Heretic Cult Redeemer – Heretic Cult Redeemer (2014)

Spewing their Black Metal poison, today we have Greek outfit Heretic Cult Redeemer and the re-release of their 2013 debut full-length self-titled release. Delivering seven punishing acts of BM devastation, this band sets a very sinister mood while beating the listener to a pulp with their crafty riffing and demoralizing vocals.

As the opener “Crawling Hope” delivers the first blows, the band delivers waves of traditional BM riffs with fuzzy distortion and sickening vocals. Mixing in some solid headbanging moments in their music, allows HCR to crafty catchy and memorable tracks like “The Oldest of Times” and the very melodic “Bleeding of the Giant Sun”. The band’s command of the Black Metal arts is infused in the sinister oppressive atmosphere of songs like “Destiny of Death” and its super catchy yet firm riffage.

Our favorite track in this release is the dense “Unknown Salvation” and its pungent atmosphere created by the incisive riffs and super tight drumming. As the album closes with the enigmatic and piercing “Епта”, we are treated to another facet of the band’s creative process, one we hope they continue to pursue in future releases.

Overall, this self-titled debut album shows great promise from this Greek outfit. The band has a very polished Black Metal style that while not extremely original, it has enough quality to make them stand out from the rest. If you like oppressive BM like Behemoth (earlier), Outre, and similar outfits, this release will be a good addition to your collection.

Label: Hellthrasher Productions

Release: February 2014

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Greece