Vein – Blood Oaths

For some reason, I only recently discovered the band Vein and band’s 2023 album, Blood Oaths?! Nevertheless, I thought they should have a proper listen and hopefully ditto review. Thus, I’m referring to the US-based black/death metal one-man project V.E.I.N. (often stylized as Vein), and debut full-length entitled Blood Oaths, released through Godz Ov War Productions.

Blood Oaths was originally on limited vinyl in 2022, followed by a wider international CD-release  in September 2023. The album consists of eight tracks, including a cover of “Warlocks, Witches and Demons” by the Boston sludge band Kilslug.

Tracklist:

1. Total Vascular Collapse
2. Malign Blood Oath
3. The Black Eye of Eibon
4. Banishment of Blood
5. L.S.D.
6. Sangre Libertad
7. Warlocks Witches and Demons (Kilslug cover)
8. Bloodstained Symmetry

From its foundation Vein is meant to be ‘its own entity, and one that’s uncompromisingly singular and rudely transgressive in its vision’. I feel as this initial ambition has been fulfilled and validated on Blood Oaths, as I’ll describe their playing style as bestial/war metal with an esoteric, caveman-style vibe. In other words; every listener can notice its brutal, dense, and ‘no quarter’ sound.

This one-man project of the underground veteran Death Fiend, faces the same challenges as other one-man bands, being highly vulnerable to risks due to all responsibilities being on a single person. Having said that, I think that Death Fiend & Vein deliver a strong statement with his intense and  uncompromising blend of black, death, war and misanthropic metal.

Consequently, Blood Oaths is characterized by its grimy and nasty sound, where the production is nothing short of grotesque, with horror sounds, psychedelic & claustrophobic elements, and with an almost hypnotising vibe, especially in the opening track “Total Vascular Collapse”. Another key tracks for me are “Malign Blood Oath” and “Bloodstained Symmetry” being all-out engrossing affairs due to the knife sharp and skillful execution.

In short; Blood Oaths is a sickening record, a decent slab of ugly war black metal, certainly worth investigating from all depraved souls and all worshippers of a raw and rudely transgressive underground black metal. Especially recommended for fans of bands such as Sect Pig, Archgoat, Havohej, Von, Lust etc.

For more information on this 2023 record from Vein visit Godz Ov War Productions’ bandcamp or listen to the whole recording following the link below.