When people think of the phrase “Old School Death Metal” the more caveman inclined acts such as Undergang, (early) Tomb Mold, or Undeath are usually what comes to mind. Not so with Blood Oath. Instead adopting an almost proto Death Metal approach, this band takes listeners back to a time when Death Metal had plenty of Thrash Metal elements mixed in, and the result is a record that sounds like it’s straight out of the annals of the late 1980s to early 1990s. Nostalgia and Death worship alone do not make great albums, however. Fortunately, I am pleased to say Blood Oath delivered a very compelling release for a somewhat bland September.
Opening with a trippy, almost psychedelic intro, Blood Oath admittedly take their time in getting the listener hooked. With what is essentially an intro track, “Beyond the Dimensional Gates” does a good job in setting up the stage for the rest of the album rather than impress with technical prowess that the remaining tracks do. However, once that ends, the next two songs showcase easily the best part of the album: the production. Every instrument is clearly heard at all times, with playful guitar and fretless bass lines scattered all throughout the work. Highlights include songs such as “Singularity” and the epic title track, which have almost Progressive Death Metal elements to them. Guitarists Ignacio Riveros and Ignacio Canales are masters of the fretboard, and more than once I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor while listening due to how impressed I was at some of the work. Drumming is wild at times, almost recalling countrymen Demoniac with the sheer freneticism showcased. That being said, the album does have a couple of flaws. First, while it is charmingly sloppy performance wise, it doesn’t hide the fact that this band could stand to tidy up the songs somewhat. The other rather notable issue with this album is that it does take a couple proper tracks to really get going. “Sanctuary of Souls” and “Fateful Existence” feel more like filler tracks rather than songs I want to come back to on repeat listens. Blood Oath have certainly crafted a debut that’s a joy to listen to, however. The only place they have to go from here is up. With tighter songs, I think album 2 will be the next step on their ascent to stardom after an already impressive debut.
