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Independently released in 1983, the "Miséria e Fome" EP is one of the most iconic records in Brazilian punk history. Formed in 1981 by former members of Restos de Nada and Condutores de Cadáver, Inocentes channeled the energy and indignation of a youth suffocated by the Brazilian military dictatorship. Originally conceived as an 11-track album, the work had to be reduced to just four songs after seven tracks were censored by the government due to their strong political protest lyrics. Brazil was still experiencing the final years of military rule, and Miséria e Fome became a direct reflection of that reality, delivering a raw, fast, and explosive sound, in line with the international hardcore scene of the day.
Shortly after its release, Inocentes disbanded, but in 1984, bassist/guitarist/singer Clemente Nascimento reformed the band with a new lineup and a different musical approach. Influenced by post-punk and 1970s punk rock, this next step cemented Inocentes as one of the most enduring and important bands in Brazilian rock, to this day. However, Miséria e Fome remains the band's most intense and aggressive work, capturing the apex of their initial hardcore phase, a unique moment of uncontrolled fury and political revolt and still stands as a landmark in the history of international punk.
Our take: The new label Morrer Discos has set the bar high by starting their run with reissues of two of Brazil’s best punk records: Olho Seco’s Botas Fuzis Capacetes and Inocentes’ first EP, Miséria E Fome. While both bands debuted on 1982’s Grito Suburbano compilation, Inocentes share the slightly tuneful edge of their comp-mates Cólera, though these tracks have plenty of the bruising first-gen hardcore sounds that make Olho Seco’s EP such a classic. According to the label’s description, Inocentes originally conceived Miséria E Fome as an 11-track LP, but were forced to scale it down to a 4-song EP when the other tracks were censored by the country’s military dictatorship (the dictatorship ended in 1986, making way for the un-truncated Miséria E Fome to come out in 1988). As for this compact edition, it’s all impact. The a-side track is the anthem, with a multi-part chorus that builds slowly to the climactic chant of the EP’s title (which translates to “poverty and hunger”). I have a feeling it hits even harder if you know Portuguese, but it’s pretty darn exciting even for a monolingual punk like myself. The three tracks on the b-side speed things up considerably, with two lean rippers followed by the more complex “Calado,” which features tempo changes into this cool mid-paced part that reminds me of the Dead Kennedys. The music is all killer, no filler, and as with Morrer’s Olho Seco reissue, the packaging and presentation is detail-oriented and very true to the original artifact’s aesthetic. An essential grip for anyone into 80s international punk.