I suppose at the outset of this article, being my first, I should make one thing clear. I would be best defined, by every sense of the definition, a mystic. I have been captivated wholly by the taboo and occult practices found across the globe, fully devoted to uncovering the forgotten knowledge they hold about society, history and the nature of consciousness. Whatever it was that has brought me to this point in my life, it has created a need for me to see medias cross boundaries into something completely new and transformative. This is what Cult of Fire has managed to do.
Some time ago, I was standing in a crowded living room celebrating before Ben’s wedding and was just drunk enough to think that his straightedge brother would like to hear my theories on dark, Indian holy music and black metal. After pointing out the “Heaviness” that can be found in Bhagavan Das’ album “Love Songs to the Dark Lord” (2008, Nutone) it led to a rather enlightening conversation on what it is to write evil or dark metal. I know what you are thinking, “Another band making a pretentious approach at incorporating eastern culture into their music…”. Well before you start puking in your cynical cap; this isn’t some Art-Metal/Avant-Garde/Hipster Black metal project. These guys know what the fuck they are doing AND saying. Acetic Meditation of Death a.k.a. मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान, released by Iron Bonehead in November of this past year, is likely one of the most overlooked and undervalued albums of 2013.
The left hand path means different things to different people depending on your tradition. On a very basic level, I would be considered a practitioner of this path to some extent. Anarchism, Occultism and generally doing things that are to the mainstream socially taboo would land me there. To the Christian tradition, it’s the worship and collusion with Satan. To Cult of Fire, it’s Aghora. In eastern philosophy, Karma is the ruling law which traps you in Samsara, or the cycle of birth and death. Karma isn’t a bitch like most Facebook memes would lead you to believe with a touch of sparkly stars, but rather an immutable law of cause and effect, a law of attachment. If you are greedy, you will likely suffer the karmic costs of that attachment forever, through many life times until it is overcome. To follow the left hand path in the Vedic Tradition is far more terrifying than your run of the mill Satan worshippers. It’s to fully submit to self destruction, to give into all vices and vile behavior in order to free yourself of your fear and repulsion of it. That is the left hand worship of Shiva’s destructive form, Kali. It is better known and greatly misunderstood as Tantra in the west, and it is also the fastest way, for those who are unprepared to lose their minds and possibly their lives if they do not follow it virtuously.
Acetic Meditation of Death comes across as any other black metal album would at first listen, fast, dark, visceral. Lets face its, it’s from a group of Czech dudes who’s first album was all about Chernobyl meltdown and the devastation of an entire city. Things change once you see its cover art. David Glomba, whose work has been seen on albums by Evil, Tortorum and Inferno, nailed the concept, particularly for the Vinyl Gate. Kali, surrounded by all methods of torture and destruction, spewing fire and occupying solar space as if she were a planet. Then you read the titles, well, you put them into Google translate or look them up to read them (assuming you only speak English) and see titles like, “On the Funeral Pyre of Existence” and “Burned by the Flame of Divine Love”. The album opens with rhythmic chanting and sitar, as foreboding guitars drone in to fill the empty space. They manage to capture polyrhythms between the melody carried by the guitars, sitars and the beats of the drums and strumming patterns. It becomes a rather dark, soundscape which breaks and dives straight into more traditional black metal, only to return to the beginning rhythms giving a cohesive feel to the opening track. Layers of Tantric Chanting can be heard across the album as well. This isn’t just your average bullshit; chant something, hell, chant anything if it sounds cool. These are traditional Shaivite chants. Like I said, these guys did their homework. Their singer, Devilish, had this to say about their album; in true Aghoric fashion I might add.
“मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान is for me the most complex and deepest work of art that we have to date created. It's homage to the Goddess Kali, the Aghoris, the funeral rites in India and its close surroundings. The approach of these people to certain aspects of life and religion itself is fascinating. During the composition of this album I was constantly thinking, dreaming, meditating, brought myself almost to a frenzy state, watched documentaries, read books, met people who visited this country, studied, listened to the mantras and tried to spiritually penetrate into this religion. My thoughts and spiritual revelations are being enhanced by the atmosphere of strong Opium, many other kinds of scents, tastes and the surrounding of myself with hinduistic relics allowed me to enter and soak in this atmosphere and create by that the music and the whole concept of this work of art, which will affect also the logo and band image.”
The album, much like the Goddess it was dedicated, covers a vast expanse of space and time. I mean that both literally and figuratively. Its mood, patterns and also bizarre and creepy black metal/hippie sounds create almost a total picture of Kali and who this band has now defined themselves as. It is a new take on the typical observance of death in music through the scope of Indian tradition. For those looking for a departure of the overplayed, “Hail Satan” metal mentality and want something a bit more well-thought and creative, for those looking for a fresh take on Eastern music and Metal, or those just looking for a mind feast with one of the coolest Goddesses around, check out this album.
http://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/cult-of-fire
- Ryan Kinghorn
