A review for our the new album has been posted on Nattskog
“Today I review the upcoming and extremely long awaited 2nd full length release from Mayan themed Black Metallers Xibalba Itzaes. Set for release on December 15th this year via underground legendary label Nuclear War Now Productions!
- Ah Tza! comes straight in, with grim and dissonant Black Metal assaults. The brutal attack of the guitars, bass and drums is incredibly raw but completely audible, with tones that sound like early 90s Norwegian Black Metal. The vocals are superb with a really crisp touch to the screams and the use of some lower growls to mix things up. The track itself is fast paced and really well written with a cool bass/drum solo and really bleak soundscapes.
- Intro All Hail Chaac is simply a short chanted and ambient introduction to the next track, it works really well.
- All Hail Chaac follows from the opening track in the levels of maddening dissonance, blasting drums and statically distorted riffs. The certainly tribal influence on the actual structures works really well in a Black Metal atmosphere. The band have both primal aggression fuelling the music, but well paced and thoughtful songwriting talents, landing this gristle melting blow with full haste.
- Rituals In The Sun slows the pace, with drawn out more dismal guitar riffs, crashing drums and morbid howls aplenty. The demonic guitar tones are really harsh but it works excellently to create a wall of noise with the vocals and drums. The funeral march pace about 1/3 of the way though feels so depressingly cold and really hits hard. The incredibly harsh gutturals sound truly possessed, absolutely awesome stuff. This track is the longest of the album which works really well with its dragging, melancholic feel perfectly. The track ends in more upbeat, Black n Roll style with a true Carpathian Forest feel to everything about it. From the howled snarl of the vocals, up beat rock n roll drums all the way through to the scooped tinny simplistic riffs. I really love this style and it breaks the album into variety nicely. The drum solo before the outro is really badass and eerie too! Amazing work.
- Throughout The Equinox kicks the full speed, blackened assault right in. The lead guitar work sounds really haunting and in your face, draped carefully over abysmally chaotic rhythm sections. The guitar solo is a furious attack of the frets and a cool addition to the track. Killer!”
Read the full article here
