Cult

Cult is the seventh album, layering gothic metal's dark air, lyrical guitar and wistful vocals. Released in May 2015, with the advance single “Screaming Birds” unveiled the previous November. The heavy riffs aren't excessively aggressive; they function as shadow to catch the singing's emotion. The compact eight-track structure shows the record's decisiveness well. It also became an important album, ending up in the position of closing out their career for a time. The melody opens wide at the choruses, but even there a poignancy remains that isn't only brightness. The contrast between quiet passages and passages that gather force gives the album a cinematic depth. From the opener “In Black” through “Unknown III,” “Mere Dream,” “You,” “Straight Up” and “Let It Bleed” to the closing “End of Tears,” there's no waste. The band played their final show at the John Smith Rock Festival in June 2016 and announced the end of their career that July. They would later reform, but for now this remains their last studio album. A record suited to anyone wanting melodic metal to sink into late at night.