Review Summary: Nostalgia: Redux Edition
I first experienced Cultus Black opening the recent Static-X/Fear Factory/Dope
Rise of the Machines tour. That tour encapsulated their vibe. This band is birthed from and based in the nu, alt, and industrial metal scene of the late 90s and early 00s. Vocalist James Legion’s tenure with the late-era Motograter lineup only further cements this impression.
That said, don’t be mistaken. Cultus Black brandish their influences yet approach their craft with refreshing modernity. Sure, there’s a thick groove to the riffs on hand, but their chug-dependent force borrows as much from -core as it does nu-metal.Thus, there are breakdowns galore ;where Slipknot focus more on a technical passage or experimental segment, CB go straight for the jugular and drop a devastating sonic bomb.
Yet, brutality isn’t the only present factor. This band
do understand the art of writing actual
songs. They can’t chug and scream
ad nauseum, else they lessen the impact of these growls and gut-punches. So, there’s plenty of electronic ear candy—lending a subtle industrial tinge and providing respite from the surrounding ferocity. Clean vocals make an appearance; they are unique enough to please, rather than grate. They also don't overstay their welcome.
What’s the headline, then? Cultus Black blend several different influences together and honor them, without becoming them. Their style is distinct; it’s dark and brutal, yet quite poppy and hooky. Songs like “You Make Me Sick” and “Cells” boil with tasteful rap sections, interlocking down-tuned riffs, unrelenting drum patterns, and harsh midrange growls. “Dissonance” break-necks between punk-esque ferocity and grungy melancholy and “The Sadist” outright bounces. “Nevermine” glows with synth vamps and a poignant, soaring chorus. “Killing The Beautiful” has “radio single” written all over it, while maintaining enough sound and fury to please devoted metalheads—even going so far as to break out a blistering guitar solo.
Speaking of sound & fury, this band is
f*cking pissed, and, by Satan’s scrotum, they want you to know it. Like
Iowa before it, this project’s animosity feels contemporary. “Devour”—which sounds like Brand of Sacrifice if they debuted in ’98—vomits the burden of mental illness out like a hungover college student after their first all-night rager. “Cells” rejects the “nihilists and Nazis” of online discourse in favor of radical self-determination, while “Killing The Beautiful” mourns society’s tendencies to alienate and eradicate those who stray from the "norm". The perpetual frustration isn’t aimless, nor pointless. Cultus Black directs their righteous poison—mostly—towards abusers, authoritarians, and anxieties. If societal ails are the nail, these folks embody the hammer.
For all the bluster, CB also sound stellar when they indulge in reflection. “Lorelei” is an album highlight; it dials back the nu and groove metal influences in favor of a progressive metal vibe. It thrives on slow, dramatic builds with tastefully aggressive payoffs, culminating in a glorious melodic chorus and a black-metal-tinged bridge. This track serves to evidence the fullest extent of CB’s sound, serving up a tonally different but wholly consistent rocker.
As can happen, though, a small amount of the aforementioned vehemence is misdirected. Though a musical barnburner, “Dissonance” approaches the topics of self-harm and substance abuse with about as much tact as Greg Gutfeld does systemic racism. The track coerces an addict to “take another pill” and “cut themselves for real”. Harshness is not absent from this genre, but it does feel a bit like out-of-character punching down for the band.
That caveat provided, Cultus Black are a modern metal band to keep an attentive eye on. They meld several styles of the last few decades quite well yet dodge plagiarism. They boast strong instrumentalism, but write catchy, memorable tunes. They also put on a hell of a live show and appreciate their fans. Cultus Black are imperfect, but even imperfection is beautiful.
