Tzompantli - Beating The Drums Of Ancestral Force (Album Review)

Tzompantli – Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force
Released: May 17th, 2024

Line Up:

Brian “Itztlakamayeh” Ortiz // Vocals/Guitars/Bass/Folk Instruments/Percussion
Manzig “Yohualli” Sanchez // Lead Guitars
Eric Delgado // Bass
Mateotl Boughton // Lead Guitars
Erol Ulug // Lead Guitars/Vocals
Jason “Katulu” Brunes // Percussion/Traditional Instruments/Vocals
Justin Ton // Lead Guitars
Lord Foul // Vocals
Alejandro Aranda // Vocals/Drums/Folk Instruments/Percussion

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A unique hybridisation of two ends of the musical spectrum, California’s Tzompantli was born from the mind of Xibalba founding member and guitarist Brian Ortiz. While his main act isn’t super prolific, Ortiz has been able to flex his creative muscle with his side act, and whilst the mixing of world/indigenous music with heavy music isn’t an entirely new concept, Tzompantli are undoubtedly the most extreme and crushing group to fuse these sounds together.

Combining death-doom – which has had a great year of releases already – and Indigenous/Pre-Hispanic native instrumentation and imagery, the group’s sophomore effort Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force sees a diverse cast of the contributors expand the lineup drastically. With their debut Tlazcaltiliztli more-or-less a solo-project from Ortiz, the new record sees Tzompantli become of tribe of like-minded musicians, delving deeper into both the traditional world and becoming heavier in every aspect of the word.

Opener ‘Tetzahuitl‘ launches the listener straight into battle with furious drums and roaring vocals, with the huge middle of thunderous toms merging into a mosh-ready beatdown section. The intensity doesn’t let up on the more doom-leaning ‘Tlayohualli’ – the standalone harmony guitars in the middle help break up the pace with mournful melodicism. The raw and cavernous production adds to release – ultra-clean modern sound would have been borderline ridiculous – with proper extreme metal aspects like blasts and breakdowns amongst the sludgy A standard-tuned guitars and harsh/pained vocals.

LP highlight ‘Tlaloc Icuic’ is the most haunting cut on the full length, it’s quiet intro of rain and creeping guitar motifs turning into a full blown war chant. The repeated vocals grow in intensity, with the building backdrop of percussion and chugging riffs and sliding octaves conjuring images of another time and place. Beating The Drums of Ancestral Force feels like a proper record – not just a collection of tracks – with subtle moments and vibes reappearing throughout to tie it all together, and never letting the music fall into gimmick or cliche´. The only real criticism are that some of those heavier parts – especially when based around blastbeats – can sound a bit same-y, like on ‘Otlica Mictlan’, but this a minor note compared to the bigger picture.

Though the whole album has a mournful atmosphere to it, the percussion-heavy ‘Tetzavizlti’ and the titanic closer ‘Icnocuicatl’ sees the group go into full doom mode. Ortiz’ main band has infrequently touched on this element, but Tzompantli are completely in their element here when combining it with indigenous sounds, especially the near 10-minute ender. Clean guitars and softly spoken vocals moves into waves of downtuned guitars and throat-tearing roars, the tempo staying low and slow throughout. It’s a suitably epic, end-of-the-world way to close the record.

Inhabiters of the underground extreme metal world will no doubt be hip to the slew of great death-doom LPs that have dropped in 2024, so checking out the new Tzompantli will be a no brainer for them. It’s the fans of bands like The Hu, Alien Weaponry, Heilung – and of course Soulfly/Sepultura – that need to give this a proper listening to. It serves as a breathe of fresh air across the board, and though musical fusion doesn’t always work, on Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force Tzompantli is able to bring two impassioned, dynamic, visceral – yet totally different – worlds together and make them feel as if they’ve belonged as one this whole time.

Rating: 8.5/10
Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force is out now on 20 Buck Spin. Order here
Review By – Andrew Kapper. Twitter: @andrew_kapper