Just the usual “ominous and sepulchral hymns to death, destruction, chaos and misanthropy” to savour here. This is in fact the first album from Polish black metal band Cultum Interitum following on from a demo, EP and a single since their inception in 2017.

This is an album of swirling black clouds, ominous atmospheres and warmongering. “Souldesecration” marches forward but does not attack directly. It paints pictures. It might as well be called “marching to the depths of chaos”. Of course it’s harsh. It’s from Poland. To the background of lingering death, the vocalist shouts his ominous words. The weighty march now becomes funeral as we find ourselves “stepping into the blasphemy … to ossuary”. “Funeral Womb” has a driving force which threatens to tear us to pieces. There’s an impenetrable sound wall in the background. It’s a world of struggle and torment as we give “our dedication to the Void”. The final chant is succeeded by a final visit to the void, the grey and nothingness, captured through a drone like sound and the faint suggestions of expiring life. It’s very effective and adds to the already dungeon-like atmosphere, the hopeless situation and foul stench. This same atmosphere extends into the crypt of the title track, a heavy and ominous dirge to begin with, developing as the drum beat picks up and the wall of sound picks up. The riff hangs. Ghastly, deathly shapes are formed around the cold and uncompromising backdrop. Again, the instrumentals swing like lead over us before “Chalice of Omega” explodes and continues to spread misery and destruction around us. “Desecration” follows a familiar theme of grinding us down. The angry clouds gather rapidly as this ode to being “trapped in emptiness, murdered and nameless” develops and once again captures this hopeless, desolate place.

This album comes from a very dark place indeed. Death, voids, nihilism, destruction, chaos – it’s all here. Cultum Interitum manage it all imperiously and creatively. It’s a harsh, uncompromising world. “Poison of Being” is richly atmospheric and this is what makes it so impressive.

(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://www.facebook.com/cultuminteritum

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/poison-of-being