Once again, Culted fly in the face of any misconceptions that a studio-only band lacks the fire or spontaneity of a group that routinely play together in the same room. Though they've never met face-to-face, the record does nothing to reveal this aspect of the band's creative process. Oblique's songs are intricately woven into a dark, discordant tapestry, alternating between longer, more atmospheric songs and straight-up destructive doom.
The strand of connective tissue that links the stark, open-form tracks with the shorter, more conventional ones is Culted's rhythm section. Even when the percussion is at its most minimal, the bass is there pulling you in, guiding you toward the next blast of grinding grooves. With the drums and bass doing most of the work, the guitars and voice are freed up to make an ugly cacophony. The music is the sole point of convergence for the group, which is an impressive feat all on its own, but even more so considering how well it works.
(Relapse)The strand of connective tissue that links the stark, open-form tracks with the shorter, more conventional ones is Culted's rhythm section. Even when the percussion is at its most minimal, the bass is there pulling you in, guiding you toward the next blast of grinding grooves. With the drums and bass doing most of the work, the guitars and voice are freed up to make an ugly cacophony. The music is the sole point of convergence for the group, which is an impressive feat all on its own, but even more so considering how well it works.