Blue Hummingbird on the Left: Bloodflower (2010)

Blue Hummingbird on the Left is another band from the Black Twilight Circle that appeared on the compilation I reviewed recently.  The band certainly has an unusual name and I did some checking on it, because it is just too weird to not have some kind of meaning.  Turns out, the name is the English translation of the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli, sort of a major deity in their religion.

BHL is one of the few Black Twilight Circle bands still going strong.  They released their first full-length album just last year.  Previously, they had a handful of demos and splits out there.  This release was their first.  As is typical for these bands, the members are all also involved in a number of the other Black Twilight Circle bands, including Volahn, Acualli, Axeman, Ashdautas, and lots more.

This is a very short EP, featuring just three songs and lasting less than ten minutes.  But the songs here are a better introduction to the band than their track from the compilation.  The production is a little better, still not great, but it is much easier to hear everything that is going on.  And part of that is a massive wall of sound featuring clanging drums and a tornado of riffs.  The best moments though are the slightly softer ones at the beginning of "Southern Rules Supreme" where the band utilizes indigenous elements like flutes and whooping vocals.  These lead into some tribal drumming patterns that helps make that track a standout.

This is an impressive release, though it is far too short to truly recommend it.  I will have to track down their album from last year.  If it builds on these ideas, it could be truly impressive.