CULT MEMBER Unleash An Unrelenting Thrash Assault With New Album "Gore"

"Gore" is out now [photo: Cult Member]

Nine songs. 20 minutes. Wait what?

There are a few words that can be used to describe Tromsø, Norway quartet CULT MEMBER, but none as prevalent as fast, blistering, and downright ferocious. The band's latest album, "Gore", is a great showcase of this, taking 80s thrash intensity and injecting modern social commentary.

Right out the gate, the riffs are striking: "This Is Where You Die" is a 90-second flurry of alternate picking and blast beats with little chance to catch your breath. There's even a 23 second vocal scream in thrown in for good measure - it's as intense as it is impressive.

Leading singles "Skull Smasher Psychic" and "Hammer To Crown" are a great display of the band's frantic nature: the former eases you in with a marching beat before a chaotic descent, while the latter, driven by a punchy snare roll, maintains breakneck pace.

[photo: Cult Member]

Whilst it's obvious that the band have been inspired by the heavier thrash or hardcore bands (Slayer and Cro Mags to name two), there are also distinct splatterings of early Metallica. Title track "Gore" is complete with short, technical lead guitar licks, and "The Rotten Man's Game" sounds like "Spit Out The Bone" if it was written for Kill 'Em All - angrier, dirtier, more intense.

The entire album is an unrelenting blast of hardcore angst, taking a thrash sound and playing around with it. Where "The Void" has hints of black metal, "SUCK" veers more towards the hardcore punk bands, showing a range of influences.

"Threat of Violence" is the longest track on the album, coming in it just over three minutes, and it uses its time well. Dissonant chords, gallopy riffs and classic drum backbeat form the intro, but again it's not long before it descends into the organised chaos that is Cult Member.

The album ends as it started - "ObScene" may be (slightly) slower, sludgier, angrier than the opening track, but there is still there that burning intensity and chanting energy, easily warranting some headbanging from even the most disgruntled of audiences.

As the track slowly fades out, becoming more broken as the record slows and ends, one thing is for sure - though short, this would be one hell of a mosh pit.

"Gore" is out NOW on streaming services