In Moyocoyani

The first news concerning another Xipe Totec album really terrified me. The Mexicans changed a label and signed a deal with Italian DeFox. Of course, there’s nothing wrong in label changing, but this new company decided to release “In Moyocoyani” in digital form only. Then I thought: “fucking brutal truth about our modern times…”, however band’s members gave me a ray of hope: soon or later this album will be shown to the metal world on physical format. Fortunately verbum caro factum est and thanks to Mexican Helvete Records, “In Moyocoyani” visited my letter box eventually. Surprisingly and contrary to the previous “Eztlacuani”, a new album contains of full booklet with lyrics written in Nahuatl once again. The line-up is with no any changes, but the main question was shaking my brain cells unceasingly: did Xipe Totec manage to reach this masterly level of his predecessor? With some timidness I put the disc on my cd player. Still having absolutely great feelings about the debut album (and of course their first killing “Prehispanic Beg”), the first seconds of “Ehuacoatl” started to cannonade my senses.

This time the Mexican duo prepared ten songs with two instrumental and quasi-intro tracks. Also the opening song is preceded by one minute well-known ominous tunes, then something different comes to me: realization of the sound. I mean, the same studio (M.A.T. Estudio), and the same sound engineer (Miguel Angel Tavera). As compared to the “Eztlacuani” album, I get a clearer recording, louder a bit, especially when it comes to the drums. And during all these minutes and hours, during all these careful and insightful examinations of “In Moyocoyani”, I can state most certainly that the drums are something wrong in this puzzle. Simply, the sound of drums failed. It seems that the album recording went two different ways. First off, the drums: the loudest, the most important. Then, on the second track, the mistreated remainder. I don’t want to exert myself on any professional descriptions concerning the sound engineering, because I even can’t do this. I’m writing such words as a usual music fan and supporter, knowing Xipe Totec act since the very beginning, since their first killing “Prehispanic Beg”. I repeat, the drums are simply bad: they sound artificially, very flat and one-dimensionally, the whole seems to be (digitally) compressed which makes “In Moyocoyani” a standard release of our modern sad times. What is more, it is worthy to pay attention on Martín guitar leads in tracks “Ehuacoatl”, “Atlcahualco” or “Xochitonal”, and listen to the bass drum sounding which is nothing but a dominating element that completely ruins the overall favourable impressions. Is it some kind of bass drum leads? Some dark thoughts gather in my mind while thinking about this… Even that all the drums were recorded (and profaned at the same time) by computer… Well, it isn’t the best opening of the review for the band, though I have to make a full confession that now I am accustomed to these wretched drums. And it’s hard to say who is responsible for that. According to the booklet, the band produced all the stuff itself, on the other hand, Miguel Angel is a sound engineer…

All right, let’s leave the production nuance and focus on something musical. But again, I’m not going to praise the creators of the album. It’s quite interesting, but I didn’t know about a surprise that was putted on the end of “In Moyocoyani”. Well, when the last “Huehueteotl” song (in compliance with track order) ends after about 4:40, almost one minute of silence appears, and while 5:30 is shown, tunes start to fill my senses anew. And what I get? Sepultura’s cover called “Roots Bloody Roots”. And exactly at that time I forget about drums calamity. But not because I’m a witness of great metal sounds that feed my senses. Quite the contrary, this is calamity number two. But from the beginning. Xipe Totec is a band deeply rooted not only in the underground, but also in the history of their land, Mexican land, as they make great play with Aztec beliefs and their customs. And every single tune and each single word is just an evidence for that. By recording “Roots Bloody Roots” they broke the rules. I’m not even convinced that this song is somehow dedicated to such topics, I mean, maybe in tribal general meaning. In addition, it is sung in English. Of course, I agree, the band made this track using their own vision, adding some folk instruments into structures, but all is for nothing. Why? Because I don’t like “Roots Bloody Roots”, just like all the Sepultura stuff recorded after “Arise” era. Naturally I wouldn’t change my mind if the Mexicans record something from “Schizophrenia” or “Beneath the Remains”. Guys, this song with almost no riffs included, where only irritating and pissing off groove dominates, doesn’t fit to your music and band’s concept. Am I clear? Probably it was considered as a curiosity during recording, now I consider it much worse than the drums production I’ve mentioned just above. And moreover, this poor effort adorns the end of the album. Although it’s a hidden track, I put it to the whole, as I always review any album from the first second to the last one. Damn it!

So, I described two elements that have enormous influence on the final mark, but what about the music itself? What about the quality? May I compare it to the previous mighty “Eztlacuani” album? Ha, there will be superlatives only! Well, I find my tongue: finally! While reviewing their first album, I was writing about the future performance as some kind of a real test. “Eztlacuani” had a blank card, I even didn’t wait for this album, because no informations about Xipe Totec were known to me. Only the “Prehispanic Beg” tape and that’s all. With the debut album, the Mexicans maintained and improved the killing death metal level from the demo. In consequence it brought crude, wild and dismaying piece of music; Martín, the author of all music, did a really great and unparalleled job: after pushing the play button, I close my eyes, and become a witness of the events I read in many books. This is a real force of “Eztlacuani”. In turn, the “In Moyocoyani” album was ripening in my head for a long time. I really needed many careful listens to get a proper insight into the whole and now I can write that this album hits me otherguess. As compared to the predecessor which is like a torture in a dark, fuggy room, “In Moyocoyani” seems to be a one shot killing experience, something unexpected, just like a sudden cross-cut of the spinal cord with a death as a result. Or, if “Eztlacuani” is an obtuse, rusted knife, then “In Moyocoyani” is a glabrous and shining dagger of a priest. Both equally lethal…

I was sure as shooting about Martín’s composition creativity. And I am not disappointed: now I know what this band is all about: a musical side of “In Moyocoyani” is absolutely perfect. Alex didn’t change, and it’s good, because such form of vocals devastation totally work in with the musical form, but Martín showed, in some way, a bit different arrangements. As it was given earlier, only two introductions made of folk instruments (a fast glance into the booklet: tambores, palos de lluvia, cascabeles and flautas) are pushed in between the proper tracks, they are called “Nozahuah Ixpan Coatlicue” (number four) and “Tleica Tiyolih In Ahquin Onmic Onteotl” (number eight), whereat the latter has baleful and demoniacal Alex performance. But I have to signalize that such using these absolutely interesting instruments and short introductions can be heard in every song I guess, what is more, the overall reception isn’t disturbed at all. The songs are built on solid powerful riffs enriched with some twisted well known (from “Eztlacuani”) memorable tunes, which make each song has its own life, simultaneously being inseparable part of the entirety. It’s very important, you know it, no fillers, just killers. And it’s very hard to choose the best one amongst the “In Moyocoyani” brilliance as my opinion changes ceaselessly. The songs emanate really splendid guitar leads and this is sure that Martín, as a guitarist, still progresses. He doesn’t create complicated rhythms or show broken guitar wankery, nobody can call this band technical death metal, because it is not. This guy finds simple means and with such ‘ordinary’ thing conquers my senses in 100%. I can feel it, his passion, soul and creation joy. His leads are the salt of the earth and I have no words in English to write it in a good way. I could use many positive adjectives, but I’m afraid it would turn out into a boring counting-out rhyme. That’s true that the title song was the first one here which blown me off. It reminds me a bit of the opening killer “Aca Ihuitl”, where after great and astonishing guitar lead (lasting almost fifty seconds that bring a while of an anxious reverie), the change of riffs appear causing death metal carnage; really powerful and full of indomitable destructive force song, with rhythm changes and demolishing ending. To put it short: multilayer in every aspect.

But being on the track of an unbridled fury of the album, I could indicate each song, knowing that described piece isn’t worse than the title killer. Of course, it is not my intention, however some ‘things’ concerning all the “In Moyocoyani” flavors definitely should be published. Let me dive into the “Tlatecpilotoliztli Teezo Ihuan Teyomiyo” abyss, where Xipe Totec delivers pretty broken arrangements and fast, galloping, in total madness, solo lead with unmerciful drums. Or in “In Yoliatl Nochihtoc Ica Tecpatl”, when after almost three minutes blast crippling avalanche, the great slow down enters the stage: let me be damned if I don’t listen to mighty Swedish 80/90 years reminiscence here. Served in simple way, this fragment is one of the brightest on the album. Yep, as I called ‘Sweden’ to my review, there is a need to mention about more such influences “In Moyocoyani” is enclosed with. But in this place I’m vociferating: it is not a blame, it is not a poor imitation! Just listen to “Atlcahualco” and again the mighty slow down appearing during last forty seconds of this track. Or song called “Xochitonal” where some guitar parts put in mind of Dissection and their second famous “Storm of the Light’s Bane”. But “Xochitonal” is rather next to “Where Dead Angels Lie”, however these blackish-like riffs served in definitely more furious speed as compared to Nödtveidt’s offer make the Mexican version much, much better.

Hm… my journey with Moyocoyani deity seems to draw to end. It’s a good time to write something to sum all the things up. The first part of the review isn’t a profit for the band and has the decisive contribution while speaking about the final mark, stealing ten points unfortunately. I don’t play any wordy games, you know, what would happen if… The most important is the musical side of course and being totally conscious I can swear that the “Eztlacuani” level is maintained here. With simple means commanding officer Martínez and his loyal lieutenant Camacho, raid and bombard effectively all the units of death metal supporters. They deliver everything I worship in this genre, and despite of hearing quadrillion of death metal slabs in my whole life, it’s absolutely great that such album like “In Moyocoyani” nourishes my nervous system, each cell and tissue. Thinking about Xipe Totec and any similarities in the recent death scene, probably one name, Nile, comes to my mind. Maybe Mexicans don’t have such dense and fast rhythm section and guitar layers, but they are definitely more reliable and authentic. The music of Xipe Totec is the evidence that death metal genre is the only one to praise the Mexican history before the conquest, without being comical and funny, without fucking stupid NS ideas in it that fill many Mexican black metal bands with their lame and dilettante pseudo-music. Just take a look on these deathly acts I’m writing in alphabetical order: Mictlan (with “Donde habitan los muertos”), The Chasm, Xipe Totec to name just a few. Death metal only! But what is the most important, to praise such a great and astounding culture and mythology you have to be very good musicians, just like the Martínez / Camacho duo is beyond all question.

The future looks promising. The band announced another album this year. What is more, Martín is launched out into many other projects (especially Yatrogeny and Eclectic Spawn), but I hope his head is still full of great ideas and conceptions. “In Moyocoyani” is the best example of this thesis. But production and music (absolutely without any useless intercalations) must be unity and one harmony. For sure Moyocoyani, He Who Creates Himself, raises a finger. Thus, beware! But I hope that it’s very easy to eliminate these little flaws. You know perfectly what to do…