‘Subtlety is the hardest part’: cult metal band Blood Incantation trade extremes for ambience

The cosmic-minded Denver band broke out with two albums of frenetic riffs and blast beats. Are they risking it all by embracing their inner Zen?

In Blood Incantation's lyrics, cosmic conspiracy theories abound, telling tales of ancient civilisations, aliens and hallucinogens. But woe betide anyone who describes the Denver metal band's interests as sci-fi. The quantum field and holographic universe, DMT and the psychedelic connection, these things are not fictional!" frontman Paul Riedl insists. Clearly he's argued this before.

This band isn't about exploring a fantasy world," says drummer Isaac Faulk. It's about asking questions about the universe that we live in - and that's way bigger than any fictional universe." The aim, they say, is for listeners to ask themselves these questions. We aim to give space for those moments when you can truly attain Zen," says Riedl.