Cultes des Ghoules - Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths

CULTES DES GHOULES - Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths (UNDER THE SIGN OF GARAZEL - CD 2018)

Unlike many of my colleagues or people, who I am in contact with, I personally am not such a huge enthusiast of Cultes des Ghoules music. I have respect for them, appreciate some of the stuff they recorded, but I'm far from ejaculating on every sound of Cultes des Ghoules name. To say the best about two of their latest releases, "Coven, or Evil Ways Instead of Love" bored me and "The Rise of Lucifer" was forgettable as hell. So, I wasn't really looking forward to listen to "Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths", but since I got a copy of it pretty quickly, I sat down one night and started to listen to it. 

And I do not regret this sleepless night. Maybe the correct conditions, which were surrounding me, helped, but this album definitely speaks to me much better than the previous full length. It's definitely an impressive and worthy piece of obscure, morbid black metal and if you're a fan of the previous Cultes des Ghoules recordings, then I am sure you will worship this new one as well. For me, this is a solid and interesting album. But problem with Cultes des Ghoules, also with "Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths", is that the fragments of pure genius are mixed up with some dull and forgettable parts. So, if we have an album, which is 60 minutes long then I would gladly cut it up to some 40 minutes max and get a spectacular record all the way through. 

Anyway, a lot of this music is just great black metal. Very obscure and eerie sounding, with some fantastic riffs and bass work - which remind me the old Greek scene a bit, to be honest. Al these fragments, when Cultes incorporates keyboards (or maybe something like pipe organ) is absolutely spectacular and an instant goose skin (listen to "Children of the Moon"). It sounds incredible and the atmosphere, which is created is exactly what I love to hear from such bands. Aggressive, simplistic and utterly harsh black metal dominates on the album though - and as I mentioned, it has its better and worse moments. Sometimes they come up with absolutely unique ideas, arrangements, which really put the band away from the common and conventional black metal. And obviously set up the bar high. Even the vocals are not always in the typical black metal shrieky vein. They're more like howlings, I think. The best effect comes, when the music is slow paced, to be fair. I'm thinking here especially about "The Serenity of Nothingness", which is just superb song. It's like Necromantia mixed with Tulus, Master's Hammer and fuck knows what else. The whole “Woods of Power” sounds even like Beherit from “Drowning Down the Moon”! Anyway, the result is excellent, especially with that vicious, dark and ghoulish atmosphere. I think “Day of Joy” is the only song, which I would really delete from the album. Obviously it’s only my opinion and some other may find its more chaotic, faster sound as more interesting... But opinions are as many as ass’ holes. And who cares for other than your own. To sum it all up, it’s good album. Definitely worth to get, so if you’ve been into Cultes music before, you will love it. 

Standout tracks:  "The Serenity of Nothingness", "Children of the Moon" 

Verdict: 75/100