vibes into the mix that could draw comparisons to early gothic new wave bands like Bauhaus. The band continue to play with uncomfortable seasick melodies over their vital punk rock beats all while vocalist Luisa punctuates their atmospheric jams with reverb drenched protest lyrics.

“Destinado a perder” (Destined to lose) starts with a brooding bass line before introducing drums and melodies that feel kind of uncomfortable , with their awkward swaying rhythms, before the riff really kicks in, feeling all the more euphoric in its pay off. “No voy a sonreir” (I’m not going to smile) is more of a straight forward punk rock track, but with all of the sparkling texture and melancholic atmosphere that the band have created throughout, before closer “Harakiri” introduces harsher shouted vocals over smashing cymbals to bring the album to an explosive end.

It’s a shame that Tumbas have called it a day, because their voices are so vital at times like these and based on this album I would be really interested to see which direction their sound would have gone in the future. At the very least, we do have this album to enjoy and that’s no bad thing.