Triumvirát

This band caught my attention because of its mysterious aura. I know, it is just an image, but a good image is better than none. In addition, the music and the image fit perfectly together. The guys with the extraordinary headgears invite you to a journey of discovery. Their enchanted soundscapes lead the listeners to previously unknown unholy places. These locations offer a partial sinister, partial dreamful mood. Right from the start, the album scores with this special atmospheric approach. Imagine a jam session of Emperor, Celtic Frost and - in a dominant role - Master´s Hammer and you get an idea how this debut sounds. Perhaps I should clarify that I am talking of the outstanding early works of the aforementioned revolutionary bands, but I think this is almost a matter of course. To be precise, the music of this exciting output can be described as heavy, partial rapid, arcane and slightly avant-garde. And it should be added that the band does not follow the ordinary verse-chorus-verse pattern. Despite this, the comprehensible song structures cannot be blamed for being too progressive.

In perfect harmony with each other, guitars and keyboards create an almost endless amount of gloomy moments. Regardless of whether the band prefers mid-tempo or rather rapid parts, the spooky melodies are more or less omnipresent. The imperious voice increases the strange aura, not at least because the lead singer uses seemingly a Slavic language. I appreciate black metal groups that sing in their mother tongue. In my opinion, this approach stresses the authenticity of every band. But to be honest, I do not understand a single word. It is thus all the more important that the haunting atmosphere speaks for itself. Fortunately, that is the case here. Among other factors, this is made possible by the full, warm sound of the album and the vibrant compositions with their excellent tempo changes. Cult of Fire do not eschew high velocity outbreaks, but they also know how to manage majestic rhythms as well as symphonic elements. Especially the slower parts convey a feeling of grandeur without being kitschy. However, the craggy side of the band is highly enthralling as well. A pleasant shiver runs down the listener´s spine as soon as the musicians reveal their affection towards the first two albums of Emperor.

In my humble opinion, the third (and last) piece on the A side marks the only track that fails to convince. I would not go so far as to say that it represents a nadir by objective standards. It just sounds a bit confused in view of its hardly accessible construction. Maybe you are familiar with Frost´s "Tears in a Prophet´s Dream", the very special sound collage that the Swiss pioneers offered on their masterpiece "To Mega Therion". Then you know what I mean with regard to the surreal ending of the here presented track. Nevertheless, sooner rather than later you will recognize that this mystic band called Cult of Fire has the potential to become a leader in its niche. The conglomerate of spherical sounds, noble and almost mesmerizing melody lines and rabid onslaughts may not be unique. However, due to the noteworthy songwriting skills of the band, this mixture works in an excellent manner. Thus, I just regret that the precious gatefold vinyl includes only six tracks.