ALBUM REVIEW: A Cult That Worships A God Of Death – The Grasshopper Lies Heavy

Surely the prize for the coolest band name/album title combo of the year has to go to THE GRASSHOPPER LIES HEAVY with A Cult That Worships A God Of Death. The Texas-based post-hardcore trio have been around for a little while now, forming in 2006 as an instrumental project. A number of splits, EPs, LPs and even a film score have followed in the years since, with this record comprising several tracks that were primarily tested on their 2019 tour of Japan. With that in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that this album often brims with a raw and primal intensity that feels ready made for a live show.

The band set the scene on A Cult… with a short ominous Untitled opener, but it’s second track The Act Of Buying Groceries which really gets things going. While a name like that could suggest a degree of mundanity, this is anything but. It erupts immediately with a winding sludgy riff, kicking off an odd-time driven rager and definite early highlight. From the start, it’s clear this isn’t the somewhat maligned and perhaps overly emotional post-hardcore of the mid-to-late 00s. This is weighty, mature stuff, with real bite and ferocity. It actually draws its fair share of comparisons to bands you mightn’t typically associate with the genre, even if the tag does fit them to an extent. In particular, imagine the riff-heavy swagger of EVERY TIME I DIE meets the sludgy onslaught of a band like ISIS.

The Act Of Buying Groceries definitely sets the theme of the record’s first and arguably stronger half. The riffs keep coming on the tracks which follow, with the band taking a little more time on songs like Charging Bull and Tennessee. The former is no less raging than The Act…, but it is a little more dynamic, with a lengthy break and build in its second half. The latter hits just as hard too, ending with a crushing hypnotic outro that seems to grow ever more discordant. On both of these, and The Pastors Pockets which follows, Woodward makes for an especially commanding vocal presence. His thunderous bellow fits the music perfectly, injecting an extra degree of fury to the band’s maelstrom of riffs.

While Woodward’s vocals make for a powerful addition to the band’s sound, the second half of the record sees the trio do away with them entirely. To THE GRASSHOPPER LIES HEAVY‘s credit though, they don’t really seem to need them. The album’s sixth and title track is particularly impressive. Clocking in at nearly nine minutes, it’s a sprawling instrumental piece, with a powerful sense of ebb, flow and dynamics. It’s often quite meditative and hypnotic, but there’s also a real feeling of journey and progression as the song unfolds.

Of course, it’s no great surprise the band know their way around a good instrumental piece, but some may wish the vocals returned a little in later tracks. The songs don’t exactly suffer without them, but it’s hard not to wonder if the odd shout or scream would’ve elevated them further. Bullet Curtain follows the title track and is another longer piece with a near seven-minute runtime. It’s dynamic and atmospheric, and even draws complimentary comparisons to a band like RUSSIAN CIRCLES. After that, Sound Check In Japanese brings things to a close with a final sludgy rager. It’s probably the most obvious shout for a track that could’ve benefitted from some vocals, but it’s still solid nonetheless.

Whether the second half’s lack of vocals is a missed opportunity or not, there’s no denying A Cult That Worships A God Of Death is an impressive record that’s well worth your time. Even with the band’s many forays into complex odd-time signatures, it manages to maintain a strong sense of weight and groove throughout. Its 36 minute runtime passes by in a flash, with solid production and invariably well-crafted songs. The badass name may have been enough to get your attention, but it’s the quality of the music here that should keep you coming back.

Rating: 8/10

A Cult That Worships A God Of Death is set for release on July 16th via Learning Curve Records.

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