Estrume'n'tal - Surfme'n'tal
by Marco Aurélio - Longboard Magazine

"The Minas Gerais-based band Estrume'n'tal is the great national sensation at the moment. Estrume'n'tal has been active since 1997 but its members have played together since 1987, and their debut CD promises to kick ass.
First because the quality of the sound is first class, and also because it's been released by Golly Gee Records, an important label with worldwide distribution. Surfme'n'tal has good songs and powerful and poison-filled guitar riffs, being known by foreigners as Metal Surf Punk.
It is a total of 14 heavy and exciting tracks. Attention to ET de Varginha, Torpeido and Pouso Alegre. Totally recommended for surf music lovers."



Estrume'n'tal - Classic Surf & instrumental in Belo Horizonte
by Fernando Rosa (Senhor F - The Rock Magaazine, Brasilia, 2004)

"Minas Gerais state has no beaches, but it has one of the best surf music and instrumental rock bands in the country and even the world. We're talking about Estrume'n'tal, who has just released "Surfme'n'tal" by the American label Golly Gee Records. The label specializes in alternative rockabilly, surf music and rock and roll bands. Estrume'n'tal is the first international release by Golly Gee.

"Surfme'n'tal" is a work with international quality, standing out among the releases of this genre, especially the American and European ones. With a classic sound, poisoned by the punk urgency, the four-piece produced an excellent album.
The guitar work, especially, is among the best nowadays.
Beside the instrumental quality, the album brings songs that give identity and personality to the band. Attention to originals like 'Pouso Alegre', 'Torpedo' and 'Bolero', beside the perfect cover for 'A Casa do Sol Nascente' (The House of Rising Sun). The CD also brings the video for the song 'ET de Varginha', which opens the record. Influenced by The Ventures, Ramones, Dick Dale, Stooges, Man or Astro-Man? and Brazilian instrumental rock bands, the four guys have an experience of kilometers on the road of the national alternative universe.
The band opened for the American group Man or Astro-Man on their Brazilian tour and got second place in the category "Best Instrumental Rock Album" of the 2002 Dynamite Awards. Drummer Claudão is also responsible for the nightclub A Obra, a bar, showplace and trench of the rock resistance in Belo Horizonte, which annually promotes the famous surf music and instrumental rock championships.
For those who like this genre, "Surfme'n'tal" is guaranteed fun, and deserves to be in the lists of the best current releases of surf music and instrumental rock."





JunkMail webmagazine / Zine Core - João Pessoa, PB "Surfme'n'tal" - Estrume'n'tal (Golly Gee Records) -
by Bergson Freire

"Estrume'n'tal, the name of this band from Belo Horizonte couldn't be more creative, especially because of the double meaning.
The sound is rare, instrumental surf music, heavy and of excellent quality. This four-piece, composed by former members of the "Meldas" (a Belo Horizonte punk rock band) since they began their activities in 1997, has been pleasing the audiences at countless and energetic shows and festivals, having played with heavyweights like Man or Astroman? on their Brazilian tour. Estrume'n'tal has received a lot of attention abroad and has featured on three compilations, a Brazilian surf music from Trip Magazine and two American comps: "War of the Surf Guitars" and "Modern Surf Band Spotlight".
The demo CD "Space'n'tal", which was later released as "Surfme'n'tal" in the US by the Golly Gee Records label, is their second effort, recorded in 2000 with 14 tracks: "Et de varginha", "Pouso alegre", "Vacalgada", "Sol si dó si mi re lá", "Tubarão", "Torpeido", "Uiskzito", "Marcha Funebre", "Casa do sol Nascente", "Baja", "Bolero", "Uma bala para Chita", "Gin com bells" and "Gran finale". By the song names alone it is easy to identify how creative and satirical the band is - for example, "Sol si dó si mi re lá", Uiskzito" and "Torpeido". On other tracks they did extremely styled versions such as "Marcha Funebre", "Casa do sol Nascente", "Gin com bells" e "Bolero". And we still have "Tubarao", based on the soundtrack of the 1975 Spielberg movie, and "Vacalgada", based on western movie soundtracks. All of these quite vigorous, full of identity and a tightness that is impressive. It is a firm album, strong and pleasurable to listen to, worthy of many compliments, and I wouldn't be surprised if it became the soundtrack for any Brazilian or (why not?) international surf film. Best song: it is difficult to choose one on such a good CD, but "ET de Varginha" is really great."





Estrume'n'tal - Ninth Goiânia Noise Festival - 2003
by Alexandre Barbosa ( www.cybergoias.com )

"I was lucky to be assigned to cover this band from Minas Gerais, because tired as I was on that Sunday, if not for that I would have missed the show.
In the first place, it is necessary to say that this is a surf music band, the best I have seen in the country so far. Besides that, it is also an instrumental band, since during the whole show the only vocal was a double "hey" hollered by the bass player and the guitar player.
The best thing about this band, which was also victimized by a power failure that stopped the show for a few minutes, is really the harmonic cadence that becomes more and more heavy and dense. In this aspect, it seemed to me that the sound calibration didn't help, because sometimes everything became a sonorous paste. The solo guitar could barely be heard, and that compromised the appreciation of the melodies. But even so, it was one of the best shows of the Sunday, and I can say that the bass player Fred has a great stage presence.
In a festival where the "experimental" bands didn't present anything special, Estrume'n'tal stood out for being able to create a rich environment by working only with sonorous trips. Really, surf music is only the beginning of a rhythmic array which points to many good things as new wave, psychobilly, The Ventures and even the world of comics. I also noticed that the drummer is the punk guy in the band, always pulling up the rhythm towards speed and aggression. And it was with a fast and nervous song that the show ended. I urgently need these guys' CD!!!!"





ESTRUME'N'TAL PROVOKES TSUNAMI DURING CHAMPIONSHIP 27/03/2005 -
by Marcos Bragatto ( www.dynamite.com.br )

"The fifth edition of the Minas Gerais State Surf Music Championship ended yesterday at A Obra Bar Dançante in Belo Horizonte. The last night was without a doubt the most lively of the whole event, thanks to the marking participation of the public who, provoked by the heavier and contagious sound of the bands, didn't let down. It all started with Estrume'n'tal, from Belo Horizonte, who started the show creating a real tsunami for the audience. The group, who makes an interesting cross between traditional surf music and hardcore, set the stage for several mosh and "body surfing" sessions, from the beginning to the end of the set. With their new album about to be released, the four-piece used the opportunity to show some of the new blasts, like 'Neander'n'tal', the title track, and an intriguing and unrecognizable cover for a Kraftwerk song, full of guitars.
The sound potency of the band, guaranteed by a firm drum/bass base and by the guitar solos of the guitarist Guilherme was impressive, holding the strength from beginning to end, which resulted in one of the best shows of this edition of the festival."