BLOOD INCANTATION Vinyl & CDs

Review: There's arguably few modern bands pushing and expanding the confines of death metal like Denver, Colorado based genre provocateurs, Blood Incantation.

Combining intricate tech-death stylings with psychedelic, prog-rock passages all awash in sci-fi hues led to 2019's 'Hidden History of the Human Race', landing on several end of year lists.

The much anticipated follow up, 'Timewave Zero', is a purposeful 180 from their formula, eschewing vocals, riffs and malevolence for ambient, synth-based science fiction psychedelia akin to latter day Tangerine Dream.

It may seem a perplexing departure, but one the group have envisioned since prior to releasing their 'Starspawn' debut in 2016. Continuing to carve out their own path, and craft a solely unique vision may lose some riff-raff semi-fans, but those willing to follow Blood Incantation on their ever unfolding cosmic journey, have just been handed the keys to the unknown.

Review: "Murky Tech Death" was how one critic thought best to describe Blood Incantation. It's not hard to hear what they meant on this 2015 EP from the death metal outfit. It's riff-y but in a mathematical and angular kind of way, with nods to futurism also evident in the lyrical themes that look skywards, beyond the stratosphere, and into the great unknown which humankind still can barely reach due to the limitations of our own technological forward march.

There are moments here so complex the art of listening itself becomes something of an exact science - the lead guitar crescendos of 'Obfuscating The Linear Threshold' for example. Or the rhythmic propulsion of 'Hovering Lifeless'. The result is a masterclass of heavy, doom-y noise that packs musicality and drama into all four tracks.