Artist: Fulgorious
Country: Ecuador
Label: Nebulavaho Records
Formats: 7″ EP / Demo Tape
Year: 2025
Spawned from the mind of S.S comes Fulgorious, a new Black Metal band from the fertile Ecuadorian Black Metal grounds. While the country has a couple of well-known Black Metal bands like Wampyric Rites, Winterstorm, Dungeon Steel and affiliated acts, S.S is involved with none of these bands. Instead he has his own range of other projects such as Satanic Count, Latem, Le Legione and Fullmoon Sacrifice as well as running the Nebulavaho Records label. In the preparation of this review I have listened to all of S.S’ other work, but it is safe to say that this first Fulgorious demo tape is absolutely his best effort so far.
However, nothing that you’ll hear on ‘Total Black Metal Cult’ is going to surprise you in terms of originality or otherwise refreshing elements. In fact, this is demo is a clear-cut Darkthrone worshipping affair that absolutely makes no effort to hide it. The melancholic and surprisingly catchy riffs are undeniably reminiscent of Darkthrone during the ‘Under A Funeral Moon’ and ‘Transylvanian Hunger’ albums as well as some later ones during the mid-00’s. It even shares the same stunning dynamics and overall diversity in tempo and riffing, making ‘Total Black Metal Cult’ living up to its title. Especially the wistful riffs are something that will certainly appeal those who have an unquenchable thirst to the first wave of Scandinavian Black Metal. But, I would even dare to recommend this to people who usually find their solace in Finnish Black Metal, as ‘Total Black Metal Cult’ is not miles off from the more gloomy works by Satanic Warmaster or Sargeist either.
It may not be original and it isn’t of the same level of quality as the Norwegian or Finnish stalwarts, ‘Total Black Metal Cult’ is definitely a very convincing first effort. S.S shows himself at his best here and seems to combine all the experience he gained from his other and previous bands in what is definitely his best work to date.
