Last couple of Xibalba releases haven’t really hit home for me, so it’s nice to spin their latest and find that it totally lands. In terms of sound, it’s a broad continuation of where things were before and where they’ve always been (i.e early 90s death metal forcibly colliding with late 90s metalcore), but the band seem to have struck a far more satisfying balance. Things roil, churn and chug just as you’d want them to, but the belligerent, head-down-and-run attack has now been offset by a newfound sense of space. This means you can grab a scorching lungful of air, run your tongue over your chipped teeth and click your nose back into place before charging headlong back into the bloodthirsty fray. Also notable are the doom-outs to be found towards the album’s end – mournful, melodic sections that recall the luxuriant sorrow of Morgion or Asunder, and pose interesting questions as to where Xibalba might be headed next.
