From Bandcamp, “TZOMPANTLI have again been summoned from the smoke of the ancient fires with a new offering at the altar of human sacrifice, “Beating the Drums of Ancestral Force.” Fearsomely brutal marches of war-like, percussive Death Metal are contrasted with melancholy passages of longing spirit and entrancing ceremonial invocations to the ancestors. The tribe has greatly expanded on this second album with 10+ musicians enlisted in the conjuring of wrathful deities and collection of invader skulls.”

“Tetzahutil” is the first song. The Death Metal sound permeates everything, with horrid, guttural vocals, and a slow, punishing pace, but there are no melancholic passages whatsoever, and the leads are all over the place. “Tlayohualli” has a similar sound, with much of the music stemming from the open E chord. “Tlaloc Icuic” is shorter, and some of the band’s ancestry comes through on this song, with chanted, clean vocals, as well as clean guitars. The overall mood is quite somber. “Chichimecatl” reverts back to the previous sound of open chords and guttural vocals, and so far, the band isn’t doing a lot to distance themselves from their peers.

“Tetzaviztli” begins with tribal drumming—and we are not hearing more of the band’s personality as it relates to their heritage. But, the Death Metal blows follow soon after, and it’s another lackluster song. “Otlica Mictlan” has some faster parts, but they are few and far between, and it’s clear at this point that the band isn’t going to bring much else to the table. “Icnocuicatl” closes the album, and it’s the longest on the album, but again, doesn’t offer much variety. Overall, I found the album lacking in a few categories, most notably, melody, which they advertised as part of the intro. Too many of the songs had the exact same vibe for me.