Death metal is a subgenre of extreme metal characterized by its aggressive, fast-paced sound, often featuring growled or screamed vocals, heavy guitar riffs, and complex drumming. Its appeal lies in its raw energy and cathartic nature, offering a way for listeners to release pent-up emotions. Fans are drawn to the technical skill required to play the intricate rhythms and fast tempos, as well as the intensity of the performances. The dark themes, often exploring death, decay, and existential questions, provide a sense of escapism for some, while the sheer heaviness of the music creates an adrenaline-fueled experience.
If you’re a fan of the genre, there’s a new album out by Blood Incantation worth noting.
Blood Incantation is an American death metal band from Denver, Colorado formed in 2011. Their new album Absolute Elsewhere is the sound of a star being born. (another side, 2024)
“The Stargate” Side One: A violent storm invokes the familiar before a grand cosmic key turn for a hint of sweeping scope to come with spiritual acknowledgement and accompaniment by Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning on synths on the song’s second tablet. Musically as violent as it is mediative, with subtle spoken passages flitting between Nicklas Malmqvist’s (Hällas) busy synthesizer keys and Mellotron strings invoking both the modern and ancient, and it is all given sharp focus by Arthur Rizk’s powerfully dynamic and enveloping mix. Blood Incantation depart Extreme Metal’s traditionally antiquated waystation, warping their way towards “Genre of One” stature, as “The Stargate” intones the disembodiment of consciousness itself, careening through the stargate towards Samsara-like reincarnation, punctuated by the occasional growl from Sijjin/ex-Necros Christos main man, Malte Gericke.
“The Message” Side Two: A step through doorways of unearthly beauty, playfulness, quirk and horror. As if David Gilmour jams beside Chick Corea and Trey Azagthoth melting together through psychedelic hyperspace, eliciting mystical vibes and a tangible metaphysical transcendence. Dalos briefly reengages with this track in his native language, alongside star-riding Malmqvist, whose iconic synth/keys work throughout the album adds to the unearthly atmospherics that with Absolute Elsewhere defines a new musical epoch for Blood Incantation, as much as 21st century Metal itself.
In total the piece hovers at nearly 45 minutes, their longest full length recording yet, the album’s two movements are as confounding as they are engaging, exponentially expanding upon the formulas laid down by their scene-shattering debut Starspawn (2016) and landmark follow up Hidden History of the Human Race (2019).
For inspiration, the group looked to the mid-70s progressive rock collective, Absolute Elsewhere as the album’s namesake. For the uninitiated, Absolute Elsewhere’s obscure 1976 album, In Search of Ancient Gods, was constructed as a musical accompaniment to the works of Chariots of the Gods author, Erich Von Daniken, and his theories of non-terrestrial humanoid prompts towards mankind’s evolution. The subject matter of which should serve as no surprise to anyone familiar with Blood Incantation’s cosmically philosophical leanings. But make no mistake, the four musicians working under the Blood Incantation banner for the past decade – guitarist and vocalist Paul Riedl, drummer Isaac Faulk, guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky and bassist Jeff Barrett – have successfully left the microgravity of genre behind and are re-writing the Rosetta Stone of extreme music with a new language entirely.
Absolute Elsewhere is available from Century Media. Its physical version features a 73 minute feature film All Gates Open: In Search Of Absolute Elsewhere which tells the story of their time in Berlin during the summer of 2023, while recording at the legendary Hansa Studios. It is available on Blu-Ray with the album’s deluxe media book package and includes the documentary’s original soundtrack, All Gates Open (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) which includes 60 minutes of exclusive new music distinct from the new album.
This special edition will also include Blood Incantation’s 2023 maxi-single, “Luminescent Bridge” for the first time ever on CD, and of course, Absolute Elsewhere in both standard and Dolby Atmos / 5.1 mixes, alongside exclusive liner notes, exclusive interviews, behind the scenes photos and a forward by Ross Dolan of Immolation. Underscoring the classic Progressive Rock vibe, the album is adorned with contemporary visionary paintings by the iconic and reclusive 70s Sci-Fi artist Steve R. Dodd.
Blood Incantation sets out on an extensive North American tour crossing both coasts and more with support from Midwife. All tickets are on sale now here. A full list of dates is available online.
Blood Incantation Absolute Elsetour Dates:
Nov 27: Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall ~
Nov 29: Montreal, QC – Fairmount ~
Nov 30: Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace ~
Dec 01: Detroit, MI – Magic Stick ~
Dec 03: Chicago, IL – Metro ~
Dec 04: Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line ~
Dec 05: Omaha, NE – Bourbon Theater ~
~ w/ Midwife
Early Praise For Absolute Elsewhere:
“the metal album of the year” NPR
“an amazing, proggy, thrilling death metal epic” The Needle Drop
“This album is the work of a band who have proven themselves capable of anything. It belongs on the shelf alongside Pestilence’s ‘Testimony Of The Ancients and Spheres’, The Orb’s ‘UFOrb’ and Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’. It’s a goddamn masterpiece.” The Wire
“the ultimate Blood Incantation album” Brooklyn Vegan
SA Examiner 