Photo by Fred PessaroBlack Twilight Circle mastermind Volahn isn't the sole member of this Southern Californian black metal collective, but his material is consistently the strongest; even his punk band is tight. There's a lot of good to be found in the BTC's discography, but one gets the distinct impressions that several projects involved lack the strength or ideas to stand on their own. At least the driving force behind it is perennially on point; Volahn brings the fire, augmented by his use of Mayan imagery and message of indigenous pride. As the man himself says, "Volahn summons chaotic tones resonating pre-hispanic culture through black metal music hailing death and ancient native gods of evil. Black metal is music of ritualistic evil, let that never be misunderstood. Volahn represents Mayan culture with the entirety of my being immersed in the doctrine of my ancestors."Following this year's split with Blue Hummingbird on the Left, he'll be releasing a new full-length, Aq'ab'al, under his own moniker early next year via a triumverate of labels: Iron Bonehead, The Ajna Offensive, and Crepusculo Negro. Listen to the coal-black cacophony of "Quetzalcoatl" below, and prepare for the oncoming storm.
Aq'ab'al is out 1/9 via Iron Bonehead, The Ajna Offensive, and Crepusculo Negro.Kim Kelly is shivering and wishing she was on the West Coast on Twitter.