Völur – Death Cult

Völur

‘Death Cult’

Prophecy Productions

Ambient Folk/Doom Metal

FFO: Agalloch, Negură Bunget, Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik, Wardruna

                Things have been quite busy for Völur; since their formation back in 2013, the Canadians have worked endlessly to deliver two albums and one EP, the latter of which was released earlier this year. Not content to rest on their laurels, Völur have struck quickly with ‘Death Cult’ their third studio album.

                Völur are a band which refuse to be tied down, pigeonholed into one specific genre and therefore what ‘Death Cult’ offers is another primordial slab of avant-garde metal that viciously claws its favourite pieces of ambient folk and doom metal. The roots have been fervently planted in the bands previous efforts and now ‘Death Cult’ allows Völur to spread far and wide, taking an initial groove, the Canadians soon morph this into an expansive sound that spawls over four epic tracks. As with previous albums, the band keep their minimalist approach with the three piece firing on all cylinders with a rhythm section so tight, it could be confused for a submarine door; but what makes this band so unique is the trading of an electric guitar for the violin/viola of Laura Bates. Bates’ playing provides a sound and timbre that couldn’t be achieved with a guitar, providing the band with the chaotic harmony and controlled dissonance seen during ‘Freyjan Death Cult’ and ‘Reverend Queen’. These tracks may have all the appeal of Agalloch and Negură Bunget or even Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik, but there is also something oddly progressively rock about it, touching on King Crimson or the Krautrock of Can.

                Once again, Völur’s experimentation has paid off and allowed the band to deliver an album that keeps their music fresh, different and innovative which means that ‘Death Cult’ is deliciously interesting and whilst it may not appeal to everybody, this is unique enough to find those who will find this utterly appetising.

Adam McCann