Ixtlahuac

***IXTLAHUAC emerged in 2018 from San Leandro, CA and Medellin, Colombia. After two exceptionally refined demos, Teyacanilitztli Nahualli is the most recent offering from this grim alliance. Drawing on influences of classic black and death metal, Ixtlahuac establishes their own unique handle of the genre with grandiose and sweeping song structures, unorthodox instrumentation, and forlorn guitar meditations that all serve to brace the overwhelming power of this full-length offering. Tension runs deep here, with each track offering a tightly composed series of movements that suggest a dramaturgical vision from their creators. A suffocating atmosphere sets the tone, with raw analog recording that brings to mind the best of the LLN hordes. A truly stand-out expression of high-altitude meditation and pure, rotten evil, Teyacanilitztli Nahualli will certainly be regarded as a classic in the tradition of black metal art. An ode to the ritual power of war for those willing to take the risk.