Kuxan Suum - Kuxan Suum

Artist: Kuxan Suum 

Album: Kuxan Suum

Label: Crepusculo Negro

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Genre: Black Metal

Kuxan Suum are an entity of the Black Twilight Circle. This release is a compilation, comprising of Kuxan Suum's debut offering "Kinich Ahua", as well as their contribution to the Odour of Rot and Dust compilation, "Principle of Harmonic Resonance" released by Rhinocervs. The band embrace Mayan mythology and astrology, perfectly embodying the vastness of the cosmos with their sharp and droning psychedelic black metal. 

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Axeman - Arrive

Artist: Axeman

Album: Arrive

Label: Crepuscolo Negro

Year: 2010

Country: USA

Genre:  Metal/Crust

Axeman are an entity of the Black Twilight Circle. Another solo project from group leader Volahn, Axeman's debut demo is a glimpse into the darkness of the Mayan underworld. Taking inspiration from Amebix and 80's Brazilian black metal, Arrive is a violent display of total 80's metal perfection. From the frenzied riffs, kosmic atmosphere, and whirlwind shredding solos, this debut shows incredible promise. Hopefully a proper full-length is on the horizon, as this is Axeman's only proper release to date.

Worship Black Twilight

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Gyibaaw - Ancestral War Hymns

Artist: Gyibaaw

Album: Ancestral War Hymns

Label: Self-Released

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

Genre: Death/Black Metal

Gyibaaw were a death/black metal band from Prince George, British Columba, Canada; active from 2006-2012. Their name translates to "wolf" in S'malygax, and the band incorporates their Tsimshian heritage into their lyrics and aesthetic. The band considers their style "Tsimshian/Gitskan War Metal", a fitting name as this album is a fury of savage black/death that will have you ready to whoops some colonizers ass. The band also incorporates indigenous flutes into their songs and the album ends with an instrumental ritual. It's a shame Gyibaaw was not active longer because this album is a milestone not only in indigenous metal but war metal as well.

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Xibalba Itzaes - In Lucescitae Tristis Hiei

Artist: Xibalba Itazes

Album: In Lucescitae

Label: Self-Released

Year: 1992

Country: Mexico

Genre: Black Metal

Xibalba Itazes are black metal band based out of Mexico City. Xibalba are the first black metal band to incorporate Ancient Mexican imagery and narratives to their music. Their name is adopted from the name of underworld in Kiche Mayan mythology. This debut demo is 1st wave black metal perfection, complete with primitive and blood-hungry riffing and Mayan inspired blasphemies screamed in Latin. This is mandatory listening.

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VOLAHN - DIMENSIÓNES DEL TRANCE KÓSMICO

Artist: Volahn

Album: Dimensiónes del Trance Kósmico

Label: Crepúsculo Negro

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Genre: Black Metal

Volahn is a one-man black metal band from Los Angeles, California. Volahn's sole member, Eduardo Ramirez, is the leader of the Black Twilight Circle, a collective of Pre-Columbian artists who largely create black metal inspired by their indigenous heritage. This is Volahn's debut offering of ritual kaos, an exalting journey that transcends time and space.  

Worship Black Twilight

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Introduction

Hails

Decolonize Heavy Metal is a blog I decided to set up to archive true heavy metal created by bands with members from or descended from communities affected by settler colonialism. This includes groups that simply feature indigenous members as well as groups who make indigenous identity a primary aspect of their band. 

We will not, however, support non-indigenous bands appropriating indigenous art and history for aesthetic purposes, nor shall we support bands that hide anti-semitic and national socialist rhetoric under the mask of indigenous pride.  

Thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

-S.F.