After a couple EPs and split with Denouncement Pyre, Diocletian have finally put out their first full length, entitled Doom Cult. A very solid debut from this black/death outfit from New Zealand, which is not exactly a bubbling volcano for black/death metal. Obvious references to Beherit will be made for these guys, which is not at all a bad thing. Now, I'm not saying that it's totally unoriginal, thoughtless, or without interest. Quite the contrary. I'm just saying that these guys will need a little improvement to really hang with the big boys. The riffs are not boring, and there are some really good slow passages reminiscent of Beherit in their prime (take 'Bullet Vomited' for example). On occasion, they're completely capable of creating a very dark atmosphere more akin to plain ol' black metal without the death metal vibe (such as in 'Baphocletian').
The one thing that really sets Diocletian apart is their AUDIBLE riffs and ability to slow things down to a near crawl, in place of constant blasting. If you like Archgoat, you should like this. I suspect that this album should garner them some due attention, but I'm hoping their next outing shows some improvement, as this album shows some real potential for big things later on.
Overall, a solid and evil album, even if a little uninspired at times. Just over 33 minutes, so it's worth your time if you're a fan of the genre.
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