On December 3rd in the dead of Chicago winter, I found myself outside the famed Metro. Not only was I anticipating an unforgettably heavy night, but also contemplating the logistics of hearing a record like Absolute Elsewhere in a live setting. Hailing from Denver, Blood Incantation was no doubt going to deliver an amazing set. However, the sheer size of the Metro made me wonder how they would use the space to conceptualize alien imagery and psychedelic influence. Nevertheless, I was ready and the anticipation for this performance was at an all-time high.
To start off the night was Midwife, an artist one could see as the polar opposite of Blood Incantation. However, their stark differences only highlighted how perfect of an opener she was. A beautiful blend of shoegaze, ambient, and metal, the hypnotic Midwife captivated the Metro audience for the entirety of her set. We hung onto every note on stage with only a guitar, a telephone-shaped microphone, and a screen for projections. The silence was profound, adding more weight to the beautiful music.
Mellow and loud, Midwife set the tone right for the chaos that was to ensue once Blood Incantation took the stage.
Adorning the stage on each end were two obelisks with strange, illuminated characters written on them. The lights were dark, and the impending doom was near. Atmospheric smoke completely engulfed the stage as the band finally stepped out. Fans piled into the room to witness them in their glory. It was so packed it was nearly impossible to move around! People were even spilling into the stairways to catch a glimpse of the band. The sold-out show was armed and ready.
Taking the stage by storm, Blood Incantation started with “The Stargate [Tablet 1].” The lights on the stage were blinding, adding a cinematic effect to their already grandiose presentation. Their perfectly executed headbanging matched their chugging riffs with such furious grace, and their effortless tempo changes were just as impressive. The blend of psychedelic and death metal created the fun peaks and valleys of thrilled moshing and gazing upon the band in pure awe. This continued as they played the entirety of Absolute Elsewhere. One of the show’s highlights was the mesmerizing synths during “The Stargate [Tablet 2].”
Blood Incantation presenting themselves as very grand yet somehow maintaining a very intimate feeling gave the show a special feeling.
Progressive metal is quite an interesting genre. Combining influences from Death and Pink Floyd on top of desert sounds, synth melodies, and an epic gong, made this show feel so unique. It was like experiencing Morbid Angel at a King Crimson concert at times, but the band has still managed to create a unique identity. It isn’t easy to pull off a show where the music itself is so otherworldly visual but these guys utilized every second of sound and inch of space to bring it all together.
After finishing the Absolute Elsewhere part of the set, the band closed out the night with “Inner Paths (to Outer Space)” and “Obliquity of the Ecliptic.” Their fans are never to be underestimated, you know! For the entire show, fans stood watching from the stairwell, and those lucky enough to be in the actual room of Metro were headbanging and moshing all night. The sold-out crowd knew that Blood Incantation was here to deliver something special and they did just that!
All photos by Oscar De Leon
