Mata Leão

For the martial arts technique, see Rear naked choke.

Mata Leão
Studio album by Biohazard
Released	June 25, 1996
Recorded	1995–1996
Studio	Eldorado Recording (Burbank, California)
Genre	Hardcore punk rap metal
Length	38:23
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Dave Jerden, Biohazard
Biohazard chronology
State of the World Address (1994) Mata Leão (1996) No Holds Barred (1997)
Singles from Mata Leão
"Authority" Released: 1995[1] "A Lot to Learn" Released: 1996[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Chicago Tribune	[4]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	8/10[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	D[7]
Kerrang!	[8]
NME	4/10[9]
Rock Hard	9.5/10[10]
Spin	5/10[11]
Vox	5/10[12]

Mata Leão is the fourth studio album by American hardcore punk band Biohazard, released on June 25, 1996, by Warner Bros. Records, their second and final album for the label. Upon release, it charted at No. 170 on the Billboard 200, charting over 100 places lower than its predecessor, State of the World Address (which charted at No. 48), and was a commercial failure, leading Warner Bros. to drop the band from the label. Music videos for "Authority" and "A Lot to Learn" were released to promote the album.

The album was produced by Dave Jerden, best known for producing albums by Alice in Chains and Jane's Addiction. It was recorded by the band as a three-piece following the departure of guitarist Bobby Hambel in 1995. During the touring cycle for the album, former Helmet guitarist Rob Echeverria stepped in his place.

The title "mata leão" translates into "kill the lion" in Portuguese (mata 'o' leão, the 'o' is sub-intended). This is also the name of a chokehold in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which in English is also known as a rear naked choke.

The album was released on vinyl, cassette and CD. Some versions of the CD came with an O-Card.[13]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Authority"	2:14
2.	"These Eyes (Have Seen)"	2:39
3.	"Stigmatized"	1:51
4.	"Control"	2:50
5.	"Cleansing"	3:25
6.	"Competition"	1:49
7.	"Modern Democracy"	2:26
8.	"Better Days"	1:49
9.	"Gravity"	2:39
10.	"A Lot to Learn"	1:29
11.	"Waiting to Die"	3:06
12.	"A Way"	2:05
13.	"True Strengths"	2:34
14.	"Thorn"	3:20
15.	"In Vain"	4:04
Total length:		38:23

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Billboard 200	170
Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)[14]	80
Austrian Albums Chart	21
Dutch Albums Chart	53
German Albums Chart	35
Swedish Albums Chart	40
UK Albums Chart	72

Personnel

• Evan Seinfeld – bass, vocals
• Billy Graziadei – lead and rhythm guitar, vocals
• DJ Lethal – turntables
• Danny Schuler – drums, percussion

References

1. "Biohazard Authority (Single)". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
2. "Biohazard A Lot to Learn (Single)". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
3. "Mata Leao - Biohazard". AllMusic.
4. Golemis, Dean (June 20, 1996). "Biohazard: Mata Leao". Chicago Tribune. p. E9A. ProQuest 2188958346.
5. Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
6. Larkin, Colin, ed. (1998). "Biohazard". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE Inc. pp. 541–542. ISBN 0-333-74134-X.
7. Wiederhorn, Jon (July 19, 1996). "Mata Leao". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
8. Arnopp, Jason (June 8, 1996). "Albums". Kerrang!. No. 600. EMAP. pp. 42–43.
9. Perry, John (June 8, 1996). "Biohazard - Mata Leao". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
10. Frank Albrecht (May 21, 1996). "Mata Leao review". Rock Hard. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
11. Michel, Sia (September 1996). "Records". Spin. Vol. 12, no. 6. SPIN Media, LLC. pp. 148–149.
12. Russel, Graham (July 1996). "Albums". Vox. No. 69. IPC. p. 92. ISSN 0960-300X.
13. "Biohazard - Mata Leão". Discogs. 1996. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 30.