Xibalba: Tierra Y Libertad

I'm a man of simple dreams—one of them is to see Xibalba live in concert. Every time they come to Utah, something comes up and I can't make it. It's happened three times and I fear it will happen again. With any luck, they'll come through my state a couple of times this year and I'll finally get to enjoy the music the way it was intended—live and loud.

Xibalba's strength is that they are simply and genuinely heavy. To achieve this effect, they turn things down as low as possible, ramp up the distortion, and crush every note with intensity. On this album, there's simply no compromising and no letting up. Just listen to the first few seconds of the album. It starts with a low growl, the kind that lets you know that things are about to get dangerous. The music isn't gimmicky or artificial. It's just heavy music. At times, it feels like it has actual weight and heft, as if it were a material object. Just listen to the way the guitars, drums, and vocals bear down on the listener; they add gravity to everything, taking all the raw, aggressive, force of the music and sharing the weight with the audience. Sure, you can mosh to this, but it's not just about that. It's extreme music that sounds as heavy as it should.

In my last review of this band, I mentioned that I wasn't sure how to classify the music. That's still true; to me Xibalba sounds like, well, Xibalba. It's hardcore, but with an extra edge. I suppose it's a blend of hardcore, thrash, and sheer heaviness. This album also has a healthy dose of anger, whether targeted toward racism, warfare, or other acts of injustice and oppression. To my mind, the album succeeds precisely because it deals with all these issues (and more) with consistently heavy music and an even heavier attitude. This is extreme metal, pure and simple.

Be sure to check out "El Vacio," the closing track. It's twice the length of the other songs on the album and explores more of a death metal territory. Like the rest of the album, it's both powerful and convincing. This is a strong release. Highly recommended.

Track Listing:
1. Enemigo
2. Guerilla
3. Invierno
4. Pausa
5. En Paz Descanse
6. Tierra Y Libertad
7. Si Dios Quiere
8. El Vacio

Added: February 3rd 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2329
Language: english

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