Chthonic Cult — Become Seekers for Death

Seven years since their first release, German/Polish extreme metallers Chthonic Cult have risen from their dormant state to unleash Become Seekers for Death on a different, far more grim world. Shifting their focus to straight-up death metal, the group blasts forth with eight furious tracks to make the world well aware of their return to the scene. Sharp, tight, and lean, this album packs a hefty punch without a lot of extra frills, and its restraint helps to amplify the brutality.

Ripping riffs, pummeling percussion, and vile vocals form the framework for Become Seekers for Death, and Chthonic Cult builds its album deftly around these core aspects. Streamlining the death process and building from the ground up, each well-placed addition serves to add a new dimension to each track and further the album along. In an era of constant tribute and old school renaissance, CC strives to keep it modern and hone their sound their way. While their debut was more on the doom influenced, long-form side, their sophomore release shows where their passion and ferocity lies - in ripping death metal. With that, there are not too many flourishes here, just really straightforward, pounding death. It's heavy, mid to fast, and offers up a fair amount of grooves. The vocals are rough and nicely uninviting, and the drums are on point and not overkill. Many bands go for too much or too fast and lose coherency, but Seekers plays within comfortable confines and plays well. This is crispy recorded, too, and doesn't go for cheap, lo-fi scene cred. While all these descriptors all sound "safe," they're more to reinforce the album's solid construction and execution. Sometimes one just wants to pump one's fist and relax; they don't all have to be sonic olympics. 

Chthonic Cult's second album, Become Seekers for Death, is death metal comfort food; this won't trick or tease the palate, but rather is for the stomach and soul. That's not to say there aren't delightful flavors at play, just that there is more sustenance than flash, and in these wild times, a little security and safety is often what's desired. Eight shredding tracks, Seekers is a very solid death metal release.