Sons of Tonatiuh
S/T
(Self-Released)
Hailing from the sticky sweet region of Atlanta comes the lumbering, guitar-heavy metal of Sons of Tonatiuh. And while we'll dispense with the quick lesson on Aztec deities or the nuances and complexities of the Nahuatl language, just know that this is good, brutal metal the way the Sun gods intended it to be. Uh huh!
Since its formation in 2008, the band has released two stellar demos and this first full-length effort does not disappoint.
From the screamo death antics of opener "To The Throne" to the chugging, cymbal-heavy follower "Den of Thieves," the Sons of Tonatiuh have a firm grasp of metal craft. There are blast beats here, droning guitars, psychedelic solos, jazzy intros, moments of unrestrained hardcore, a little bit of power violence, and a thick rhythm section.
"Consumed" does not eat itself, it consumes you. And "Adam & Evil" might have some bizarre misogynistic undertones, but I believe the joke's on Christianity and not women's suffrage.
The back half of the disc keeps it going like a good B-side should with "Chain Up the Masses," "Oracle," and "From Ashes" before the closer "The Artifact" turns in minced particles of everything that preceded it. It even has a stoner feel à la Electric Wizard or Bongzilla crossed with some straight-up hardcore rage out of Capitalist Casualties and Japanese icons Gauze.
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