Continuing Southern Lord's impressive recent run of great hardcore records is Hasta La Muerte, the second effort from California's Xibalba. Sludgy and heavy, this is an absolute beast of an album with a punishing lower end somewhat akin to being thrown about on a particularly violent rollercoaster, and just as much fun. As the title suggests, there are definite Hispanic influences running throughout, placing Xibalba somewhere between Sepultura, Crowbar and Poison Idea – this is some evil and dirty stuff.

Hasta La Muerte is a relentless listen that doesn't let up for an instant; even the more droney passages in 'The Flood' and the nine minute monstrosity 'Lujuria' have such an intrinsic sense of menace; the tribal drumming underpinning them has the air of an ancient sacrificial ritual, and you're the offering. Despite the obvious comparisons with the bands that have influenced them, Xibalba are doing something new, something different, something brilliant.

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