This October 31 will see the return of Czechia’s foremost blasphemers, and I doubt the timing of this release on All Hallows’ Eve is a coincidence, as RAVENOIR have demonstrated steadfast devotion to the nightside since they first emerged from the depths in 2020. Now the next stage of their creative streak unveils Cultus Inferi, a third consecutive venture through domains of profane splendor, and despite multiple lineup issues, its rites retain the band’s identity in signature formulas harnessed to illuminate a depraved inner sanctum. Coinciding with new members is also a shift toward slower compositions bearing a heavier melodic focus, and these capture a dark distinction for Cultus Inferi, which easily spellbinds during its sin-drenched gaze into the abyss.
An otherworldly storm initiates “Glorification of Godlessness,” and its thunder heralds the onset of a detailed riff current, where dynamism is further observed in the second melodic layer merging subtly with its course. Multiple structures unfold, including chord-dominant areas with dissonant points that smear malignance into their progressions, and others reflect a gathering of grandiose energy heightened by leadwork. Sung tones also drive the atmosphere surrounding Alesh AD’s infernal vocal commands, and the drumming utilizes calculated blasts and various techniques to assist these developments. Rhythms become central to many arrangements, with the slow procession of “Black Luna” augmenting a deathly chill in its arpeggiated sequences, and soloing capitalizes on an epic quality that turns haunting once certain ambient features arise. A similar atmospheric presence also broods over rhythmic riffing on “Crow’s Call,” and those elements harmonize alongside percussive strides to form an immensely sinister aura. The shades of dark symphony proliferate amid “Confession to the Darkness,” and they create an enchanting flow when joined with riffing concentrated into a distorted mass. Different bells and effects heighten the soundscapes conjured throughout, and gongs are among the enhancements of this ceremony here, which is finalized by a congregation chanting that devilish praise in Latin.
Somber verses and drumbeats carry the ritualism on “Requiem,” and the pace of this interlude accompanies heavy piano keys to create a sense of crossing dim incorporeal planes, where spectral voices lead toward the doomy resonations echoing through “Belial’s Realm.” A slow tempo drives that tone like a dirge while providing space for its open chords, which project an alluring crunch effectively captured by the production quality, and the heaviness is complemented with courses of detailed fret entrancement woven among the shadows. Soloing takes the intoxicated dark to a higher level, and keyed emanations rise alongside a pointed vocal delivery, showing a mighty impact doesn’t always necessitate speed and fury. Those elements aren’t completely absent though, and the riffing does escalate to match rapid double bass kicks on “Orgiastic Ceremony,” but the slower areas still take prominence with ritualized drum patterns and a riff thrust that become immersed in atmospheric layers. These dynamic interactions cross over on “Kingdom of Amnesia,” with clean-stringed effects joined to augment the foreboding aura, and it lingers as a riff pulse strikes notably around other captivating notes. Sinister forms are conjured in this procession until leads finalize its communion with the night, and ambient forces gradually eclipse the glory for an end succumbing to madness.
A myriad of shadowy lyrical shapes also unfolds within these hymns, and the first act on “Glorification of Godlessness” fervently denies repentance, with “Sacrilege through the ever-growing blaze of vice” favored around other verses that capture a sense of standing at the abyss’s edge. Glimpses down at the abominations to follow are joined with a celebration in consuming “The blood of dead seraphs,” and dark ceremonies continue when conjuring a seductive entity on “Black Luna.” An “Unrestrained lust” and calls to “Burn the veil of innocence” highlight a different aspect of this craft, and another element is pronounced in the atmospheric depth of “Crow’s Call,” where “Unreadable names and fading epitaphs” are observed in the graveyard of a decrepit church. This gloomy setting proves ideal for its ravenous spirits, and they guard “Secrets of the dead who crossed the Styx,” a reference further evoking mythical and murky ethereal regions. A “Nightly ritual after dark falls” leads into a series of affirmations on “Confession to the Darkness,” and committing “My soul to the black claws” demonstrates total devotion, along with rotating “The cross of lies upside down” to capitalize on irreligious convictions.
Death permeates many of these encounters, and it begins taking prominence on “Requiem,” with “Your ashes and mine will mingle in the dance of wind” poetically conveying a reunion between two beings in that state. A striking account of its experience occurs in the abyss of “Belial’s Realm,” where the immensity of absolutes is suggested in seeking “To understand the great law of existence yet your brain rejects the torrent of knowledge.” Other sensations are aroused when “Pleasure will overwhelm your rotten body,” which is then “Broken on the wheel of fury,” and this inevitable process ultimately leads to rebirth before a “Secret congress” gathers on “Orgiastic Ceremony.” Its atmospheric qualities soar across “Sinister marshes” and “Dark deep forests” until landing someplace that recalls the spirit of In the Womb of Sin, and a “Conspiracy with the horned eminence” is witnessed amid its “Depraved, lascivious and wild dance,” along with other explicit details portrayed during the rite. Madness takes hold during the final plunge into nothingness on “Kingdom of Amnesia,” and questions on whether the event is “A dream or reality” reflect a soul stripped of identity as “Unfinished stories” and “Fragments in a fog” whirl by. The only possible outcome is to behold “The power of oblivion” while being engulfed in its currents, and this end seems natural for a venture capturing layers of dark allure.
An unholy triptych is complete with the arrival of Cultus Inferi, and its spirit stays true to RAVENOIR’s nature while expanding on achievements of the past two efforts, with aural forms that spread like black foreboding wings over damned but equally irresistible realms. The raw and heavy components resound among a variety of ambient influences, and haunting atmospheres manifest from harmonious interactions between these textures. Different aspects of the sound are brought to the fore by slowed paces, including undertones of doom and grandiose melodies, and the leadwork is especially notable for reaching mesmeric levels of evocation. It will be interesting to see what may arise through other subtle alterations to RAVENOIR’s craft on the next chapter of their lore, and the Cult of Hell summoned here successfully leaves its stygian mark as our current year progresses into decay.
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