First off, before you read this review, go here  and check out Medeia’s killer video for the single “Cold Embrace”. Making fun of black metal? Making fun of themselves? Who cares-it’s awesome.

Hailing from Finland, Cult is the second album from Medeia, a melodic death metal band that utilize keyboards and a very US sounding canter in their galloping Euro melodies and crunchy tone. Are they metalcore? Not quite-but they stand astride the line much like many American acts drenched in the Gothenburg sound. Either way, Cult is a pretty entertaining album; lots of very energetic, slicing, tightly wound riffs (i.e. “Descension”, “Devouring”) and plenty of stern rumbling (I won’t use the term ‘breakdowns’ though its fits the likes of “The Architect”, “Unholy Communion”, “Ceremonial”) all delivered with Keijo Niinimaa’s (also known as Rotten Sound’s vocalist ‘G’) stern vocal growl and rasp and a thunderous rhythm section that’s highlighted by a very robust production.

Keyboardist Laura Dziadulewicz keeps things superficially Dimmu-y and blackened with some piecemeal but well placed synth tinkling (i.e “Cold Embrace”, “Through Sacrifice”, “Made Flesh Again”, the closing of “The Unseen”) but as much as I enjoy the album, the thing is, I can’t help but think of Bleeding Through or Winds of Plague when I listen to Medeia as opposed to Dark Tranquility or other Gothenburg luminaries. Still though, the band is very tight and they bring the thunder if a direct, compact, 30-minute album (only four tracks barely run over three minutes, with closer “The Unseen” running over 5 minutes) sans clean vocals or any form of acoustics or interlude.

Though hardly original groundbreaking release, and a release I can’t quite determine if its tongue in cheek, synth filled metalcore (admittedly, mostly due to the video) or serious melodic death metal, Cult has some very competent moments and some energetic chops that warrants some attention either way.

[Visit the band's website]

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