El Nervio del Volcan

1	Afuera 4:48
2	Miedo 3:39
3	Aqui No Es Asi 4:54
4	Ayer Me Dijo Un Ave 3:31
5	Hasta Que Dejes de Respirar 4:08
6	Avientame 4:34
7	El Animal 3:05
8	Quisiera Ser Alcohol 5:11
9	Pero Nunca Me Cai 4:14
10	El Año del Dragon 3:48
11	La Llorona 5:12

Barnes & Noble

With a following that nearly rivals the Beatles or the Stones in their heyday, Mexico's Caifanes remain the most classic band of that country's exploding rock scene. Although the advent of homegrown hip-hop, ska, and punk has left much of their work sounding alternately like dated arena rock or imitations of the Cure, there's no arguing with their powerful final album. EL NERVIO makes the case for mystic rock in the spirit, if not sound, of Led Zeppelin. Saul Hernandez's hallucinatory imagery recalls Robert Plant as translated by Carlos Castaneda; Alejandro Marcovitch's singular guitar sound suggests Jimmy Page tutored by Eddie Palmieri. Although less "ethno" than genre-bending paisanos Maldita Vecindad or Cafe Tacuba, Caifanes's Latin influences -- like the guitar montunos on the sweeping "Avientame" -- and specifically Mexican mythos galvanized rock south of the border. The band imploded thanks to tensions between front man Hernandez and guitarist Marcovich. But fans can follow Hernandez's continuing hippie-in-the '90s legacy by checking out his next band, the stylistically similar Jaguares. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

The last album released before Caifanes changed their name to Los Jaguares is a triumph of progressive pop-metal entwined with Latin ideas. Though the group is often compared to U2 the two have never sounded less similar; the band developed a harder style here that comes close to early Metallica territory at times. Though Saul Hernandez is a near match for Bono in his histrionic style and socially conscious lyrics, he adopts a low croon for many of these songs. The group's Mexican character is displayed through the Spanish lyrics, sinuous guitar lines, and lively percussion that is far more complex than most bands from North of the border. El Nervio del Volcan was a deservingly popular album and won over many American fans, some of whom spoke little or no Spanish but could tell a great band when they heard one. ~ Richard Foss, All Music Guide