Blood Incantation

BLOOD INCANTATION will make their Roadburn debut in style – performing two sets that span the length and breadth of their oeuvre. On Friday, April 19 they will take to the main stage in a haze of lasers and synths to treat us to an exclusive European debut performance of Timewave Zero. The following night they will return to the main stage with a set chock full of progressive death metal bangers. The band describe this adventure in sound as “two nights of cosmic music for cosmic people” and who are we to disagree?

Blood Incantation have been filed away in the ‘something very special’ folder here at Roadburn HQ for a while now, and when they released Timewave Zero last year we knew we had to at least try to get them to Roadburn. We have been working on this idea for over a year now and we’re thrilled to say that everything has finally fallen into place, and the death metal magic via intergalactic synths joyride is waiting for us just around the corner.

For anyone slow on the uptake, 2019’s Hidden History of the Human Race got death metal appreciators well and truly up to speed with what Blood Incantation is all about; coupling intense yet melodic death metal with spacy synths and progressive flourishes. Riding high on the adrenaline of that release, and knowing they had unfinished business to tend to, Blood Incantation extracted the latter element and zoomed in – going absolutely psychedelic on their next release, the ambient Timewave Zero. Admittedly it’s not all that common for a death metal band to take a left turn into full on synth territory like this, however in this case, it makes perfect sense.

Though their metal catalogue is often just as crushing and technical as you could hope for from a modern death metal band, Blood Incantation has never shied away from turning the ‘experimental’ all the way up to eleven; Timewave Zero was a natural step for them. Reading them name check the likes of Neu!, Can, and Popol Vuh upon the release of Timewave Zero got our psych-loving hearts racing! Long-time Roadburners will know that interplanetary sonic exploration is very much our jam, and throughout these two special sets Blood Incantation will have the opportunity to explore the outer reaches of their self-made universe.

Given the production involved to pull off playing tracks from Timewave Zero live, this has only been achieved once previously in their home town of Denver. It’s safe to say that we’re snagging ourselves a rare treat with the ambient show – don’t count on getting this opportunity again anytime soon. But don’t sleep on the career-spanning metal set on Saturday – there’s few that do death metal as good as this, and Blood Incantation are set to convincingly make the case for death metal being an essential component of Roadburn.

Of their impending Roadburn debut, they told us: “We are pleased to announce our first appearance at Roadburn, a festival renowned for its eclectic and broad scope. In this fashion it is our pleasure to bring a confluence of our styles and to present two nights spanning the breadth of what “Blood Incantation” is. Bringing the disparate intrigue of past lineups, when bands like Magma and Opeth would share the same breath, we hope to bridge those worlds of dark, psychedelic, and powerful music to those interested. Through this cosmic journey we [will] take the audience, and ourselves, into realms old and new.“

They do say that good things come to those who wait, so we’re delighted that our patience has paid off with this one. Join us in welcoming Blood Incantation to Roadburn for these very special performances. 

– Becky Laverty