Don your chain mail and summon your dungeon masters: Pennsylvania dungeon death/doom conquerors Cultic are back with their second LP, Of Fire and Sorcery. The trio (at the time of recording; bassist Reese Harlacker left the band shortly after) bring a diverse but fluid set of influences to the table: death and doom metal, dungeon synth, martial industrial, traditional heavy metal and black metal. Of Fire and Sorcery could be the soundtrack for a sword-and-sorcery movie, naturally shifting moods from fantastical and otherworldly to grim and frostbitten.
Take, for example, fourth track “Potion.” Starting off as lumbering death/doom, Cultic quickly sprinkle in their black metal influences before easing into a lengthy psychedelic guitar solo with a demonic voice speaking on top. “Warlock” shows the heaviest side of the band, dropping a brick of knuckle-dragger doom that flows right into the dungeon synth offering following.
The dungeon synth tracks on Of Fire and Sorcery don’t feel like interludes. Cultic make the album flow like a fantasy movie and end on a high note with their final incantation, “Iron Castle.” The album is out April 22 via Eleventh Key.
