Ah Dzam Poop Ek

The immediately striking aspect of Xibalba's Ah Dzam Poop Ek is its upbeatness. Yes, the rawness of their sound is comparable to Darkthrone, but the feeling of their music is far different. There is a driving quality to the riffing and vocalls that retains the best qualities of hardcore punk, and infuses that style into a modern black metal concoction. Most of the album consists of violent black thrash material with a strong sense of melody. Every composition has four or five distinct but easily melded sections of verses and bridges, giving each of these songs their own identity. Perhaps the best example of this is 'In Daemones Imperium', which begins with an infectious tremolo melody progressing to a mid-paced dark groove, and ending in a violent tumult.

Throughout the abrasiveness that is Ah Dzam Pook Ek, interacting lead and rhythm guitars produce addictive melody and, at times, beauty. 'Carchah' contains two brief 'Mayan' musical interludes that frame an ambient, instrumental guitar passage. The whole album is interspersed with these subtle, always welcome diversions.

On the surface, this is caustic, raw black metal. The longer the album seeps in, the more Xibalba's varied musical influences bubble to the surface. The ingenious guitar work is the central ingredient here. A passionate and mesmeric release. 9.5/10