I really like this, has an old school feel to it in the first half, but with their usual Indian flair. After two listens I’m liking it as much as Moksha and Nirvana, but can’t say it holds a candle to Ascetic Meditation of Death. Guitar work is excellent as always though.

This album was made for people like Starvynth and me to enjoy, especially the songs "Blessing" and "Joy".

Written by nikarg on 27.03.2025 at 07:10

This album was made for people like Starvynth and me to enjoy, especially the songs "Blessing" and "Joy".

As far as I can remember, I’ve never mentioned this band’s name, I haven’t rated or commented on a single one of their albums, and I’ve never told anyone how much I loved Moksha and Nirvana - yet you still think you know that I’d enjoy the new album?

That’s a little eerie. Especially because you’re absolutely right.

Thanks a bunch for the reminder! Otherwise, I would have completely missed the mid-week release date.

PS - yeah, those two for sure. But also "Mourning"!

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

Written by musclassia on 27.03.2025 at 23:26

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

That would be the perfect show for me right now, you should go so you can tell us how great it was

Written by musclassia on 27.03.2025 at 23:26

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

Do it, I'm still kicking myself for not going when they came here.

Written by musclassia on 27.03.2025 at 23:26

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

I saw them at an open air, and it was really good, but I imagine they'd be much better at an indoor venue. If you like them, you won't be disappointed

A really great album, lots of fun, yet its rating is unbelievably low (only a 6.4 as I write this). I’m listening to Cult Of Fire for the first time and I love this. Do their previous/older albums sound drastically different? The low (by MS standards) rating is confusing unless it’s explained by unmet fan expectations.

Written by Starvynth on 27.03.2025 at 20:25

That’s a little eerie. Especially because you’re absolutely right.

It has this 90s black goth sound that we both love

Written by musclassia on 27.03.2025 at 23:26

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

I have never seen either band, but this line-up is unmissable, if you ask me.

Written by Metren on 28.03.2025 at 08:42

A really great album, lots of fun, yet its rating is unbelievably low (only a 6.4 as I write this). I’m listening to Cult Of Fire for the first time and I love this. Do their previous/older albums sound drastically different? The low (by MS standards) rating is confusing unless it’s explained by unmet fan expectations.

The rating is baffling, indeed. The album sounds to me as a natural evolution from Moksha and Nirvana. Their earlier stuff was a lot more raw and sinister, which could explain a disappointment from fans, but, in my opinion, the music is still very good. Check out the previous stuff, when you can, it's well worth your time.

Written by nikarg on 28.03.2025 at 12:28

Written by musclassia on 27.03.2025 at 23:26

I've been pondering whether to catch these guys playing with The Great Old Ones on Monday, mainly cos the tickets are more expensive than I'd expect for this band, but an album as decent as this does keep me tempted

I have never seen either band, but this line-up is unmissable, if you ask me.

Based on everyone's comments above, I have bought the ticket for it - will report back on how it is.

OK went to the gig and can report:

Opening band was Caronte - we have them in our database as stoner/doom metal but it felt more like a poor man's modern Tribulation with occasional harsh vocals

Then TGOO - played for nearly an hour and sounded great, although I spent most of their set jealous of their chthulu-themed mic stand

Cult of Fire - I don't think it's unfair to say that, when seeing them live, ones attention is drawn to their stage set-up: anyone seeing them soon, save yourself the surprise, but anyone else google it, it's crazy, the serpent thrones and masks are unbelievable. I rarely take photos/video of shows if I'm not writing a concert review, but I took a bunch of this. Beyond the visuals, their set was very good, but I did find it blastier than their new album, with less of the oddities and intricacies weaving their way through (that said, i finally found a major london venue with pints for 6 quid, so my attention was perhaps marginally impaired by this point). A cool gig, and I don't regret the expenditure, but I do think CoF derive a lot of their charm from the on-stage visuals

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 00:06


Then TGOO - played for nearly an hour and sounded great, although I spent most of their set jealous of their chthulu-themed mic stand

Slightly off topic, but did you take a photo?

Written by F3ynman on 01.04.2025 at 00:34

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 00:06


Then TGOO - played for nearly an hour and sounded great, although I spent most of their set jealous of their chthulu-themed mic stand

Slightly off topic, but did you take a photo?

Yeah, I can try to upload a couple of pics from the gig when I have a moment to figure out how

Written by F3ynman on 01.04.2025 at 00:34

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 00:06


Then TGOO - played for nearly an hour and sounded great, although I spent most of their set jealous of their chthulu-themed mic stand

Slightly off topic, but did you take a photo?

This is the clearest one I managed to get of The Great Old Ones' mic stand (my phone's camera is crap in that lighting)



This is Cult Of Fire's set-up (adding a URL instead of hosting the image in case there's someone planning to catch CoF who wants to go in blind)

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 17:07

Written by F3ynman on 01.04.2025 at 00:34

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 00:06


Then TGOO - played for nearly an hour and sounded great, although I spent most of their set jealous of their chthulu-themed mic stand

Slightly off topic, but did you take a photo?

This is the clearest one I managed to get of The Great Old Ones' mic stand (my phone's camera is crap in that lighting)



This is Cult Of Fire's set-up (adding a URL instead of hosting the image in case there's someone planning to catch CoF who wants to go in blind)

Haha, one band is definitely more colorful than the other! Thanks for the pics!

Written by musclassia on 01.04.2025 at 17:07

Dude I’m so jealous, that looks amazing! Their setup is one of the coolest I’ve seen!

Gonna see them all tonight. I got the tickets just for TGOO alone, having never listened to Cult of Fire before. Which means I'm going into their gig blind... or should I say deaf, because I know what CoF looks like, but not what they sound like.

Guess I should report back about the show. It certainly was the most fun show I've seen in a while. Just before coming on stage, they had a curtain up for Cult of Fire, so people wouldn't know what to expect until the show actually started. I understand why they did that; with some BM bands that wear costumes/make-up and have lots of stage props, some of the magic is taken away when you can see that it's just a bunch of dudes rolling out one prop at a time.

Attendance was kinda low, actually. I get that it was a weekday and none of the three bands is *that* famous that you'd need to buy the tickets months in advance lest they're sold out. Like I said, I hadn't even listened to CoF beforehand. But still, for how awesome (and dare I say "flashy") the three of them were, it felt like an insider-tip show. I appreciate that, because it makes the whole thing feel more underground and intimate. Plus it makes the bands seem more dedicated to their work when they still give 100% to a venue that's merely at 50% capacity.

Audentes fortuna iuvat...

Written by Brutal Water on 12.04.2025 at 07:58

Guess I should report back about the show. It certainly was the most fun show I've seen in a while. Just before coming on stage, they had a curtain up for Cult of Fire, so people wouldn't know what to expect until the show actually started. I understand why they did that; with some BM bands that wear costumes/make-up and have lots of stage props, some of the magic is taken away when you can see that it's just a bunch of dudes rolling out one prop at a time.

Attendance was kinda low, actually. I get that it was a weekday and none of the three bands is *that* famous that you'd need to buy the tickets months in advance lest they're sold out. Like I said, I hadn't even listened to CoF beforehand. But still, for how awesome (and dare I say "flashy") the three of them were, it felt like an insider-tip show. I appreciate that, because it makes the whole thing feel more underground and intimate. Plus it makes the bands seem more dedicated to their work when they still give 100% to a venue that's merely at 50% capacity.

Audentes fortuna iuvat...

Sounds very similar to my experience with them a couple of weeks ago - similarly quiet attendance, and I respected how fully committed the bands were to their performances in spite of it. And also I agree, it's kinda ludicrous to see a band with as insane a stage set-up as CoF draw that muted a crowd; even just envisioning it at a practical level, it must be a hassle and expense transporting all that stage equipment from show to show

Written by musclassia on 13.04.2025 at 00:49

Written by Brutal Water on 12.04.2025 at 07:58

Guess I should report back about the show. It certainly was the most fun show I've seen in a while. Just before coming on stage, they had a curtain up for Cult of Fire, so people wouldn't know what to expect until the show actually started. I understand why they did that; with some BM bands that wear costumes/make-up and have lots of stage props, some of the magic is taken away when you can see that it's just a bunch of dudes rolling out one prop at a time.

Attendance was kinda low, actually. I get that it was a weekday and none of the three bands is *that* famous that you'd need to buy the tickets months in advance lest they're sold out. Like I said, I hadn't even listened to CoF beforehand. But still, for how awesome (and dare I say "flashy") the three of them were, it felt like an insider-tip show. I appreciate that, because it makes the whole thing feel more underground and intimate. Plus it makes the bands seem more dedicated to their work when they still give 100% to a venue that's merely at 50% capacity.

Audentes fortuna iuvat...

Sounds very similar to my experience with them a couple of weeks ago - similarly quiet attendance, and I respected how fully committed the bands were to their performances in spite of it. And also I agree, it's kinda ludicrous to see a band with as insane a stage set-up as CoF draw that muted a crowd; even just envisioning it at a practical level, it must be a hassle and expense transporting all that stage equipment from show to show

Sounds like batushkas nz gig

Fairly average album, but "Blessing" really tilts it up to an 8 for me.