Die Ego – Culto

By RingMaster Review on July 4, 2020 • ( 1 )

Though emerging in 2015, you could say that British metallers Die Ego have yet to encroach broad attention but that might just change with the release of debut album, Culto. It unleashes eight slabs of the band’s heavy metal bred sound but one which is so much more than that simple tag suggests.

Formed by guitarist Diego Fardel and vocalist/bassist Gabe Scapigliati, London hailing Die Ego was finally complete and ready to take on the world with the addition of drummer Dave Grosz. 2018 saw the demo, Songs For The Insanity, released; it a potent seed and lure into the creative trespass now driving Culto. As mentioned the band’s sound is a thick mixture, its heavy metal breeding equipped with essences akin to the feral grooving of Pantera, the thrash ferocity of Metallica, and the senses cauterising intensity of a Slipknot with plenty more to chew upon.

Culto immediately ensnared the imagination with its opener and title track, a piano lighting the intimacy of urban streets before the trio expose the senses to their predacious exploits. As rhythms build their imposing incitement, the guitar weaves a melodic intimation, it all gathering for the track’s subsequent dexterous trespass. Vocals and grooves unite in the imagination stirring intent of the track, fascination especially sparked by the creative twists and turns shaping the darkly shaded metal adventure. A progressive lining equally adds to the magnetism seducing ears, the song a magnificent and compelling start to the album.

The following Anger Is Yours proves just as gripping, its initial start stalking the listener with threat and enterprise before erupting in a more anthemic arousal. Like its predecessor and those to follow, the track carries an unpredictability which erupts in varying degrees but always keep attention and appetite for such adventure well fed. A Megadeth meets Down hues only adds to its hungry lure before Demons Have Demons feeds off nightmares and primal fears for its emerging incursion on the imagination. Again thrash nurtured tenacity is bound in bait loaded grooving, a combination torturous in its addiction and intent as Scapigliati adds additional evil spirit in this great fall from grace intimated encounter.

Across the similarly wired and fiendish Treatment Of Silence and the sinister climate of There Is No Tomorrow fascination with the album only increased; the first a web of melodic intimation and rhythmic predation as infectious as it is fearsome and its successor as seductive as it is minacious. Throughout both, every moment and each twist of enterprise brings a fresh aspect and invention to song and temptation to ears, something again proving so easy to find greed for.

From one big favourite here to another as The Grave rises from its dark bed with a groove seeded in its predecessor but soon wiring a new individual incursion of Die Ego corruption. The song is almost theatrical at times around the thrash seeded core of its compelling body, its presence further enhanced by the sonic and melodic trails left by Fardel’s flirtatious guitar.

Don’t Get Close is another which had us licking our bruised senses and lips, the rhythmic incursions of Grosz alone irresistible but swiftly matched in thick persuasion by the gnarly tones of bass and the multi-styled dexterity of the guitar. Both are an unrelenting tempting on ears while album closer I Promise pours over the listener with venom and malevolence whilst revealing the album’s most twisted and dextrous moment yet.

It is a riveting conclusion to the release, one of its most innovative and thrilling moments which almost alone equips fascination with real greed for the album’s ingenuity. Maybe they were a bit of a secret outside of the capital previously but it is so easy to assume that Culto will open a whole new depth of worship for band and sound with us forcibly adding to the roar.

Culto is out now; available @ https://dieego.bandcamp.com/