### Culted: Oblique to all paths

#### 04/06/14 || Dinu

Culted are a four man doom metal band from Canada. What makes them interesting is that they have never performed live or met in a single room while producing these songs. They have been making for the last seven years and have put out an EP and an LP before coming out with this new album. Running for over just an hour, “Oblique to all paths” has 7 tracks.

1. Brooding Hex: The longest track on the album. Goes on for 19 minutes and is clearly not one of the best because it has a lot of sloppy moments mixed with a lot of good ideas. The riffs are typical doom but they get trippy around 10 minutes in and they close off with a Pink Floyd vibe. This song harks back to 70s era doom and is all the better for it. I wished for better vocals though. The shrieks get repetitive and dull after a while.

2. Illuminati: the song is dazzling and intricate. The riffs are exciting and sound original. The vocals definitely improve and come across as crisp and the arrangements make it look like a tightly produced song but it throws out all the boring parts and retains a bunch of hooks that make it one of the best songs on this album

3. Intoxicant Immuration goes for ten minutes and is pretty much a rehash of all the songs from Culted’s catalogue. Not much going on here except it has got some interesting riffs. But the parts are definitely better than the sum. The overall feel ends up being monotonous.

4. March of the Wolves at four minutes is very quick and tight. The vocals sound better and better. The riffs are pretty much the same with not much happening and thankfully the song closes down pretty quick before boredom steps in

5. Distortion of the Nature of Mankind is an interlude. It marks the beginning of the end and is basically one tempo that recurses for a minute.

6. Transmittal is the penultimate track. The best off this album. The riffs are groovy and thick and they pile up quickly. It goes for over 10 minutes and there is a stoner vibe all the way to the end.

7. Jeremiad is the last track. This is kickass. Powerful, cool vocals and the riffs are fast and the hooks grab you completely. Great way to finish off the album.

Overall this is a good album. There were some bad ideas that required weeding out but then they are not that frequent. Their atmospheric riffs are perfect for a horror film soundtrack and I would definitely encourage a listen.

- Information
- Released: 2014
- Label: Relapse Records
- Website: Culted Bandcamp
- Band
- Daniel Jansson: vocals
- Matthew Friesen: bass
- Kevin Stevenson: drums
- Michael Klassen: guitars

- Tracklist
- 01. Brooding Hex
- 02. Illuminati
- 03. Intoxicant Immuration
- 04. March of the Wolves
- 05. Distortion of the Nature of Mankind
- 06. Transmittal
- 07. Jeremiad