Mexicayotl Equals Mexicanidad
After my four reviews of Xipe Totec
titles, it is challenging task to write anything new I haven't
already done earlier, as Martin and Alex still ride in the dimension
once created during „Eztlacuani” session times. I can't imagine
any changes of style, I do not expect any changes of style and I got
what I was asking for. Surely, three long years between „Miquian”
and „Axomimitl” were something new for the band and I do not need
to write how I was curious about Martin's new ideas and visions. The
album brings eight tracks with an ending mostly acoustic outro,
becoming one of the best records released last year. That means the
band didn't let me down once again. Starting with the best front
cover so far done by Alex and again with MAT studio sound realization
placed somewhere between „Eztlacuani” and „Miquian” providing
really energized bass lines, the two opening songs are just pure
killers that leave my thoracic cage open and bleeding. Besides the
things I have known the band for years there is a room for some kind
of a breather: bass passage and drums solo (similar to Dew of Nothing
song „Doomed by Omen Circus”) in „Cihuateteo” and rhythm
section display in the title song. And mind you that this second
track after slow almost forty second beginning mammocks the senses in
a flash with ravaging paces and delivering slight melodic influences
from Dissection's second album. Yes, Xipe Totec couldn't serve better
opening for the album!
Even if Martin is absolutely faithful
to his clearly defined musical visions, it's easy to hear through the
sound avalanches there are some new things put here and there.
Songs are longer and what's the most interesting, I have an
impression that using prehispanic instruments has been cut a bit. Two
tracks „Tonalyecantoc” and „Cuahxicalli” consist of
atmospheric gruesome parts reminding me about similar fragments on
Nile's „In Their Darkened Shrines”. For sure some melodic lines
from „In Mimiqueh In Tlahtol” (an ending part), „Miquihtotl”
and „Tlachihualiztli” are absolutely fresh air to the structure
making the whole more interesting. Then, as an introduction to the
first song, some samples from „Retorno a Aztlรกn”
movie (to be more precise, it isn't anything new in Martin's career,
just take a listen to Miquian's album „Tlaltecuhtli”), a short
chat with archeologist on Xipe Totec cult in „Ahneli
Tlahtolnemiliztli” or the complete novelty: mostly acoustic last
song...
Thus,
is there anything I should grumble about? Well, after maaany meetings
with the album, my 'problem' concerns two mentioned tracks. The
opening riffs from „Tlachihualiztli” don't convince me at all,
the last one seems to be ill-thought out (spoken intro, prehispanic
intruments and acoustic tunes given separately), although guitar
catchiness is major-league in this blend. Of course, I do not treat
it as a serious mistake, just like „Roots Bloody Roots” cover on
„In Moyocoyani”, yet it drags „Axomimitl” down a bit. All
right then, so how do I treat this album? My regular blog reader (hm,
if there is anybody like that) should notice without any problem Xipe
Totec belongs to one of my all-time favourite crews and with The
Chasm and Desultory to the best death metal trinity in my collection.
And summing the things up, this album is yet another proof that Xipe
Totec music is still extreme and still extremely fantastic: riffs,
leads, drum works, indigenous instruments, Alex bestial growls and
Nahuatl lyrics. Martin surprises all the time with his great talent,
there is neither time for boredom nor depletion even if they breathe
death metal genre only. Changelessly, it is vivid, fresh, gory, sense
devastating and with Mexica national heritage mighty spirit. Simply,
this is Mexican metal of death keeping the glorious past alive...
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written in April, 2018)
