Carach Angren are, to this reviewer, similar to the folks over at Anaal Nathrakh. Both boast fundamentally different styles, of course. But they will burn any mental fat off your inner workings quickly, once you find yourself immersed in their sometimes (very) sick and hopefully, fantasy world. Cathartic tranquilization through pure terror, that kind of thing. Loud, brutal, and plain relaxing.
So, after a long wait, CA finally decided to meet their fanbase again. And that’s a good thing. The outlooks on top of our office tower1 already started to initiate search and rescue plans. Unnecessarily so, because here they are with The Cult of Kariba2. Tall tales around a legend of – and I quote – “…a mysterious woman remembered as both a poisoner and a sorceress.” Rituals gone astray, acts of gruesome violence, curses, and revenge from beyond the grave. Holy moly, that’s quite a platter of gory – things to explore.
To get there, the band latched onto the bare bones, stark vision, and concept of Lammendam. Apparently, to tunnel more exquisite terror through that very early style, Carach Angren embarked on back in time. The storyline is continued, true. But the blood-soaked wares on offer go way beyond their 2008 musings. As always, the strong storytelling skills and unique style push through right away.
An absolutely stunning rhythm section from hell, drunk on wardrums, will try to put Heilung to shame. Raspy monologues, sick croaks, haunted and often multilayered clears jockey for space with sick guitar leads, thunderous riffs, and haunted piano interludes. And all of that gets fueled by a gazillion different samples to enrich your aural experience. But if you really want to feel the malevolence, fire up Ik Kom Uit Het Graf. The clip of the track got some undue attention from this crew, by the way. Because it fused the filet piece of the blurb together with snazzily terrifying cinematography. An amalgamation from the 10th circle of hell.
But, let’s stop right here. The Cult of Cariba is exquisitely short, grimly intense, fearsome, and technically outstanding. Exactly what I expect from a well-written short story from the masters of the macabre. If Carach Angren continue in this vein, this crew can’t wait to get their grubby little hands on any new album the band will release next.
Now, do yourself a favor and give this a listen.
Label: Season of Mist | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 17 October 2025