A band’s evolution can oftentimes be the most exhilarating part of watching one go from an unknown underground entity to a massive presence that cannot take one move without throngs of people taking note. While there’s always plenty of room to be had for those that hone their craft to such a fine point that masterful is the only word that can come to mind, there’s nothing that can compare to a band that sheds genre identification to deliver a performance that can hardly be likened to much else in the dense underground. Having made their claim with cosmic death metal, Blood Incantation has broken that barrier and then some with their latest album.

It must be made clear out of the gate that much like this previous, more ambient-oriented EP, “Absolute Elsewhere”, this creation is not a “typical” experience that we would expect from Blood Incantation. If nothing else, “Absolute Elsewhere” ups the ante exponentially in that regard. Across six tracks that make-up two greater pieces over the course of forty-three minutes, death metal is far from the main ingredient in this swirling cauldron that Blood Incantation takes charge of here. A truly mind-bending experience that uses death metal as a superbly strong foundation with progressive and psychedelic tendencies as the branches that sees “Absolute Elsewhere” take hold of the cosmic aspects of Blood Incantation’s sound and take them to new heights. There isn’t so much as a given moment of this creation that isn’t overflowing with masterful splendor, unparalleled craftsmanship, and overwhelming menace as planets collide, civilizations collapse, and the fabric of reality itself is torn asunder under the gaze of uncaring stars whose colors will never bless the eyes of those seeking their light. This is death metal transformed. This is what it means to break from the mold and bring forth something that can’t be seen as anything less than true brilliance. Blood Incantation has always been a force to recognize, but it is here that they’ve been a singularity of splendor that outshines most if not all of the competition.

Where it’s one thing to become deadly in your craft, it’s another feat of prowess altogether to carve out your own path. Death metal doesn’t often see such a turn of events purely because of how difficult it is to achieve such a thing, but that’s precisely what Blood Incantation has been building up for over a decade now with this an undeniable zenith for their careers as perpetrators of cosmic conquest! As far as I’m concerned, “Absolute Elsewhere” is an undeniable highlight of 2024 not just for death metal but metal all the way around.

LISTEN to “Absolute Elsewhere” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Blood Incantation on Facebook here.