Band:	Tenochtitlan
Album:	Tezcatl
Style:	Ambient Folk, Neofolk, Doom metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Nemiliztli & Miquiztli
02. Teokalli
03. Ix Chel
04. Tonatiu Lament
05. Fatal Xihupohualli
06. Lament Ol'antay
07. Kal'yal'yapi
08. Inti Raymi
09. Haa-ma chah'-been-tzil
10. Master of Mayapan
11. Xayacatl
12. Ayhara killa
13. Quetzali Dance
14. Mihtohtli Citlalin
15. Ahau Falls
16. Chanin Tiqsimuyu
17. Tutamantan
18. Icxiohtli
19. Aymarkayi
20. 2012

"Tezcatl" is the album of the return of the really original band Tenochtitlan. Despite its name, Tenochtitlan is not a band from America but from Russia and if you haven't heard yet anything of their discography, you must know that the band plays some kind of ambient progressive Doom Metal. This is really original and unique, a bit special too that's right, but excellent if you like "crazy" music and history (because of course, the music and lyrics are linked to the big central and south American civilizations). One more time "Tezcatl" confirms all the good words that people use to say about the band, their music is not really easy of access but if you're open minded, this new album is a killer one more time.

To begin, let's describe a bit the music of Tenochtitlan. The band uses to plays a mix of ambient Doom Metal with Progressive sonorities. The songs are slow in general even if we can have some mi-tempos tracks sometime. This is not really slow too, we're not in front of a band of funeral Doom but the general ambiance is really "cool" and which will give you a feeling of peace. Yes, the music of Tenochtitlan is "soft" and not really aggressive even if we can have some big riffs some time and even if one of the singers uses to sing with big Death vocals. All in all, "Tezcatl" is a lot more complex than the two previous releases of the band. Sure we still have this "folk-ethno" music composed of traditional flutes and ethnic music a la Dead Can Dance but this time the singers are a lot more present and you'll be able to listen to move lyrics in Russian in general but also in original South American languages like Quechua. This time we even have a female vocalist who is not only a little addition, she uses to sing a lot on the release and her voice give something more to the music of Tenochtitlan. "Tezcatl" is a good release, a bit complex that's right but interesting if you like to listen to unique sounds.

Of course, "Tezcatl" is a bit elitist and all the people who like to listen to music, only to pass good time or to party will not find it really good. But if you like complex progressive sounds and songs which go in a dozen of directions, I'm sure that you'll like this release. The music of Tenochtitlan is really deep, the twenty songs are all really different with of course as always this really cool music which seems to come from the past and from the different ethnicities of the Central and South America (Inca, Maya, Aztec). I don't know how they're able to do it but the guys of Tenochtitlan still know how to create a great atmosphere and even if nobody really know how was the music of these people you'll have the feeling that you're back in the past.

"Tezcatl" is well recorded and well interpreted. This new release confirms that we can still create original music when we want to do it. Of course this is not something commercial but it's good and I hope that Tenochtitlan will still follow this road in the future. Try to listen to this album before that you buy it because honestly it's a bit a hate or love release but if you don't mind Russian lyrics and like cool Progressive Doom mixed with folk-ethnic music, this is a must. You know what to do now; just try to discover the universe of Tenochtitlan and if you like their music you'll have to buy all their albums.