Cultic, the newest album from the Pennsylvania extreme metal band, Lore is definitely a strange and different album that I have mixed feelings for. I'd never heard of this band so I wasn't sure what to expect. The visuals on the album cover are really cool, a blue dragon perched on a mountain with the back drop of a sunset. Fantasy is my first thought and with songs like Warlord's Quest, Warden and Tyrant's Horde I gathered that was the main theme behind this album. That and the fact that the band coins themselves "Dark Dungeon Metal", which is very interesting. There are some things I like about this album that we will get into, but there are also somethings that I am very critical of.

First off, I enjoyed the instrumentation quite a bit. The loud guitars and the slow building drums and bass tones really set the tone for what the album was going for. It builds at atmosphere that you can really picture, get invested in, especially if you're someone who loves reading or watching fantasy, such as myself. Some of the instrument choices are great and the use of keyboards and synths add an extra mythical layer to the entire project which I found fascinated. Songs like Twilight for example which use the synths to create a sinister sound as well as snippets from dogs barking and horse hooves clopping on pavement. The opening track, Nomad, also uses the synths to create a certain atmosphere at the start of the track before some impressive guitar and drum work kicks on. Tyrant's Horde definitely sounds like something you could march into battle to because the beginning drum beats layered below screaming guitars are like war drums.

Imperial Procession is a standout track on the album that starts out with a drum beat then goes into an interesting horn section that, again, is very reminiscent of armies marching off to war. I love the slow building trumpet sounds and drums, with the occasional strum of the guitar as well which creates an eerie atmosphere. Dungeon Wench begins with footsteps on a dungeon floor and shackles clanking together as well as a woman laughing before transforming into an energetic song with muddled vocals and an extremely well done guitar performance. Vast Horizons, another stand out, builds upon itself. It's another instrumental song, but the instruments all work cohesively together. The synths layered over top everything is brilliant in my opinion; it reminds me of characters in a fantasy novel walking on there quest to find some great, mythical thing of power they are searching for.

Now while some things in this album worked for me, somethings didn't, primarily the vocals. They were too harsh, and not in a good way. The vocals sounded itchy and scratchy, as if the singer were sick when they were recorded, and the mixing was off as well. Oftentimes the instruments were louder than the vocals so I couldn't even hear what the vocalist was saying in general. It was a very interesting and different album experience for me for sure. The instrumentation and the slow build on each song worked for me, but the muddled, scratchy vocals made the album very hard for me to listen to.