Yes, I know I’m awfully late with this one. It’s been sitting on my desk for some time. This is often a sign that a CD is somewhere in between. Not terrific, not terrible, just in between.
The odd thing about this second release from French deathcore outfit Chabtan is that I didn’t like it much when I first listened to it a few months back. I listened a couple of times and then discarted it. It didn’t sink in at all.
Fast forward to a week or so ago. I get in the car in the morning to go to work, flip the CD into the player (yes, we still receive those silver platters, believe it or not!), and what comes out is all of a sudden powerful and majestic. Effective stuff, brutal stuff, and done with a lot of precision, I notice now.
Since then, ‘The Kiss of Coatlicue’ has enjoyed a number of spins in the CD player and has been appreciated more than I at first reckoned I would. First of all, I like the unveiling of the to me unknown myths of the Aztecs (Coatlicue is apparently the goddess who gave birth to the moon, star and the god of the sun and war – yet again hooray for Wikipedia!). It’s always good to hear about things like these and broaden your horizon a wee bit! Secondly, it is hard not to appreciate the musicianship of the five frenchies and the preciseness with which they work. There is some powerful material on this album, rest assured of that.
The minuses are, because there are some, that there is a slight tendency that some of the songs sound very much alike. You kind of have the feeling that Chabtan could have said what they have to say musically within the space of, say, 35 minutes, rather than 46, and in that way have made an even more impressive album. Also, having now listened more closely to Christofer Roussau’s vocals, it’s great that he shift from screaming/shouting to clean from time to time, but at the same time, I can’t help noticing that his English pronounciation is heavily influenced by his mother tongue. Can be charming, can be annoying depending on your temper. But that is certainly a detail!
In sum; a strong album, although with some repetition. Not bad! A small 8 devils rating heading to France.
Tracklist:
1. The Nahual’s Omen
2. Ixtab
3. Born From Vucub Caquix
4. Astral Monsters
5. Anthropomorphic Beast.
6. The Kiss Of Coatlicue
7. Follow The Darkest Way
8. Ah Puch Reign
9. Reptile
10. Obsidian Butterfly
11. Visions Of The Snake
Playing time: 46:38
Release date: 25th of May, 2015
Label: Mighty Music
Website: www.chabtan.com
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