Xibalba

 

Mexico is not widely known internationally for producing influential black metal bands. The band you could make the best case for is XIBALBA (now known as Xibalba Itzaes), from the capital city. It was in the early and mid-1990s that this band helped put Mexico on the map when it came to extreme metal.

Brothers Jorge Ah Ektenel and Marco Ek Balam formed Xibalba some time in early 1992 after playing together in deathgrind band Dread. It wasn't long before they recruited their other brother Victor Ehxibchac on bass. While the brothers acknowledge metal influences ranging from Judas Priest and Black Sabbath to Venom and Metallica, Xibalba was about extreme metal that drew on ancient Mayan myths and legends--a far cry from the Satanism of typical death and black metal! 

Here is In Lucescitae Tristis Hiei in its entirety

After only a few months of existence,  Xibalba put out the demo In Lucescitae Tristis Hiei in June of '92. A mix of old school extreme metal and Mayan folk instruments, it was clear that they were trying to do something new. Given that they were named after the underworld of Mayan mythology, this should have come as no surprise.

This demo helped spread their name far and wide in the metal underground. Before long, they were performing shows all over Mexico. Some of these shows were sponsored by label Guttural Records. The band signed with them in order to record their first studio album proper. After struggling to get into the studio (they couldn't find a date that worked for them), they finally recorded their debut album.

"Sign of Eastern War" comes from Xibalba's debut

A true second wave black metal masterpiece, Ah Dzam Poop Ek hit the shelves in 1994. Diving even further into the ancient Mayan worldview with an even heavier folk sound, nothing like this album existed at the time. Where the viking metal bands of Scandinavia drew on pagan beliefs to challenge and upend Christianity's dominance, Xibalba's goal was the same with their focus on Mayan cosmology.

In the wake of this album, they didn't do a lot of touring. They found themselves performing in the same places in and around Mexico City, and they began to notice that the extreme metal scene was filling up with posers and wannabes. This led to the band going on hiatus in the late '90s.

From the Ah Tza EP, this is "Katun"

Shortly after the dawn of the new millenium, the band re-formed with the new name Xibalba Itzaes. This new name was to ensure that they didn't get mixed up with other bands who had the name "Xibalba" (I believe there was a hardcore band with that name who were rising in popularity). That said, they were still a Mayan-inspired, folk-influenced black metal band.

After Guttural Records put out a compilation of Xibalba's old material (2007's Ancients), the band signed with the label Nuclear War Now. Since then, they have remained active and continued to release quality black metal.

Select Discography:

In Lucescitae Tristis Hiei (demo) (1992)

The Crown of Plumes (rehearsal demo) (1994)

Ah Dzam Poop Ek (full-length) (1994

Ancient Blasphemies (split with Avzhia) (1996)

No Life (demo) (1998)

Ancients (compilation) (2007)

Demo 2010 (2010)

Ah Tza! EP (2015)

Ah Tza Xibalba Itzaes (full-length) (2018)

Next time: POCCOLUS

Argentum

An obscure band on the global scale, perhaps, but Mexico's ARGENTUM--from the city of Monterrey--is a major band in that country's black metal scene. I would even go so far to say that only Xibalba Itzaes is more important when it comes to a discussion of Mexican black metal.

Originally formed in 1989 as Burial, like many extreme bands of the late 80s, they played a more death metal-oriented style than black metal. As Burial, they managed to put out a couple of now very hard-to-find demos that showcased their old school sound. But, like many extreme metal bands of this era who were in their early years of existence, Burial experienced several lineup changes that also led to changes in their sound. This, in turn, led to them changing their name to Argentum in 1991.

1993's Matter Misericordiae is the first demo under the name Argentum

Argentum's initial sound still contained elements of death metal, but there was a very mystical, occultic atmosphere to their music. Combining doom metal with this old-school black/death, Argentum had a sound that not too many other bands had at the time (perhaps Mystifier is a fair point of reference?). Their first demo (Matter Misericordiae), above, is a solid example of this sound.

Misericordiae and a live demo later that year (1993) led to Argentum's name becoming more well-known in the underground. Still struggling with finding dedicated musicians, a new demo emerged after additional line-up changes as well as further evolutions in Argentum's sound. On 1994's Exothaernium, Argentum is moving away from the old-school black/death of the Burial years and toward a doom/death style with occultic black metal influences. I would say that the evil mysticism in their sound is reminiscent of some of the slower, more dirge-like elements of classic hellenic black metal.

"Ad postumum" is from Exothaernium 

After their 1994 demo and a noteworthy EP,  Argentum released their true masterpiece: 1996's Ad Interitum Funebrarum. On this album, Argentum's style reached its peak. A doomy, mystical affair that has been compared to Mystifier or even Tiamat, we've got long, gloomy passages with creative keyboard usage. With lots of Latin and eerie vocals, the overall effect is one that calls to mind dark Satanic rituals performed in abandoned temples.

From their 1996 album, this is "Spheram de Tenebras"

After that album, things in the band kind of ground to a halt. They went on hiatus in 1997 before breaking up in 2001. They have, however, re-formed in the past few years and are as prolific as ever.

Select Discography:

Burial  (demo) (1990) (as Burial)

Demo '91 (demo) (1991) (as Burial)

Matter Misericordiae (demo) (1993)

Live in Monterrey (live demo) (1993)

Exothaernium (demo) (1994)

Insious Omnium Rerum EP (1995)

Ad Interitum Funebrarum (full-length) (1996)

Next time: BLACK FUNERAL