Cult of Lilith are a three piece technical death metal band from Iceland, comprised of Daniel Thor Hannesson (guitar), Jon Haukur Petursson (vocals), and Alessandro Vagnoni (drums), and their debut, self-released EP is titled Arkanum. As this band just formed in 2015, there's a sense here that their vision is not yet fully realized or fleshed out, but these five songs still pack plenty of punch and especially show the proficiency of guitarist Hannesson. Songs such as "Tomb of Sa'ir" and the crushing title track contain some complex arrangements that allow the guitarist to really dig in deep with some twisting riffs, blazing lead work, and sinewy bass lines, while the buzzsaw that is "Detested Empress" mashes along with evil intent, with blast beats and intricate riffs flying underneath Petursson's deathly growls. "Night Hag" is an especially twisting, boiling, and weaving tune, with time & tempo changes galore, though there could be a little more 'meat' to the production.
Definitely plenty of promise shown here, but I'm guessing Cult of Lilith are a band that haven't yet really shown us what they are capable of. In the meantime, technical death metal fans should take notice and get these guys on your radar.
Track Listing
1) Abaddon
2) Tomb of Sa'ir
3) Arkanum
4) Detested Empress
5) Night Hag
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