Cult of Uzura

Cult of Uzura sees the dedicated French death/black metal band Skaphos fleshing out their sound on their third album - first on a label - to become more expressive and impactful than ever before. At this point, their proficiency is undeniable and their sound is a beautiful rendering of the two extreme styles, spiked with mean dissonance and steeped in an aura of mysticism. The execution remains ruthless and forceful despite showing subtlety in the emotive passages and deftness in the tempo changes. The gnarly death and black metal rawness is palpable even after having their disparate elements congealed on this album and the sound is more powerful than can be conceived for an album having this level of expression. In addition, the alternating contrast of chunky riffing with acerbic parts creates a lasting impression on the listener.