Origin:	Bucharest, Romania
Genres:	Black Metal

Page online:	January 15, 2017
Last update/review:	November 5, 2017

Bloodway

Costin Chioreanu may not be a household name even in the metal community, but nearly every metal fan is likely familiar with some of his work, as he is a prolific artist whose album cover credits include Sigh, Morgoth, Primordial, Necrophagia, Arcturus, and many many more, far too many to list here. He's also played in various lesser-known bands over the years, but Bloodway is his main project, and the band's 2015 album, the ambitiously-titled Mapping The Moment With The Logic Of Dreams, is a mighty impressive work and one of the more curious and intriguing albums in quite some time. The band doesn't easily slot into any genre, but if anything, the mid-paced, dark, twisted, vaguely progressive riffs occasionally bring to mind bands like later-period Coroner or a less thrashy Voivod -- neither band is a direct soundalike at all, but there's a similar spirit on display. Chioreanu's guitar work is quite unique, and so are his vocals, though the latter might be a take-it-or-leave-it affair, as his high-pitched, hoarse wails can take a bit of getting used to. Mapping ended up being a grower on repeated listens and now stands as a solid recommendation for those looking for something off the mainstream.