A David and Goliath battle of a Tiered nature went down in the DFW metroplex. Two bands on different tiers at separate venues on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
The gargantuan stepping foot into Fort Worth was Iron Maiden and Denver’s Blood Incantation at the Echo Lounge in Dallas. The battle between the two was more of a mental decision making quandary. What it was not was a who’s the better metal band type of mental engagement.
Recently, Blood Incantation released their fourth studio album titled Absolute Elsewhere in the first week of October. Immediately, high marks, positive reviews and critical acclaims begin to pour in for the album. Negative remarks were nonexistent. Tucked into the grooves, there’s hints of Tangerine Dream, Eloy and Pink Floyd. NPR even tapped Absolute Elsewhere as Album of the Year. It’s a spectacular follow up to their 2022 Timewave Zero release.
These bits of information are the culprits for the mental decision making battle pitted against seeing Maiden or a tour for an Album of the Year candidate.
Several days prior to the tour launch, dates in Portland, Vancouver, Seattle, Berkeley, Brooklyn, Boston, Montreal and Toronto were already sold out. Low ticket warnings for Los Angeles, Richmond, Philadelphia and Minneapolis were issued.
Joining Blood Incantation as support is singer/songwriter Madeline Johnston performing under the moniker Midwife. Even though the two acts are at opposite ends of the sonic spectrum, the pairing is fitting.
The New Mexico based Midwife via Denver delivered a quiet, low-key set of her dark and soft gaze musical compositions. Several songs in Midwife’s set, “Colorado,” “Vanessa,” “Killdozer” and “No Depression in Heaven” all come from the latest Midwife release of the same name.
She even told the sad tale of a dear friend passing, crossing the rainbow bridge beyond the mechanic’s shop. Vanessa was her minivan, hence the song.
A six song set may not seem like much but consideration is due that several of the tunes performed clock in at four, five and beyond plus minutes. Add in Johnston’s soft spoken dialog with the audience resulting in a wonderful, soft set with new and current fans.
As the stage was prepped for Blood Incantation, selections from Eloy, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwork occupied the ears of fans. Just the songs gave way to audience members that something special was near.
As the crowd patiently waited, the ancient symbol etchings in the sand colored, monolithic pointed columns were illuminated in glowing red. It only added to the cosmic mystic that was preparing to land on the Echo Lounge’s stage.
Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere only consists of two songs, “The Stargate” and “The Message.” Within each, there’s “Tablets I”, “II” and “III” bringing each track close to the 20-minute mark. And that’s what the crowd experienced.
Two minutes into “Tablet I”, the band entered into the first tempo change with rising cheers from the crowd and a multitude of purple, red and green lights. This all built to the first keyboard synthesizer passage that then segued into the first guitar solo. It’s not something that one would anticipate but with cosmic death metal, anything is possible.
The death metal vocals are there along with elements of progressive rock. It’s a unique pairing coupling that results in wonders visually, sonically and physically. Add to the mix, the preparation of rehearsals and stamina to flawlessly perform Absolute Elsewhere in its entirety. It’s an impressive feat and those that showed up were able to experience it in the flesh. No pun intended if you get the drifter.
Blood Incantation’s performance just didn’t start and end with Sides A and B of Absolute Elsewhere, the band reached back to their 2023 EP Luminescent Bridge and closed the night with “Obliquity of the Ecliptic.”
The scale of production between the David and Goliath shows are astronomical financially, but with history, the content and delivery was spot on. There’s something special brewing with Blood Incantation.
The release of Absolute Elsewhere and the Absolute Else Tour has the band stepping up their game. Blood Incantation is not just a death metal band with hints of the cosmos, they are a cosmic and progressive death metal band and force that delivered on the same night as Maiden in Fort Worth.
The Absolute Else Tour is something special. The Absolute Elsewhere album is unique in itself. It needs to be experienced live from start to finish and this tour allows that. Not enough good things can be written about Blood Incantation’s stop in Dallas.
If anything, make the voyage to any of the remaining Absolute Else dates. That’s an order coming from the highest of cosmic directives.
