CULT OF LILITH — Arkanum (review)

CULT OF LILITH — Arkanum album cover EP · 2016 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Arkanum" is an EP release by Reykjavík based, Icelandic death metal act Cult of Lilith. The EP was independently released in January 2016. Cult of Lilith was formed in 2015 by guitarist Daniel Thor Hannesson and vocalist Jon Haukur Petursson and "Arkanum" is their first release. "Arkanum" features a couple of guest performances. Most notably the drums on the EP are played by Infernal Poetry drummer Alessandro Vagnoni.

The music on the 5 track, 19:14 minutes long EP is sci-fi/fantasy themed technical/progressive death metal. In that respect I´m reminded of albums like "Crimson (1996)" by Edge of Sanity and the maybe a little less known "Dorval (1994)" by the Danes in Detest, but it´s mostly in atmosphere and overall theme, rather than musical style. Cult of Lilith are generally much more focused on technical playing than any of the two mentioned references. While the music certainly is technical in nature, "Arkanum" is not the type of release that sacrifices catchiness or brutal groove over technical noodling (take a listen to the closing minute of "Tomb of Sa'ir" for an example of a memorable hook). There´s also a nice organic touch to the playing, so there´s a good balance between technical precision playing and raw organic death metal brutality. The vocals vary between deep intelligible growls and high pitched blackened vocals.

The material on the EP is relatively varied, featuring tempo- and time signature changes, vocal variation, and both brutal and more atmospheric moments. Add to that a well playing band and a detailed and powerful sounding production and "Arkanum" is a high quality first release by Cult of Lilith. This is definitely an act who shows a lot of promise and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death Death Metal
GOLGOTHAN REMAINS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Utopia Power Metal
SILENT WINTER
Buy this album from MMA partners
I, the Destroyer Black Metal
SVARTFJELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 9 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 9 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 9 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 9 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 9 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed