Ixtlan!

[lavaniegosII]

Yup, the logo reminds me of early Pink Floyd. For me, that's always a plus.

Viaje a Ixtlan totally blew me away. Love the drums - at times they've got that beautiful jazzy feel to them. Give your drummer more jazz to listen to and he'll surprise you, just don't allow him to use just basic drumming patterns. Some of the passages are quite inventive. Jazz ftw!

The song flows beautifully and it'd be great if I understood a word of the language, but that's my fault, not yours.

The vocals are too loud (when compared to the other instruments) and lack practice - I was under the impression that the singer knew her stuff, but wasn't used to this kind of thing. She needs to immerse herself more in the songs. Then again, that's something that comes with time. She's definitely on the right track, though.

The guitars could've been a bit louder, but that's the guitarist in my complaining.

The thing that would've made the songs much better for me is different lyrics. Not sure if I'm talking about the same lyrics in English (so I could sing along) or about a different set altogether, with more down-to-earth themes and images... I've just got that nagging something something feeling in the back of my head. Ignore it. It's not a musical flaw, it's just a random thought you shouldn't pay attention to. The most important thing is that, even though the lyrics aren't my cup of tea, I still like them and they don't detract from the music at all. That's a win if I ever so one.

After listening to the songs a few times, I wholeheartedly support the current logo

You guys play a blend of 70es prog mixed with metal and the logo highlights the prog elements. As I love prog,

Wow, that is what i called a "critic". I totally agree with everything. Yes, the singer is new in this business of singing but we picked her because she has a big pressence and potential, but is kind of locked deep in her (we are working on her to unlock).

[lavaniegosII]

Now we have a Remaster version of AXIS MUNDI, and I think sounds better. Now you can hear some choirs of me and the drummer :p. You can download it from here:


http://www.zshare.net/audio/64593360546ffa

[lavaniegosII]

Finally we finished the Demo and now is uploaded in the Myspace.

Please check the web and listen the songs and feel free to make critics!:

www.myspace.com/iixtlan

[Persephone]

Hej lava!

I promise I will listen to it as soon as I am out of pinkfloyd-like mood! Cause I am very curious about whole stuff! I liked some things You have already posted so...

[lavaniegosII]

Hej lava!

I promise I will listen to it as soon as I am out of pinkfloyd-like mood! Cause I am very curious about whole stuff! I liked some things You have already posted so...

Okey , I'll be waiting for your comment.

[Persephone]

Hej!

So I've gotta finally founda some time to listen to the music on myspace (including Ixtlan add)

I have to say that I liked a lot the beginning of song "La hora del Nagual" then "Axis Mundi" (this is the track I liked before!) and adore the "Opus Nigrum intro" (omg the drums! and the sounds in backround  )... cause this kind of music puts me in a bit another state of mind (:
The girl has very nice voice but sometimes I find her in singing a bit standoffish from the rest of the music... I mean - I would expect a bit more enthusiasm... stronger experience to the singing.

And of course, I like the band name and such... Juan Matus etc... great theme for band.
I have read something around this stuff and - to be honest some thnings helped me a lot

For me is big disadvantage that I do not understand the lyrics. If I could "understand" the music - it would be much better - cause now I just listen to nice music but I cannot get the the message (:


Btw. when the band's first CD is out I want it with all autographs! 


Kris

[The One]

Btw. when the band's first CD is out I want it with all autographs! 

Good request... I want one too!

[lavaniegosII]

Hej!

So I've gotta finally founda some time to listen to the music on myspace (including Ixtlan add)

I have to say that I liked a lot the beginning of song "La hora del Nagual" then "Axis Mundi" (this is the track I liked before!) and adore the "Opus Nigrum intro" (omg the drums! and the sounds in backround  )... cause this kind of music puts me in a bit another state of mind (:
The girl has very nice voice but sometimes I find her in singing a bit standoffish from the rest of the music... I mean - I would expect a bit more enthusiasm... stronger experience to the singing.

And of course, I like the band name and such... Juan Matus etc... great theme for band.
I have read something around this stuff and - to be honest some thnings helped me a lot

For me is big disadvantage that I do not understand the lyrics. If I could "understand" the music - it would be much better - cause now I just listen to nice music but I cannot get the the message (:


Btw. when the band's first CD is out I want it with all autographs! 


Kris

Wow, nice critic. Yes, the singer is kind of new in this stuff so that's why she's not yet envolved with our music at all, but we know that in a few months she will fit as well as we do. Now I've translate all lyrics to English so you can understand a little bit more. The songs are based on Carlos Castaneda spiritual system but also with the Draconian Current. We use the concept of Nagual and the Dragon as the same thing (they are beyond everything, light an darkness, time and space, good and evil, etc).

[Persephone]

Very nice Lava! Thank You!
I am happy to have such band "near" me

I really love that idea! 

Yes, I can understand. I think that the girl will be envolved more soon. It is just a question of time. This happens to every singer I guess. (:

[Sirius13]

Finally we finished the Demo and now is uploaded in the Myspace.

Please check the web and listen the songs and feel free to make critics!:

www.myspace.com/iixtlan

Hey! Loads of potential there...  I really enjoyed these compositions! 

La hora del Nagual:  Hints of classic nothingface-era voivod in the guitars, mixed with the more eclectic latin elements of the Organization.  ...hmmm, but this is just hints of what it reminds me of - your stuff is very original in its own right.  I like the singer, she could be really good - as you say, she maybe is currently not as opened up as she could be, but her voice has a good tone - I like it!    I like the chorus of voices too.  They work well.  I like the overall feel of this song very much.

Viaje a Ixtlan:  Good use of the chorus of voices again in this song - I don't like it as much as La hora....  but it's still good stuff.  Could the singer do with some additional FX maybe?  just a little delay or some compression to smooth out the mix. I dunno.

Axis Mundi:  This is a really great tune!!  ...lots of interesting twists and turns - the intro riff is really classic-thrash-cool, the song never loses interest, I like the strong section around 2 minutes in (at first I wasn't sure of the mix here, but it's grown on me) - love the change of pace for the second part of the song, great mood here.

Opus Nigrum intro:  Well, it's an intro - fine, no probs.


Sure, maybe some production values could be improved - but that is not so important, that can easily be achieved....  Overall, the most exciting thing about you guys is that you genuinely have something there that is original within your compositions - the band has a distinctive identity, and it makes for a enjoyable listening experience....   and as for the singer...  I like her voice a lot - I think she will prove to be a great asset.
 
You have 2 songs that are great, one average (and an intro).  Most demos I hear are shite, so you're well ahead of the game!    I hope you are sending this demo far and wide to try and get a deal - because some forward-thinking label ought to snap you up.  Seriously, thanks for the link, I enjoyed it, best of luck with your music I believe it deserves to be heard by a wider audience. 

EDIT:  And to disagree with Nighthawk - I like the lyrics!  I don't know what they mean, but that doesn't matter - they sound right.  I don't think I'd like it as much if you sang in English (and that from an Englishman  )

[lavaniegosII]

Finally we finished the Demo and now is uploaded in the Myspace.

Please check the web and listen the songs and feel free to make critics!:

www.myspace.com/iixtlan

Hey! Loads of potential there...  I really enjoyed these compositions! 

La hora del Nagual:  Hints of classic nothingface-era voivod in the guitars, mixed with the more eclectic latin elements of the Organization.  ...hmmm, but this is just hints of what it reminds me of - your stuff is very original in its own right.  I like the singer, she could be really good - as you say, she maybe is currently not as opened up as she could be, but her voice has a good tone - I like it!    I like the chorus of voices too.  They work well.  I like the overall feel of this song very much.

Viaje a Ixtlan:  Good use of the chorus of voices again in this song - I don't like it as much as La hora....  but it's still good stuff.  Could the singer do with some additional FX maybe?  just a little delay or some compression to smooth out the mix. I dunno.

Axis Mundi:  This is a really great tune!!  ...lots of interesting twists and turns - the intro riff is really classic-thrash-cool, the song never loses interest, I like the strong section around 2 minutes in (at first I wasn't sure of the mix here, but it's grown on me) - love the change of pace for the second part of the song, great mood here.

Opus Nigrum intro:  Well, it's an intro - fine, no probs.


Sure, maybe some production values could be improved - but that is not so important, that can easily be achieved....  Overall, the most exciting thing about you guys is that you genuinely have something there that is original within your compositions - the band has a distinctive identity, and it makes for a enjoyable listening experience....   and as for the singer...  I like her voice a lot - I think she will prove to be a great asset.
 
You have 2 songs that are great, one average (and an intro).  Most demos I hear are shite, so you're well ahead of the game!    I hope you are sending this demo far and wide to try and get a deal - because some forward-thinking label ought to snap you up.  Seriously, thanks for the link, I enjoyed it, best of luck with your music I believe it deserves to be heard by a wider audience. 

EDIT:  And to disagree with Nighthawk - I like the lyrics!  I don't know what they mean, but that doesn't matter - they sound right.  I don't think I'd like it as much if you sang in English (and that from an Englishman  )

Excellent review! A detail observation of the music with interesting points of analisis. We also think that singing in English will lose potential, but also we think may be to record one song in English for expand the audience. We are very interest in promoving are music everywhere, we are working for something big. We don't have a contract or a deal but we'll have it (we hope). This music is the result and the expression of my being so I found myself very grateful with interesting points of view of it.

Exactly, "Viaje a Ixtlan" is average because it was the first song we made.

Soon I'll post what does the music means so you can understand more or less why the lyrics are that way.

S.A.N.

[lavaniegosII]

Opus Nigrum: This was my first experience using synth, so is kind of an experiment. The song represent the ancient musical methods for trance and meditation. The guitar represents the will of the shaman, magician, etc. The whispers of "Nagual" is a kind of Galdr.

Viaje a Ixtlan: The first part with acousitc guitars represent the beggining of the journey. Is the falling in to the unknown. The introduce of the synth is the explotion of nothingness from the void which starts the magic experience with the distortion. The next high and low changes represent the constant movement of the energy experience in the journey. The flute represents the power of the wind (the wind is the representation of the Nagual in ancient Mexico) that envolves the magician. The guitar solo with the dragon/nagual invocaiton choir  is the self-secrifice, the giving. At the end, new source of inspiration arise and everything turns chill. This part is when the magician assumes and recognize the journey will never end, is a constant fight in the quest of knowledge.

Axis Mundi : Heavy beggining for a heavy descending. This is the journey through the high and low spheres. I assume you can feel the experience.

La hora del Nagual: Is the time for lurking. The guitars represent the lucid state of being in the other reality. Then the rock part starts with the keyboard. This is the expression of the comic side of the Nagual (desatinoi controlado = control blunder?). The 2nd part, starts with the heavy bass and the rythm drum. This is the time of action. The low part with the choirs is the climax of the hour of Nagual. The illuminate state of the seer. This song is the anthithesis of thinking. Is the wild side of the existence.

[Persephone]

Thank You for great comment Lava (:

[lavaniegosII]

Here is a link of a video playing alive. Bad quality but you can see more or less how we play alive.

The song isn't recorded and it's called "Caos"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzz8n-geePg

[lavaniegosII]

Here is a link to a video i've made of La hora del Nagual song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXNSsdXtsus


And this is another link of a video i've made making wood necklace (with eloy and therion songs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEFlhU6BQGc

[lavaniegosII]

Hello dear folks!

We have uploaded an English version of the song Axis Mundi. This version included featured another instruments, like the Flute and the Derbake drum. Also we uploaded a new recorded song called Cáos (more progressive stuff).

I hope you´ll enjoy it



Úmpa Lavaniegos

(this are 2 pictures from the winter solstice)

[Sirius13]

Hey Lava - thanks for the update, I checked it out - I gotta say I really enjoyed Cáos, what a great track!  Once again, original, consistently interesting, entertaining... 

[lavaniegosII]

Thank you for listening the songs!. Cáos is mi favourite Ixtlán song and it was the first song we made as a team. Everybody contributed to making the song.

[lavaniegosII]

The songs where removed from the myspace, but here are the links for dowloading.

Renacer del Sol Negro ( The rebirth of the black sun) - This a tribute to heavy metal sound.

http://rapidshare.com/files/179122337/01_Renacer_del_sol_negro.wma.html

Cáos - The best song of Ixtlán for me.

http://rapidshare.com/files/179095278/02_C_os.wma.html
 
Axis Mundi (English Version) - Featuring Derbake and flute solo!

http://rapidshare.com/files/179100411/03_Axis_Mundi__english_version_.wma.html

[The One]

Thanks for the downloads Lava!
Those are great songs... And I hear some hinting to Therion.