A raw and intense self-titled debut, Downset. established the Los Angeles band in 1994 as pioneers of a rap-metal rooted in hardcore and social awareness. Driven by Rey Oropeza’s vocals, the record hammers out furious flows over compact riffs and a relentless rhythm section, somewhere between the legacy of Suicidal Tendencies and the urgency of nascent groove metal.
Anger, a genuine manifesto, channels the pain of a family loss into a collective cry against injustice and police violence. Free of any opportunism, political sincerity runs through every track. The dark production and a certain lack of variation limit the melodic reach, but the authenticity and power make this record an often underrated milestone of the genre.
