Experimentation is something that has really gained traction in the realms of extreme metal in recent years. Whereas many wouldn’t venture into those unknown depths given the simple fact that you never know what you’re going to find, there are plenty that actively seek the obscurity of it all as that’s where the envelope of what’s possible in metal is to be truly be found. Tons of acts having been cropping up over the years to show us what all is still possible, and it’s only a matter of time before there’s one that really seems to have a lock on its approach to the point that people immediately gravitate towards the act. In the case of Sacrificial Vein with their debut album, we seem to have a prime example of that very phenomenon.

The best works of experimentation disregard genre boundaries altogether (obviously) where defining traits of a sound don’t matter and the band in question manages to put together a work that feels fluid yet unorthodox and undeniably off-putting more times than not. It’s a simple criteria with the rest of the gaps up to the band in question to fill in with plenty finding their own paths into realms that are completely their own. For their debut album, it demands to be said that Sacrificial Vein has done nothing but blow any and all possible expectations away with their debut more than delivering on what one could come to expect. Black metal that is more than fluid enough to pull from all over the different realms of extreme metal, “Black Terror Genesis” is a singularly imposing effort that it is as aggressive as it is thick and all-consuming. What we get here isn’t some semblance of black metal that’s only dipping its toe into a different sound to barely set itself apart from the rest of the scene. Rather, “Black Terror Genesis” taps into a sublime vein of experimentation that keeps the listener enraptured from the get-go, the material is equal parts awe-inspiring and overwhelming oppressive, and the craftsmanship is simply untouchable. All brought together into one swirling cauldron oozing with madness, Sacrificial Vein has tapped into something that is as intoxicating as it is dense in its madness, and it’s hard to rip yourself away from.

The state of experimental metal has been in good hands for some time now, and it’s now with the arrival of Sacrificial Vein that we can safely say that the stream of new talent isn’t to dry up any time soon. So long as massive and bold creations like “Black Terror Genesis” continue to writhe out of nothingness, experimentation in extreme metal will always have a thriving and thirsty audience.

LISTEN to “Black Terror Genesis” on Bandcamp here.

FOLLOW Sacrificial Vein on Instagram here.