La caída de Tonatiuh

The musical syncretism of different nations and cultures enriches the music that Impureza offers us in their latest album called, La Caida de Tonatiuh. The cultural influences range from the Spanish language which is the one chosen to sing their songs and the theme which talks about the Spanish conquest of Mexico and all the history/mythology behind this event. This bloody story is told through a death metal full of flamenco influences, progressions, interludes, and production more than according to the current canons of the sub-genre.

The theme structure of the album is narrated logically and each song has a specific function in the whole. This is an album whose lyrics are not only inspired by the conquest of the Indian lands by the conquerors in the 16th century but also by Aztec mythology. The album consists of songs that make us discover the ancestral rites of the Aztec people and their approach to the world through absolute devotion to their deities. For instance, the lyrics evoke supernatural and legendary events such as the opening of the water and the curse of Tlaloc, God of the sea. The lyrics also deal with historical events such as the arrival of Hernán Cortes in Mexico and the bloody battle of Otumba in 1520.

La Caida de Tonatiuh opens with an intro track called Lamentos de un Condenado (laments of a condemned) that defies all intros I have ever listened to. This song contains a rhythm marked by the laments of the singer and the melody of a flamenco guitar that evokes the pain of the human soul. In addition, the bass makes the track more robust and creates anticipation in the listener of what is to come. If you think that the flamenco influence ruins the experience or makes it too pretentious, you are wrong. On the second track, Sangre para Los Dioses (Blood for the Gods), the band pounds your ears with high-quality death metal, fabricated with aggressive guitar riffs, devastating drum fills, and blast beats with a fretless bass that makes the music meatier and more robust. The musical composition in general is very fluid and varied. The acoustic interludes work not only in the narrative part but also serve as bridges that connect the songs and let the album breathe. For instance, Corazon al Cielo (Homenaje a Paco de Lucia), serves as a palate-cleansing interlude before unleashing more destruction in the next song, Camino Hacia el Mictlán (Road to the Mictlán). The progressive demonstrations by the guitarists and the bassist are not exaggerated and their function is to elevate the quality of the compositions and take them to a new level. The flamenco elements make this record unique and that’s what caught my attention the most about Impureza. In an ocean of bands with the same themes and song-writing architecture, Impureza defies death metal cliches and takes the sub-genre to a new level of intellectuality and music diversity.

Altogether, La Caida de Tonatiuh is a fresh approach to the sub-genre, it takes you to a historical, mythological, and brutal trip through the conquest of the Indian lands by the Spanish conquerors. The creativity and talent of the musicians are all around the record, both in songwriting and musical performance. The clean-acoustic-flamenco guitars enrich the experience and help to tell the story from both sides, conquerors and conquered. The album is full of highlights but among my favorite tracks, I can recommend, Otumba 1520, Leyenda Negra, and the title track (La Caida de Tonatiuh). Highly recommended album if you're looking for something different in the death metal world but still keeping a brutal identity.