Band:	Tenochtitlan
Album:	Epoch Of The Fifth Sun
Style:	Ambient Folk, Neofolk, Doom metal
Release date:	September 30, 2005
A review by:	Jeff

01. Venus Rising (Intro)
02. Sun Winds
03. 1 366 560
04. Secrets Of Pacal And Virakochi
05. Ye Cham-Zl A-Em-Aan
06. Teotihuacan
07. Morning Chosts Of Tikal
08. Roads To Kopan
09. The Hymn Of Huitzilopochtli

Tenochtitlan doesn't come from Mexico but from Russia. This virtual project is born after four Russian musicians (who are all in their own bands) decided to write an album about the Incas' and Aztecs' civilizations. Released in 2005, "Epoch Of The Fifth Sun" is the first album of the project, and if you like Doom but also "Ethno" and "ambient" music I'm sure that you'll love this album.

Tenochtitlan plays really elitist music, their mix of Doom and "Ethno" music is definitely not so easy to access. Some people like me will love it, some others will hate it without any doubt, but for sure there is something special with this band and I believe that a lot of people will be able to like this album if they just try to understand it. "Epoch Of The Fifth Sun" is not so Metal on a side, I mean that except the heavy overdriven guitars riffs and soli, all the other sounds come from keyboards, beat box and some others electronic instruments. A song like "Sun Winds" is for me a real masterpiece. Its insistent rhythm with this really impressive repetitive melody, those amazing vocals in Russian (it sounds a bit like if it was a solo produced by a male singer in some choir) and the super guitar riffs are just excellent. On a side it's a bit like a Doom Metal song but with some folk instruments (flutes etc) and with an amazing cold ambience, the strong point of the album in my opinion.

Actually the ambience of "Epoch Of The Fifth Sun" is more than perfect. I mean that if you try to listen to this album, with your Walkman during the night on your bed, I'm ready to bet that you will believe that you're back in the Aztec empire. It's simply genius and since that I got this feeling, you can be sure that it can work! On the other hand, some others songs are pure ambient music. Without any vocals with only some minimalist sounds like winds or rain, or with some percussions, those songs are definitely not so catchy and can be a bit boring if you don't listen to the album from the beginning to the end. But still one more time, it's above all a mater of ambience and with such songs, believe me that the frozen ambience of the album will be really disturbing for a lot of people.

The production is also really good! Well it wasn't so hard to find a great cover when you know the quality of Aztec's frescos, but the sound is really nice and the booklet is really good, full of great pictures and symbols. No really, if you're into this kind of music, this album is among the best surprises of the genre.

Tenochtitlan is a love or hate band but if you like original stuff, you just have to know that you're in front of one of the most original albums of the last ten years. It's not easy to access, especially if you're into classic or old school music, but if you like great ambiences and Doom in general and if you're not afraid by world and ethnic music, I'm sure that you'll love this album. "Epoch Of The Fifth Sun" is a great delicious discovery!