Culted

Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep

Written by: PP on 17/08/2009 17:05:21

Miserably ugly, dishearteningly down-tempo, an ode to minimalistic expression. That's how I'd describe Culted's new album "Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep" in just a few words. Oh yeah, this is doom metal alright, but I think even our beloved doom writer EW would shrug at Culted's lack of ambition to write anything actually ear-pleasing or accessible. I think it's safe to say that this record is for sworn doom fanatics only.

Opening up with a mammoth ten minute track "Tyrant Cold", Culted make sure that fans of no other genres will ever be able to get into their music. Not only is a heavily distorted, painstakingly slowly developing intro nearly two minutes long, but the vocals (once they eventually appear) are shrieked/screamed in a way that sounds like the recording equipment is breaking, for so much noise and cracking sound is to be found in that department. This is achieved through exceptionally lo-fi production, which in turn ensures that I'll never be able to get into Culted's music, even if there are a few interesting riff-build ups in a song like "Gunburn". When you combine that together with Sick-esque hollow ambiance and minimalistic noise, you end up with music that can only be described as disgustingly bleak.

Maybe that's your thing, but at least the undersigned here prefers to have some cling-on points during a record. As it stands now, Culted's record strolls, no wait, scratch that, creeps forward focusing more on terrifying mood than on interesting instrumentation. Like one fan put it on RateYourMusic.com: "Listen thoroughly? No Way".

3

Download: Social Control
For the fans of: Sick
Listen: Myspace

Release date 21.07.2009
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