Kuxan Suum: "Tzolk'in"
Kicking things off is a lengthy track by one of the lesser-known bands in the scene. The track starts off with some tribal drumming and flute before violently changing gears into a more traditional black metal sound. There is sort of a weird, jangly guitar tone to the riffs that definitely stands out and the band again transitions into an acoustic section before kicking back in. I will say that this song is certainly unique.
Cempopoloah: "En el Ombligo de la Luna"
This is the only thing I can find that this band ever did. Cempopoloah does not even have a demo out there. This is another lengthy song, but it has a decidedly more raw black metal feel to it. The primary influence is likely Transilvanian Hunger-era Darkthrone and Mayhem, though the vocals are more of a harsh shout than a black metal rasp and the bass is extremely important to the sound. It is sort of a shame that there is nothing else out there by this band. I am intrigued by the sound.
Blue Hummingbird on the Left: "Storm"
It takes a lot for one of these bands to come through with the strangest name, as you will see, but Blue Hummingbird on the Left probably takes the prize. This is one of the more well-known bands and one of the few that is still going strong. They just released a terrific album last year on Iron Bonehead, moving away from the label that has been the backbone of the scene. This is just pure-hateful black metal without much in the way of outside influences. The production is not great, which is disappointing because there seems to be some interesting stuff going on. The drum sound in particular is pretty bad.
The Haunting Presence: "Dead Souls Scream"
Again, we have an extremely rough production and a very raw black metal sound here. The band's name is quite appropriate because this song has an extremely eerie and unsettling feel to it. The savage snarling vocals and occasional animalistic grunts certainly add to the feel. The sound here is otherworldly and the occult death metal riffing style certainly adds to the mystique. I am definitely interested in hearing more from this band.
In Lakech Ala Kin: "Ometeotl"
Like Cempopoloah, this is the only recorded output I have been able to locate from this band. This song has more of a psychedelic feel to the music that is almost hypnotizing early on, before descending into more of a traditional black metal style. The song retains the hypnotic effect throughout even while it is more of a pummeling aural assault.
Muknal: "Bringers of Filth"
This is one of the more death metal-oriented bands on the compilation. The song kicks off with a drum lead-in then absolutely buries the listener beneath crushing riffs. The production could use a bit of work, mostly with the drums which sound kind of like St. Anger's maligned drum sound. But the riffs are damn impressive and this is one of the heavier tracks on the release. With a better drum sound, the song would be that much better.
Dolorvotre: "Upward Spiraling"
More raw black metal here, though with decidedly better production. The lead guitar is a little bit distracting as it is so high in the mix and loud that it is almost ear-piercing. That being said, this is a terrific song that captures the spirit of early 1990's black metal. It is not particularly original-sounding at the beginning, but that is not really a problem. I do like the slower section where the band does kind of stretch the bounds of black metal, with an almost jazz-influenced guitar solo.
Tukaaria: "Nekaroa"
Again, this is an extremely raw-sounding black metal song that is one of the fastest-paced songs on the compilation. This is like Darkthrone played at twice the normal speed, relying on repetitive riffs that are ferocious and aggressive. The star here though is the vocals which sound utterly crazed and insane. There are some truly blood-curdling roars present in this song that gives it that much more of a savage feel to it.
Kampilan: "Battle of Mactan"
And again we have a band who has never released anything outside of their appearance on this compilation. That is sort of weird for the longest song on the album by far. Kampilan stands out from the rest of the bands on here by playing something akin to blackened funeral doom metal during the first half of the song. The first half is extremely slow-moving and utterly menacing. It is the soundtrack to a nightmare, all doom and gloom without a single point of light. It then kicks into another gear without losing any of the hostility. It is a shame there is nothing else out there by Kampilan.
Volahn: "Yaxche"
Ah, here we have one of the two Black Twilight Circle bands I was previously aware of, and the only one of the two to appear on this release. I knew what to expect with Volahn. It was going to be fast and loud, and really chaotic. And this is true. As with the album, the lead guitar seems to be playing something completely different than the rest of the band, but that lends more of a sense of unease to the song. What I was not expecting was for this song to be likely the most melodic on the compilation. And this is one of the more professional production jobs on the album as well, making this song stand out quite a bit.
Kallathon: "Universe of Constant Ages and in the Mist of Eternity"
That song title is a mouthful. This song has a decidedly post-black metal sound to it. It is clearly built around the riffs, but there is so much fluidity to the riffs that it does not feel overly aggressive. The vocals also seem like more of an afterthought than a major part of the song. That is not to say they are not important, but the song may work just as well as an instrumental. Like Volahn, Kallathon's production is impressive, sounding much more like a final product than some of the rawer bands on this compilation.
Shataan: "Born to the Earth, Return Through the Body"
Here is a song that has fully embraced the indigenous sounds of Central and South America. It features flute melodies permeating the entire song, never really going away and playing a major part in the melody of the song. The vocals are delivered in a much cleaner style, moving away from extreme metal styles. The result is a more atmospheric take on black metal with folk elements that seem to be more of the primary element than just used to supplement the sound.
Blood Play: "Screams Transcends"
Just judging by the band name and song title, it is sort of questionable why this band is present. They are yet another band that never released anything else and everything about them screams traditional death metal. The band is made up of members who are in several of these other bands. They do have a more atmospheric take on blackened death metal, with eerie, dissonant guitar tones and banshee shrieking vocals. It is a very interesting sound ultimately, even if it seems somewhat out of place here.
Acualli: "Rites of Mockery"
This is the shortest song on the album. This is another song that is decidedly more death metal-oriented though there are some black metal influences as well. It is more of a take on early black metal bands like Blasphemy that existed somewhere in between death and black metal. The vocals are an impressive growling sneer that is the highlight of the song. Unfortunately this song is just too short to get much out of.
Arizmenda: "Rites of Deconsecration"
I had heard of Arizmenda prior to finding this compilation, though I was not aware they were part of this scene. This song starts off with a lengthy melodic introduction that builds up a spooky atmosphere then turns to a decidedly more aggressive form of black metal with howling, pain-filled vocals. Their sound has much more in common with groups like Leviathan and Xasthur, more of a depressive black metal, than the rawer bands above. Arizmenda is apparently one of the more active bands in the scene though it is a one-man project. This is one of the more dynamic songs on the compilation, and also one of the best.
Axeman: "Ride Into the Night"
Finally, this is the last song on the compilation. With a name like Axeman, one would expect either a guitar virtuoso performance, or a death metal band. What we get is something decidedly more atmospheric that is much more of a slow-burning track, but once it gets going, it is definitely impressive. And yes there is a spectacular guitar solo. The extreme vocals could use a little work, but the riffs and solos make up for them in a big way. The song is a fitting way to close out the compilation as a whole.
There are a number of bands here who truly impressed me. I do have releases from a few of them that are yet to be reviewed here. I think Kampilan and Arizmenda were the groups who impressed me the most. None of the bands were bad in any way, and I would at least entertain the idea of listening to full albums by each one of the bands present. That is a sign of a damn good compilation. And this is one of the better compilations I have picked up in a long time. I certainly recommend it as a good starting point into the Black Twilight Circle scene in particular. Most of the major bands in the scene appear here and all of the songs impress in their own way.
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