Arriving a long four years after
Revolucion de Amor (2002), which had been the band's most accomplished album to date, and a Grammy winner to boot,
Amar Es Combatir confirmed
Mana's continuing designation as the world's standard-bearing Spanish-language mainstream
rock band.
Amar Es Combatir's lead single,
"Labios Compartidos," was an overnight chart-topper, and the album itself debuted at number four on
Billboard's overall album chart, the highest debut ever for a Spanish-language release by a band or group. And make no mistake, such success was warranted, as
Amar Es Combatir is not so much a stride forward creatively as it is a consolidation of everything that had earned
Mana such a devoted international fan base in the first place. For better, and perhaps for worse, there are no surprises on
Amar Es Combatir: the band delivers yet another slick set of soaring rockers (of which
"Arrancane el Corazon" and
"Tu Me Salvaste" are the highlights) interspersed with laid-back pleas of passion (
"Ojala Pudiera Borrarte," "Bendita Tu Luz") and, of course, the obligatory heart-clutching power
ballad or two a la
"Vivir sin Aire," the band's timeless breakthrough hit from 1994 (
"Labios Compartidos," "Tengo Muchas Alas"). The band's critics, who are legion, offered the same age-old complaints upon the album's release: the band repackages the same product each go round, the songs are awfully sappy for such a gruff-looking bunch of guys, and yes, the music isn't authentic -- that is, it's not
Latin enough. Regardless of whether you adore or hate
Mana, there's no denying the appeal of
Amar Es Combatir. This is a meticulous, impassioned, and all-around well-crafted album of what fans had come to expect from
Mana, and if it lacks some of the courage of
Revolucion de Amor,
Amar Es Combatir is nonetheless a standout
rock en espanol effort circa 2006 and another laudable effort by the ever-reliable band. ~ Jason Birchmeier
