Death metal is something that is so vast and explorative that it never ceases to amaze me what all the style it capable of across its many incarnations, and it’s sci-fi themed death metal that is slowly rising to become a formidable source of excellence from the style the likes of which few can deny when it comes to its power. It’s bands like Blood Incantation that get all the attention with the subject, but it’s here with this glorious split that we get four names that are more than worthy of recommendation.

This is easily one of those splits that shouldn’t be considered a true collaboration between all four bands since it simply doesn’t feel or even sound like that’s the case, but, rather, “Chasm of Aeons” is the sort of piece to stand as a testament of everything that sci-fi death metal can, should, and will be when we consider the standards for the sound in the future. Each of these four bands bring something to the table with their own takes on death metal that are no less than tantalizing to eat right up at none are exactly the same by any standards with the only consistent between them all being the style and theme. It enables “Chasm of Aeons” to be an excellent checklist of sorts since we can go down the list of everything that a good performance of sci-fi death metal needs in every iteration, and each act here delivers them in some form to let this split become something that’s no less than incredible right from the beginning. It’s after diving into what all four acts have to offer that I find myself wanting to dive deeper into their respective material in order to find what they’re truly capable of, and if it’s even an inkling of what’s to be found throughout “Chasm of Aeons” then it’s sure to be stupendous all the way around.

While far from a collaborative effort and something that should be noted as a brilliant display of what sci-fi death metal is capable of, every band that’s featured here is more than worthy of having a sharp eye kept on all of them from here on out. There’s much more going on within the confines of “Chasm of Aeons” that I suggest it for any person who finds themselves curious about what the interstellar reaches of death metal has to offer, for there isn’t a single one of these offerings that can or should be considered anywhere near unnoteworthy.

“Chasm of Aeons” releases on November 27th!

LISTEN to “Chasm of Aeons” on Bandcamp here.