TRACK LISTING

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1.  Murderkkult
2.  Indra
3.  Lasting Dose
4.  White Horse
5.  Anointed with Blood
     of the Snake
6.  Sacrosanct
7.  Born Cold
8.  Damiana
9.  Leadcatcher

Total playing time:  36:00

Release Date: June 2011
Label: psycheDOOMelic Records

Leather Nun America - Kult Occult

Reviewer: Chris

November 7, 2011

Like a plodding and steamrolling fog that densely permeates the stillness that already hangs in the large air, Leather Nun America force-feeds Kult Occult into the mouths of anyone fortunate enough to offer a gaping maw of such willing fortitude. With some of the biggest and best ‘noise’ to pass my ears in a while, the heavy doom-laden album settles under my skin in jagged tones of justified sanction.

What can be said about the first track “Murderkkult” pretty much sums up the album in a nutshell. The music is about as unsightly as it gets in down-trodden chords of grimy musical majesty that is so damn bass heavy it’s practically a curse, but a welcome one at that. The fuzzy tone in “Indra” is one of the best distorted basses I’ve heard in a very long time, harkening back to early 70’s German prog rock ala Blackwater Park, a band disgustingly overlooked by the mass audiences for decades. The subtle grunge-tinged sounds on this album are about as crisp and devilishly weighty as they come; the density and literal punishing aura set by the portentous tones that keep you waiting for the next big movement are well-executed and very nicely organized. These three guys know exactly what to do to create a truly dirty, yet disciplined sound. 

The lapsing from straight-forward doom ala Black Sabbath or The Obsessed is laced ever slightly with a very potent psychedelic feel that seems to compensate the album perfectly, especially in “Lasting Dose”, which meshes the tonal qualities of Pink Floyd and Deep Purple to a nth degree of engagement. When you think you’ve settled into a niche of severed serenity, the pounding bass of “White Horse” absolutely batters your head and boils your blood as you follow the vocal melody that often sounds like a far more interesting Rob Zombie, though is hardly a justice to our singer here. The masking of the deep bellowing is swiftly recognized as a working plot device to add flavor and some mystery to the music, and it’s acceptable as is. That said, “Anointed with Blood of Snake” is where the smooth, even flow of the vocal line cascades over the sweltering guitar tone and simmers in its own harmonized simplicity.     

Some of the riffs ring familiar as some of the forefathers might have augmented or switched around various notes and sequences over the years, but what points Leather Nun America could lose with some folks for such subtle homage is precisely what fans of the genre will dig and keep digging far into the future. There is a genuine calling for this hard rocking, power chord assault that is as basic as it comes but reverberates in every right spot. The beautiful acoustic opening in “Sacrosanct” is as lovely and homogenous as it comes, and the latent attractiveness of the short piece is not lost on me. It’s these small, but overly assuming pieces of the puzzle that are good for a deep and attentive listening on a cold and dark night. This record houses some of the heaviest riffs from a bass/guitar/drum trio collective that you’ll hear, and I’m thinking it might be in your best interest to check them out, especially in the live setting if you’re in the San Diego neck of their woods or lucky to catch them on tour. I will casually add that the end of “Damiana” really calls upon “Goodbye Cruel World” off Pink Floyd’s The Wall, but that’s just what I hear. It’s a very nice style and serene effort that adds character to the travk.

The best of what doom metal has to offer in the modern day. You can’t fix perfection, but you may as well call on it in times of need and build the different mousetrap along the way.