Spectral Voice / Blood Incantation

When it comes to split albums I usually don’t pay much attention to them. But that was quickly changed when I heard this split some time ago. It contains two monstrous death metal bands, Blood Incantation, and Spectral Voice. Both are fantastic bands, they also have some of the same members and influences. But Spectral Voice favors more death doom while Blood Incantation is just a groovy spacey death metal assault. With only 2 songs (One Blood Incantation and one Spectral Voice song), I was surprised by how amazing this short but sweet split record is.

Let’s start off with Blood Incantation. Cosmic modern osdm legends. Right from the rip it’s groovy and heavy. Showing off crunchy mid-paced grooves and twisted leads, spliced with some atmospheric melodies. This is a more straightforward song from these guys than something you’d hear on “Interdimensional Extinction” or “Starspwan”. But it’s still dynamic and quick on its feet, changing tempos and utilizing many different beats and riffage. To me it’s also very reminiscent of Necroticism era Carcass and early Morbid Angel with some of the more slow and doomy riffs. The solos are still very technical and sweep-picked dominant, showing off a very dissonant sound before kicking right back into a chunky stank-faced groove. Overall it’s a very interesting and well-written song.

Production wise this song sounds awesome. My only complaint is that the drums sound kind of goofy and thin when it comes to the snare. But those kick drums goddamn do they beat you to the ground. The guitars are mixed really well, they have a very heavy fuzzy tone to them that expands the riffs even more. The fretless bass once again sounds masterful and crisp. Overall "Mephitic Effluvia" is a very groovy, melodic, and overall heavy song from Blood Incantation. Good shit.

“(Slowly) Claimed by Oblivion”. The Spectral Voice side of this split is a whole different entity altogether. Right away the intro is ungodly heavy and slow. The guitars have a very droney twisted feel to them, they sound so creepy and heavy. It creates a very sinister atmosphere as the drums and guitars slowly drone their way through the beginning of the song. And after a while, it slowly picks up the pace with a very heavy opening riff. And then just explodes with death doom madness. The vocals are very slow in the mix and are drenched in filth and reverb. The main word I'd use to describe the vocals is disgusting, they sound ungodly guttural and filthy. The blast beats are also played really slow and doomy, no matter what the songwriting and tempo are very slow. No matter, if it picks up a notch or the sections transition into a more groovy or blazing section with some blast beats. While it may be seen as boring it keeps itself fresh and enjoyable with its groove and tempo changes. It’s a very well-written song that just lays in on the heaviness of doom metal.

The production makes the music all the more heavier on the Spectral Voice side. The guitars are insanely down-tuned and are mixed really well. Drowning in pure death metal sludge and filth, which makes the doomy riffs and bass sections sound all the more heavy. The drums sound better on the Spectral Voice side than on the Blood Incantation side to me. The drums sound way more louder and heavier, especially the cymbal and snare. Overall once again, another very well-written song. Filled with heaviness, doomy grooves, and killer songwriting.

This is one of the best split releases I’ve heard in a while. With only one song per band, they really make it work. Displaying their styles of death metal really well. I’m glad I purchased this via Hell's Headbangers a couple of days ago. Because this is truly some awesome music. Check it out if you're a fanatic for both of these bands. Killer shit.

This split 7" was picked up at this year's Martyrdoom fest. Blood Incantation and Spectral Voice both bombarded the crowd with their slick versions of death metal. Both bands linger stylistically in the early 90's era of death metal when slowed down doom influenced riffs started seeping out of the woodwork like termites. While both bands here point to influences from the common Swedish brands, additional subtle decorations adorn each band's offering. Also worth noting is how closely linked the bands are in other notable facets: Both hail from Colorado and both have a confluence of similar members including Paul Riedl, Morris Kolontyrsky, and Jeff Barrett.

Blood Incantation rips through "Mephitic Effluvia" like a scavenger through a carcass. Riffs are punctuated by tasty melodic leads. Though not as experimental or narrative, the mixture of tempos, highlights, and deep throaty vocals rekindle memories of hearing Timeghoul's Tumultous Travelings for the first time. This is coated with a gentle natural production that is warm in tone but sharply emphasizes Barrett's masterful fretless bass playing. The sole non-Spectral Voice member, Isaac Faulk, is calculated on drums who prefers to underpin the material offered with recognizable simplicity instead of continuous flair and complexity in the same way Bolt Thrower pummels us with practical percussive attacks instead of overzealous bombast. The whole mash brews a wonderful fermented death metal concoction.

Side B of the split, Spectral Voice, churns eerily and tensely before getting their tracks rolling through the death metal muck. The slow intro might be considered overkill but once the Vastum-esque stomp is enacted "(Slowly) Claimed By Oblivion" grows into a fierce tempest, sloshing bits and pieces of soggy guitar movements into your ear-wall. Ironically, Spectral Voice is the slower piece here, with a healthy dosage of funeral doom poking through, especially near the fifth-minute 'cool-down' where steely guitar tones reverberate through ringing distorted chords until culmination. While "(Slowly)..." may be the more memorable track due to it's atmosphere, I don't think that the Spectral Voice track is quite as complete as the Blood Incantation ritual.