Brujeria released its debut album Matando Güeros in 1993, before the advent of widespread Internet information dissemination. So when the group’s label Roadrunner characterized its members as “Satanic, murderous drug dealers” and bilingual fans translated the violent lyrics (“Matando Güeros” = “Killing Whites,” a title reinforced by an album cover depicting a decapitated head held by an off-camera hand), listeners naturally regarded this masked band with fear and awe. Eventually, researchers pulled down Brujeria’s bandanas, figuratively speaking, and the realization that these guys weren’t witchcraft-practicing criminals (and some weren’t even Mexican) disillusioned those who wanted to believe that real, exotic metal evil exists. For others, the musicians’ prestigious identities more than offset the lost mystique. The death-grind outfit’s current lineup includes Carcass’ Jeffrey Walker (“El Cynico,” on bass), Napalm Death’s Shane Embury (“Honcho,” on guitar), and former Cradle of Filth drummer Adrian Erlandsson (“Podrido”). Little is known about Juan Brujo, but recent performances have confirmed this ferociously guttural singer is in fact human, not a grizzly trained to growl in Spanish.

Thu., March 5, 8 p.m., 2009