Artist: Immolation
Label: Century Media
Release Date: 11/12/02
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Title: Unholy Cult Artist: Immolation Label: Century Media Release Date: 11/12/02 |
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Abyss's Review:
Immolation's last two records, Failures for Gods and Close to a World Below started to grab my attention and made me hopeful for great things to come from this band. They still hadn't made the jump from second tier death metal band in my eyes, but everything seemed to be moving in the right direction. It is for this reason that I find Unholy Cult to be a bit of a disappointment. The disappointment is relative, however, as this is far from a bad album. It's just that I was hoping for the band to really grab me on this record, and that just isn't the case here.
"I was hoping for the band to really grab me on this record, and that just isn't the case here." This album just seems a notch below their last two albums both in terms of songwriting and composition. The songs sound one-dimensional, and I can't really tell if it's a production thing or if they're just written that way. Basically, there just seems to be little ballast to the rhythm section. The guitar riffs seem to be floating out there with nothing to surround them and give them support. I find this frustrating in that I want my death metal to be a pummeling juggernaut, bowling me over with a wall of sound that redefines the word heavy.
The songwriting also seems a little lackluster here. The songs don't really reach out and grab you, rather they just hover around your periphery and do just enough to hold your attention. I don't want to sound too harsh, however, because there are some cool tracks here. The title track, "A Kingdom Divided," and "Rival the Eminent" all have some really cool shit going on, and generally make this a successful, if not extraordinary album.
"I don't want to sound too harsh, however, because there are some cool tracks here." I still like this band, but I also still think they have yet to achieve their full potential. This band remains solidly in the second tier in my book, but I think they definitely have it in them to break out into the elite. Unfortunately, I think they were closer to that objective on their last two albums. One word review: Good.
Death's Review:
I've been feeling ever-more drawn to the "unholy cult" of traditional-sounding death metal in 2002 than in years of recent past. Immolation return to capitalize on the mini-resurgence of sorts that has been bubbling under many bands of this style in the last few months. Simply put, there are just a lot of quality death metal albums out now from traditionally-influenced brutal death metal bands. Immolation's Unholy Cult is no exception. The band slows thing down a touch, incorporates a bit more of a Morbid Angel -style groove, gives us all the expected guitar squeals and artificial harmonics coupled with the killer drumming and evil lyrics you expect and serves it all up packaged in a very good production. The title track, and the killer groove buried in the closing riffs, is a perfect example of everything Immolation does right. Overall, Immolation are indeed serious veterans of the American death metal wars at this stage of the proceedings, yet they still have somehow managed to deliver a surprisingly improved effort here showing serious "progress" and refinement of the sound while remaining as brutal as ever.
"Immolation are indeed serious veterans of the American death metal wars at this stage of the proceedings."
The musicianship of Immolation has of course been well-documented by the underground metal press. What's different now? This time you can really hear it. And it all sounds great on Unholy Cult. If you are a straight up death metal fan (like MJ's own Sabbath, for example), there is no doubt that you will seriously enjoy this new offering from these metallic veterans. The forthcoming tour with Vader is just the brimstone on the pitchfork. Death metal is alive and well in America, thank you very much. Time for you to join the Unholy Cult.
"The musicianship of Immolation has of course been well-documented by the underground metal press. What's different now? This time you can really hear it."
Hel's Review:
Immolation is one of those bands that everyone seems to love to hate. I remember when I first heard Failures for Gods - I thought it ruled, yet the word on the street was negative. Then there was Close to a World Below which was completely incredible, and seemed to never receive the recognition it deserved. Now Immolation has finally returned with a new record and a new label, so perhaps this time they will receive the support they deserve.
"Immolation has finally returned with a new record and a new label, so perhaps this time they will receive the support they deserve."
"The only true weakness this album has is, predictably, the production." I, for one, have been thoroughly enjoying the blistering riffage that comprises Unholy Cult. Sure, everyone here knows I am a sucker for death metal. Still, there are only a handful of death releases this year which I would readily claim are "better" than this - if even that. The only true weakness this album has is, predictably, the production. While it is superior to the production on past releases, the guitar parts still blur together and the vocals are somewhat buried. Fortunately, cranking up the volume helps, and at neighbor-irritating levels, is quite fine.
Death metal elitists may disparage this album, for that is what they do, but the ravenous fiends who find much to appreciate in most superior death releases will most likely find themselves agreeing with me, and joining the Unholy Cult in support of Immolation. You too, should dabble in the black arts a bit in order to determine if you also deserve a space in this dark corner of deathdom.
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