For Cultist, darkness isn’t something to shy away from; it is something to confront head-on. The Spokane, Washington-based band is taking the heavier side of faith, spirituality, abuse, and human struggle and turning it into a concept-driven body of music that refuses to sugarcoat difficult subjects.
In a recent conversation, vocalists Zach and John opened up about Cultist, their upcoming album, the story behind their newest songs, finding their chemistry as a dual-vocalist band, touring with Demon Hunter, and why their pre-show ritual involves proudly declaring that “Cultist sucks.”
The band’s latest releases, “Amen” and “Den of Snakes,” offer an introduction to the darker world Cultist is building. According to the vocalists, the forthcoming album follows a larger concept centered around a cult and explores the ways religion can be manipulated for power and control.
“The whole album itself that we’re going to drop is a kind of a concept album,” the band explained. “Cultist were a Christian band, and our thing, we kind of go into the darker parts.”
“Amen” specifically tackles religious manipulation and the behavior of people who use faith for personal gain.
“Amen is kind of about how cult leaders… abuse religion for their own personal gain,” they explained, adding that the song examines how those figures attempt to align themselves with others before ultimately gaining control.
“Den of Snakes” takes a more personal approach, exploring what the band describes as “church hurt,” spiritual abuse, and religious abuse, while also examining what happens when a congregation fails someone who desperately needs support. That willingness to explore uncomfortable territory appears to be at the center of Cultist’s identity.
Finding Their Sound Through an Unexpected Beginning
While Cultist may now have two vocalists who complement one another naturally, that wasn’t necessarily the original plan. John started the band, while Zach joined after being asked to fill in during a tour. Zach already performed bass in deathcore band Cold Hearts when Cultist reached out shortly before a tour.
“I was already a fan of the band, and I was excited to go on tour with them, anyways. I think I could do it,” Zach recalled.
That temporary role quickly became something much bigger. After the tour, Zach remained close with the band and eventually joined them on the road with Demon Hunter. Interestingly, Zach and John had not even met in person when the idea of having both of them handle vocals came together. The two began discussing the possibility through a group chat.
“If it’s not good, we won’t do it again,” they remembered thinking.
Then they finally met. And something clicked.
“We locked in,” Zach said.
What started as an experiment became an important part of Cultists sound. John’s naturally higher screams contrast with Zach’s lower vocal approach, allowing the two to move around one another rather than simply duplicating the same performance.
“We compliment” each other, they explained, laughing after briefly stumbling over the word.
That chemistry doesn’t always have to be perfectly planned, either.
“One thing that’s awesome is our ability to do it on the fly,” the band said. “It is intentional, but sometimes it’s random and it hits either way.”
When the Band Realized They Were Onto Something
For John, the realization came during that first show where the two vocalists performed together. The combination of their voices, personalities, and spontaneous antics including their now-famous rock-paper-scissors moments made the performance feel different.
“I was like, ‘Oh man, yeah, this is a band,‘” John recalled.
For Zach, the feeling became even more apparent during the Demon Hunter tour. Hearing people in the crowd scream Cultist lyrics back at them was a defining moment.
“I’m like, ‘Wow, we’re really doing it,‘” he said.
More importantly, he recognized that the band’s message was reaching people from different backgrounds and belief systems.
“People of all walks of life, beliefs and all that stuff… are able to come together and let out their aggression through music,” Zach explained.
That connection between heavy music and meaningful subject matter seems to be one of Cultists greatest strengths. The music may be aggressive, but the conversations happening underneath it are deeply human.
If Cultist Were a Movie…
When asked what movie best represented the band, the answer came surprisingly quickly: Midsommar.
The comparison actually makes a lot of sense. The band described themselves as goofy guys by nature, while their music deals with extremely dark and serious subjects.
“That movie is crazy with how it’s a horror movie, but it takes place 90% in daylight,” they explained.
For Cultist, that contrast is familiar territory: light personalities creating music that explores some very dark places.
“The daylight, but it’s scary,” they joked.
Where Should New Listeners Start?
For anyone discovering Cultist for the first time, the band recommends starting with “I in weakness of flesh.” The song has become their most-streamed track on Spotify and represents a good introduction to what the band can do. But they suggest immediately following it with “Den of Snakes.”
While “I in weakness of flesh” provides an entry point into the band’s established sound, “Den of Snakes” begins revealing where Cultist is heading.
“That’s really starting to dive into what we’re doing now as we are maturing and growing as a band,” they explained.
Lyrics That Still Surprise Them
One of the most memorable moments of the conversation came when the band discussed lyrics that still make them stop and think, How did we write that? One line from the upcoming album immediately stood out:
“Can’t hide the fangs of a snake behind the mask of a saint.”
Even after hearing it repeatedly, the band remains impressed by the imagery.
“Every time I hear that I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh! How did that happen?’” they said.
For John, another lyric comes from “I Fear Your Silence”:
“It’s slipped through my hands like an exit wound.”
Both examples demonstrate Cultist approach to songwriting dark imagery used to communicate emotional and spiritual wounds.
The Upcoming Album Has Some Serious Guests
Cultist aren’t revealing everything just yet, but the upcoming album is already packed with collaborations that have the band excited.
They mentioned artists such as Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter, Stephen from Haste the Day, members of Underoath, Sean from Zao/Symphony in Peril, Brooke Reeves, and members of August Burns Red among their dream collaborations and conversations. The band’s excitement is obvious when discussing the possibilities.
“I’m so hyped for this album to drop, dude,” they said.
And if the names being thrown around are any indication, listeners may have plenty of reasons to be excited as well.
From Justin Timberlake to Post-Rock
Of course, being a heavy band doesn’t mean everything on their playlists has to be heavy. When asked about the most unexpected music they’re listening to, one answer immediately stood out:
Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body.”
But the band also revealed a love for instrumental post-rock, particularly music that provides a more atmospheric and relaxing listening experience. That contrast mirrors Cultist itself: intense and aggressive onstage, but curious about music far beyond the boundaries of heavy music.
“Cultist Sucks” Is the Ultimate Pre-Show Ritual
Perhaps the best representation of the band’s personality comes before they even hit the stage. Their pre-show ritual isn’t meditation, vocal exercises, or some elaborate superstition.
It’s “Cultist sucks.”
The tradition began after a mishap involving merchandise during their first Demon Hunter tour. Zach had ordered 50 hats featuring the Cultist logo, but when the second box arrived, the hats were blank. Instead of panicking, the band grabbed Sharpies and started drawing on them.
That experience helped reinforce something the band tries to maintain: don’t take yourselves too seriously. Now, before every show, they put their hands together and count:
“One, two, three—Cultist sucks!”
“Something about it just gets me juiced,” Zach admitted.
And honestly, that may be the perfect summary of Cultist.
They are a band willing to tackle spiritual abuse, religious trauma, manipulation, and some of life’s darkest subjects, but they aren’t interested in becoming consumed by the darkness. They can write brutally heavy music, discuss painful experiences, and then immediately turn around and make each other laugh.
With “Amen” and “Den of Snakes” serving as the first glimpses into their larger concept, Cultist appears ready to take listeners much deeper into their world. If these songs are any indication, the upcoming album isn’t simply going to be heavy; it is going to have something to say.
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