by Kenneth Morton

One of the finest death metal bands on the local Los Angeles music scene today, Mictlantecuhtli has just unleashed their second collection of brutality entitled Warriors Of The Black Sun. Now completing their first decade of existence, the band with the difficult moniker is gaining a good deal of recognition and notoriety within the City of Angels and beyond.

Here is a recent interview we conducted with the Aztec Metal Warriors of Mictlantecuhtli…

Why did you guys pick such an insanely difficult name to pronounce for your band? Do you get tired of listening to people mutilate your band name when they try to say it? What does the name mean?
Tlaloc: Mictlantecuhtli means death in the language of the Aztecs (Nahuatl). We chose this name because it best suits us and it encompasses the music and atmosphere we wish to create. Not to mention the obvious cultural connection we have with it. We knew long ago that choosing this name would lead to people having difficulty pronouncing the name. This did not discourage us from using it, as we believed that those that felt a connection with our music would put forth the effort to master it. We have heard our fair share of mispronunciations of it and never grow tired of it. It is always interesting hearing these and sometimes we get a few creative ones. It can be quite humorous and we are sure that we will stick in people’s minds regardless of their ability to say our name.

What is your opinion of the Los Angeles metal scene and how does Mictlantecuhtli fit into the scene of things?
Tlaloc: The Los Angeles metal scene has grown in numbers since our inception and continues to grow. The scene is much larger now than 10 years ago. Sometimes this can be a disadvantage as people have so many show options that one night you may get tons of support and on another night not quite as much. Despite that, the scene has grown quite strong. Mictlantecuhtli is merely one part of this great scene. We appreciate our place in it as awarded to us by our peers and fans alike. We love Los Angeles!

It’s been four years since the first CD. How frustrating was it to wait so long to record the second one?
Tlaloc: We cannot begin to explain how frustrating it has been. Between CDs we lost a guitarist and took quite a while finding a new one. The tedious process greatly delayed the release of Warriors of the Black Sun. We are relieved that the CD is finally out and we can get on to making more music and unleashing our sound on audiences live.

Is there any story or concept behind the CD title Warriors of the Black Sun?
Temoc: There is definitely a concept behind Warriors of the Black Sun. It is a progression from the first album. This album tells the tale of the warrior fighting for his tribe. The warrior selflessly gives his body and soul for the tribe. Many obstacles are overcome and he lives to become an emperor.

How long have you been into Aztec culture and how do you think you would fare living in the time of the Aztecs?
Temoc: You can be fascinated with ancient cultures such as that of the Aztecs. For us, we are a part of it and have strong roots that connect us directly to our ancestors. It is difficult to say how one would fair in those times. Being familiar with those times would help a bit, but for someone from a completely different era it would prove to be very troublesome.

How does this new CD compare to your previous release?
Tlaloc: The two CDs are distinct and serve as a record of Mictlantecuhtli’s journey as a band. This CD solidifies our style and is more methodically thought out in terms of overall production. Warriors of the Black Sun is the next phase in our history. It follows our debut Pillars of Silence conceptually and begins to piece together our catalog of works.

Pick a few of the songs on the CD and tell me what inspired them lyrically?
Tlaloc: Let’s start off with the opening track, Night of Sorrow. This song was inspired and is loosely based on the story of the night when the Aztecs fought valiantly and decimated the invading forces. Kingdom’s Fire is inspired by the great mental struggles that we all face. In this song, the warrior deals with tremendous physical and mental strain. He fights bravely with the aura of his people guiding him. Crowned Under a Black Sun is the final track of the CD. This song was inspired by the very name of the band. It wraps up the CD by ultimately completing its story as well as foreshadowing. The emperor is crowned beneath the darkened skies.

What was it like playing with the legendary Entombed at Murderfest? Did you get to meet them?
Temoc: It was a great experience! We had a great time sharing the stage with legends like Entombed. Unfortunately, we did not get to meet them. It is very hard to find people in a festival like Murderfest. Everyone is running around backstage and we also respect the fact that they need their space.

What about Immortal? What was it like doing a show with them and were they cool guys?
Temoc: Playing with Immortal was awesome! It was especially great since it was their first US appearance and we were still in high school at the time. We briefly got to speak to them outside the venue before they were to go on. Those guys are really down to earth. They even made fun of the fact that in Norway, much like here; teachers get paid shitty salaries, as some of their family members are educators back in Norway.

What could one expect from a live Mictlantecuhtli show?
Tlaloc: The thing we enjoy the most about playing metal is playing it live. We thrive off of the audience’s energy. We go out to have a great time and want everyone there to have one too. From the start of the show, the energy grows to a climactic finish. It might sound blown out of proportion, but the only way for you to really know is to be there yourself. We aim to give everyone, regardless of whether or not they came to see us, their money’s worth.

Have you ever done a full on tour of the States or Europe? If so, how did it go?
Tlaloc: We have played a few scattered shows around the US. As far as a tour goes, we have only done a small west coast tour of the US. That had moderate success, as we were relatively unknown to most cities we played. It was a great learning experience and lots of fun. We have not played overseas, but are anxiously waiting for our opportunity to do so.

What advice would you give to young metal bands just starting out?
Tlaloc: I would advise young metal bands to go out and have lots of fun. At the same time, they must analyze their personal situation and decide whether this is for them. Playing in a metal band is not like picking up your favorite game console and following the lights on the screen. Once you get a taste of the good and bad that comes with it, you will know if it is right for you. If it is, give it your all. If it is not, step aside and give someone else a shot.

What’s up next for Mictlantecuhtli?
Temoc: We are working on new material for the follow-up to this CD. We are also working on getting some more shows set up as well as tours for the future. We are also searching for labels to reach a bigger audience as well as audiences abroad.

Any final words of wisdom?
Temoc: Pick up a copy of Warriors of the Black Sun through our online store by visiting our MySpace page. Keep metal alive and continue supporting the local scene. Without it, lots of us would not be here. Thanks and hails!

Mictlantecuhtli links

Mictlantecuhtli on Myspace: The Official Myspace Page for Mictlantecuhtli!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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