Blood Era opens with ‘The Age Of Contempt’ which builds with an atmospheric grand musical score before the band kicks in with some brutal and technical uncompromising death metal. Blood Era is overall constructed of nine absolutely devastating and crushing tracks which will well and truly give any listener a lesson in violent and fierce death metal.
This Polish death metal juggernaut has been alive for twenty years now, yet this is only their fourth full length offering which could easily lead to the reason as to why they aren’t more of a household name in the death metal underworld than they actually are.
The vocals on Blood Era are complex and multifarious, switching from guttural roars and growls to more blood curdling screams at poignant well measured moments within the tracks. The guitars from Xan and Sitnicki are chugging yet delicate, intricate, and elaborate all-encompassing in themselves to create a sophisticated and elaborate musical cloak on which to sit on top of the titanium back bone conjured up by the thicker strings of Ufo and the skins of Th0rn.
Title track ‘Blood Era’ is haunting from the outset, building and constructing itself with poise and attention, measured and managed in the fabrication. The six strings once again appear with an inspiring solo towards the front end of the track before the guttural roars of Visnia take hold once more. This track is the highlight of the album for me and really embraces the true nature and integrity of the band. This track is the lengthiest on the album and the band really use the whole span of the track on which to showcase all of their facets and talents within one vehicle.
Another track worthy of a mention is ‘Scars Of Sanctity’ which opens with a moody and tranquil atmospheric piece before launching into a full-on death attack. A little more subdued that its album siblings perhaps although that isn’t to do it a disservice or take away from any of the power and harshness it serves up, it’s just to say that I found it to go off on its own tangent with its own agenda at times.
I also want to give a nod to ‘I Am Death Incarnate’, again another slow builder from the off with lashings of atmosphere and character before launching into a bludgeoning attack on your senses., this is out and out venomous death metal at its best, the pace has been sped up and the vocals are more manic than ever before witnessed. The guitars are magisterial and enforcing and the fretboards are worked at a blistering pace. This is a true stand out track and perhaps one to measure all future Sphere offerings by.
This album is callous and mesmerising death metal and an album which you need to furnish your collection with right now
(8/10 Phil Pountney)
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