Label: Satanath/InsArt Records via GrimmDistribution
Origin: Rijeka, Croatia
Black metal, contrary to the relatively uninformed opinions of some music critics, is complex, and marked by tremendous passion, unrivaled musicianship, and some of the most viscous, rich music to pump through the body of the global music industry. Black Cult go to great lengths to prove this. With their third effort Nekropola, this Croatian clan infuses a veritable blood bank into their cadaver, engorging its arteries with rage and ritualism, and rejecting the apathetic claims that black metal is a genre of monotony.
Opening track “Parasite” exhibits a dynamic range within its first seconds of life. Complex percussion timings juxtapose against a consistently ominous meandering riff and backing spoken voice, before devolving into blast-beaten pandemonium. Layered guitars scorch through the noise, before being extinguished to bust open oozing licks that bleed molten lava. Lead vocalist Morbid preaches blackened gospel in the style of Erik Danielsson of Watain, expertly igniting breaths of evil that dance around the instrumental inferno. The conflagration continues with second track “Cosmic Storm.” A tornado of guitars touches down with an icy, elongated growl ahead of chunky riffs that stagger down the ladder to hell with step-function precision. Next, air raid sirens of strings heighten Morbid’s brief dive into gutturals. Chaos ensues, driven largely by lead guitarist/drummer Insanus’s knack for thundering power chords and intertwined melodic touches, combined with impressively wielded sticks and kicks.
Black Cult refreshingly intermixes songs written entirely in Croatian throughout the album. Title track “Nekropola” (Necropolis) leads a vibrato-laden jaunt around the cemetery ending in a moderately-paced chorus of anguished shrieks and cries emerging from the depths of the graves. On “Likantropija” (Licanthropy), Morbid unleashes unrefined snarls betwixt threatening chants and haunting whispers to complete the unholy metamorphosis. Finally, “Nistavilo” (Nothingness) drops the hammer on the eardrums with hair-trigger drumming from Insanus, matched note for note on bass guitar by Lesarik.
Misanthropic Luciferian Psalm (15:25 - 22:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flswXt8lQsg
Standout track “Misanthropic Luciferian Psalm” invokes the same ancient spirit as the infamous Temple of the Black Light itself. Maleficent and prophetic lyrics summon “creatures of night” and “creatures of might” to rise, while brooding melodies lure the listener into the abyss. Extended mid-paced instrumental passages paint an astonishingly apocalyptic soundscape: this is where Black Cult absolutely levitates. As an added bonus, Nekropola includes a cover of the 2003 Hibernum demo track, “Fear Is For Fools.” (Hibernum is the old project of current Black Cult guitarist/drummer Insanus and occasional live Black Cult member Azaghal, who focused on a brilliantly unpolished approach to black metal, just as old masters Darkthrone and Mayhem instructed. In fact, Cold and Worse, the 2003 demo from Hibernum, even included a cover of classic Darkthrone track, “Transylvanian Hunger.”) The modern version of “Fear Is For Fools” is very true to the original in its delicious rawness.
Skillfully multifarious and nefariously willfull, Nekropola is an satisfying coagulation of blood-pumped capillaries and oxygen-starved nerve. Black Cult thrives in layering classic blackened riffs with oddly-rhythmic percussion to create an elaborate body of corporeal glory. Weaving together esoteric themes of misanthropy and modern black metal fury, these Croatians have jolted a powerful black metal Frankenstein to life.
FFO: Watain, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Dark Funeral, Bathory