Band: Blood Incantation
Country: USA
Album: Timewave Zero EP
Label: Century Media Records
When Blood Incantation announced that their upcoming release would be a fully ambient EP, part of me was disappointed and the only reason was that I wanted to hear more of their death metal. At the same time, I would not at all consider this a new or unusual turn towards new soundscapes for the band, as such synthesizer experimentation has always been part of their identity's core, since their first days. It is rather clear, once you understand the artistic motives behind this project, how such musical endeavors come together and why they are a different side of the same coin. As much as you shouldn't have been surprised when Darkthrone released a punk record in the mid 00's, you shouldn't be alarmed by Timewave Zero either.
This EP, might be the longest EP I have ever seen in my life. It's longer than both previous Blood Incantation full length albums, but I imagine it was a decision based more on what part this should be in their discography, rather than a length of music one. The group departs (for now) from their frenetic and magnificent death metal palette and embraces space ambient full bore with Timewave Zero, which doesn't have an ounce of growling or distorted guitars, hardly any guitars for that matter, except some gentle acoustics, which I will not reveal where. Structurally, the work is split into two parts, "Io" and "Ea", which in turn consist of four movements each at a total of 40 minutes of introspective, astral ambient which will only be appreciated if all around it is laid back, and still.
Dreamy, repetitive and tranquil, Timewave Zero's flow is impeccable while still having distinct changes from one movement to the next. It is designed for consumption as a whole and that's why Blood Incantation have already done a few shows playing exclusively this, which could now be appropriated in theaters with seats rather than open space alleys for moshing and headbanging. I wouldn't expect any of these tracks to sneak in a death metal setlist by the band, which makes me think that now is the period of Timewave Zero, and it will not be repeated in the future after the band returns with some glorious extreme metal. I strongly believe that this EP would be an otherworldly, once in a lifetime experience to watch live.
I am holding myself from describing the music more. Fans of ambient music would cherish this. I hear interspersed elements of 70's rock synthesizer exploration (moments of "Ea" brought King Crimson in mind), more distinctly Tangerine Dream, less distinctly Atrium Carceri, Aural Holograms and Klaus Schultze, and it's even more stagnant than the instrumental parts of Hidden History of the Human Race, which makes its cause even more committed to appear as a stand alone ambient piece, the glorification of Blood Incantation's leanings in this territory. It might also be a first opportunity for many death metal fans to actually listen to dark ambient, which makes a lot of reviews I have seen of this online, interesting to say the least!
Timewave Zero is a justified next step for Blood Incantation, and a top-notch release of its kind. Undeniably expressive, it shows the band's unique compositional skill and might cause, despite the calmness of its nature, quite some turbulence in the extreme metal scene. Death metal has moved out of the cave, and it might involve musicians with sincere vision and new, groundbreaking ideas. While the rest of the genre (me included) thrives on enjoying mindless horror movies from the 80's and their modern continuations, Timewave Zero, not musically but as an underlying statement, is The VVitch. To counter argue someone, I'm really glad with what this scene is becoming today.
Release date: February 25th, 2022
Tracklist:
Io: First Movement
Io: Second Movement
Io: Third Movement
Io: Fourth Movement
Ea: First Movement
Ea: Second Movement
Ea: Third Movement
Ea: Fourth Movement
Listen:
