Kult Mogil - Portentaque

Record Label: Pagan Records


In these digital days, there definitely seems to be confusion as to what an EP is. Many bands these days have EP's that run for well over 30 minutes, which during the heyday of vinyl and cassettes would have been considered an album. But times and definitions have changed over the years. The abbreviation FTW did not mean "For the Win" in the pre-internet age and selfies weren't photographs of yourself. Anyway regardless of how times have changed, Polish death band Kult Mogil have stuck to older definitions and released an EP with three songs on it. The EP is available in digital and CD form plus 12" vinyl (which is to be played at 45rpm).


The first track on the EP, "Alae Magicos" lets you know what Kult Mogil are all about. The song opens slowly with Scooby Doo style vocals over slow guitar playing, which conveys a bleak post-metal dystopian atmosphere. The song then deceives really speeds up with incredibly fast paced drumming but the drummer then slows down. The growled vocals are ever present over the blast-beat drumming and ambient post-metal guitar playing. The marriage between the growls, blast-beats work well. The near spoken part towards the middle of the track conjures up images of chaotic evil from the depths of the pits of hell. The tempo changes in this track lend this track an evil edge when the track slows down then there is a glimmer of hope in the overwhelming grimness of the hellish cacophony. The title track weighs in eight minutes and Kult Mogil take the listener on a wander through slow death doom dirges with short faced paced bursts that should carry a warning for those with heart troubles. The guitar sounds at the end of the song contain a shimmer of hope among the oppressiveness as they again border on ambient post-metal.

This three track EP clocks in at just over 18 and a half minutes. What Kult Mogil have done with their guitar sound combined with the more typical death metal growls edges the band well away from being yet another generic death metal band. Thankfully, they also vary the tempo in all three tracks rather than just putting their feet down and going for all-out speed with blast-beats. The variation in drumming style and speed makes for a more interesting listen as Kult Mogil could not be described as a predictable death metal band. I look forward to hearing more from this band from Poland.



3.5/5


Release Date: 29 September 2017



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