Dentro Del Manto Gris De Chaac

This is some chaotic, blasting Black Metal from a Mexican band who have since relocated to Utah for some reason no sentient being could possibly understand. Yaotl Mictlan are very much steeped in South American/Nahuatl folklore and imagery, and this lends their music a level of individuality beyond the usual.

The music here is raw, loose, and aggressive, with some excellent riffs and a lot of energy. The guitar sound is solid, and the riffs are fucking cool. There is a lot of dynamic and tempo shifts in this, a lot more complexity than just hammering away. The vocals of Tlatecatl are rather one-note, but they are nicely raspy and well-executed. There's enough going on here to warrant repeated listens, and enough quality to make that a pleasure. I definitely think the vocals could use some variation, but the music here is excellent, and this is a band to watch for.