If you're familiar with any of Immolation's last three albums, you'll recognise them as the authors of the eight songs here presented after hearing a mere few seconds of any track. Yet when you've given more time to _UC_ -- a full listen to any single track will do -- you'll notice just how far Immolation have come; even since 2000's classy _Close to a World Below_. Though thoroughly brutal and uncompromising, Immolation's fifth album is expertly nuanced, and blessed with a sound that beautifully articulates its tortured malevolence. A sinister amalgamation of magnificent riffs, incredible rhythms, sterling solos and arresting arrangements -- to name but a few of its qualities -- _UC_'s main body is a near-masterpiece of modern death metal.

Unfortunately, there are "buts". Firstly, there's the album's cover. Depicting the crucifixial shadow cast from the top of a foreground church with an evil face -- apparently lupine -- dwelling in its darkness, the image only serves to reinforce scene stereotypes, and will doubtless put off many who would relish the music it encloses. Put simply, _UC_ looks like your average, boring, by-the-numbers death metal album -- though it is actually something much more special. _UC_'s opening minute is also disappointing; a droning three-note progression creates a dynamic which the crushing kick-off of "Of Martyrs and Men" capitalises on; but it's old news. It's a tactic Immolation have used more than once -- on their last two albums, in fact: they would have done well to do something different this time, or at least not repeat themselves in such a bland style.

But the most frustrating part of _Unholy Cult_ is its close. As "Bring Them Down" builds toward a final climax, expectations are running high: but instead of delivering a majestic final stroke -- or bringing proceedings to a close by gradually fading out on a riff as ominously portentous as the one which capped off "The Devil I Know" on 1999's _Failures for Gods_ -- Immolation fade out on a bland repeated progression, leaving you feeling cheated and frustrated. It's unfortunate that these low points cannot be satisfactorily edited out -- as duff tracks could be. Yet, despite their crucial placings, they don't spoil _UC_ but simply mar its near-perfection. Immolation would do well to re-evaluate -- or at least vary -- aspects of their image and overall album structuring in the future; but if they continue to write music as compelling, crushing and differentiated from the norm as they have with _Unholy Cult_, I must admit that I'll keep listening even if they don't vary their more formulaic elements.

[Jackie Smit: ""Of Martyrs and Men" leads Immolation's latest assault; a sublime guitar piece begins the song, hinting at the approach of something unspeakably sinister, before all hell breaks loose. With the force of a nuclear hurricane, the beast that is Immolation roars to life. Make no mistake -- this is as good as death metal gets. Ross Dolan's vocals are immense, powerful, threatening -- an essential cog in the bleak, violently melodic Immolation framework. "Sinful Nature" follows, annihilating any doubt one may have had about Immolation's dominance. Elsewhere, the sprawling, eight-minute title track lends a progressive edge to the proceedings, while "A Kingdom Divided" shows off the band at their most crushingly effective -- almost murderously determined, blending seamlessly through more tempo and riff changes than most so-called "math-metal" bands could ever dream of. _Unholy Cult_ then culminates in "Bring Them Down", the sound of the beast obliterating the final drabs of resistance. If _Close to a World Below_ was Immolation's ascension to the veritable 'next level', then _Unholy Cult_ is the ultimate consolidation of all their strengths and the final expulsion of every single thing that could possibly hold them back."]