Máscaras Lets Its Music Speak for Itself

written by Phil Nelson | photos by Jason Quigley

Máscaras—a Portland-based trio consisting of drummer David “Papi” Fimbres, guitarist Carlos Segovia and bassist Theo Craig—identifies its music as maximalist instrumental psych rock. Its debut album, Máscara vs Máscara, is experimental but also has elements of surf, krautrock, ’70s metal and post rock.

What is absent is, perhaps, the most important detail—there is no vocalist. Máscaras prefers to let its music speak for itself. Drummer, spokesperson and de facto mascot Fimbres said, “I love albums that tell a whole story or conjure up images through the music without telling you what to think or see.” Visceral sound experimentation resonates inside the band’s ethos. Creating music without a lyrical narrative pays homage to a past when musicians created something for the sake of sharing. In modern form, listeners stomp and clap alongside the rad company found at a Máscaras show.