The Dutch symphonic black metallers, Carach Angren, are back, five years after their last release, to treat us with more horror-laced goodness. Their new EP, The Cult of Kariba, is here to scare us, after their last full-length, 2020’s Franckensteina Strataemontanus.

For those who are unaware of this Dutch duo, they have been putting their own spin on traditional black metal by adding eerie layers, exploring themes from various horror folklore. This is their seventh release in an illustrious seventeen-year career.

Admittedly, this band is one of many that I should have taken more notice of, but who slipped through the cracks, not out of a lack of merit, but by the failure of cracking under too many great metal records put out every year, across several genres. I first stumbled upon Carach Angren on their release This Is No Fairytale¸, where the track “When Crows Tick on Windows” felt like nothing I had heard before. With a downright creepy music video, their style of black metal felt refreshing, breaking past the trite “kvlt” tropes that mire black metal, revamping the genre for more modern audiences.

This EP, The Cult of Kariba, like many of their previous albums, is a concept record and expands upon the tale created in their debut release Lammendam. This EP weaves the story of the nefarious Kariba and her involvement in the myth of the White Lady, extolled upon in their debut record. The EP opens with a campfire horror-esque monologue, “A Malevolent Force Stirs”, setting the stage for their four tracks of horror-themed symphonic black metal.

The EP follows the narrative of the gathering of her cultists in the opening monolog, the ritualistic sacrifice in “Draw Blood”, the self-explanatory “The Resurrection of Kariba”, her revenge on her betrayer in “Ik Kom Uit Het Graf”, and her path of bloody vengeance upon her cultists and the world in the closing crack “Venomous 1666”.

Following the monolog, “Draw Blood” opens with chilling throat-chanting evoking imagery of occult rituals, before dropping us into an intro arrangement with bellicose horns, that would make both Dimmu Borgir and modern-Behemoth nod appreciatively. With added wisps of ethereal choral singing, the band uses all the tools at their disposal to strengthen their horror themes. Following this, “The Resurrection of Kariba” has a dark carnival vibe created by the slightly-detuned classic fairytale piano arrangement that would find a home in Fleshgod Apocalypse.

The single off this EP, “Ik Kom Uit Het Graf” (I Emerge From The Grave), is the first song released by Carach Angren, fully written and sung in the band’s native Dutch language. A track that expertly weaves in elements that create a sense of unease in the listener, the song describes a man poisoned by the titular Kariba, resurrected centuries later by her cultists. The track uses industrial metal elements to give the track a cinematic feel, perfectly setting the stage to tell their tale. Closing out The Cult of Kariba EP is the bombastic “Venomous 1666,” which leans into more melodic black metal leanings with string-skipped riffs and grandiose synth layers. Admittedly, there are certain arrangements, like the chorus of the closer, which border on “cheesy”, which, when overlaid with the clean vocal chorus, could push the more ardent black metal fans away.

The band, taking their name from the Sindarin translation of “Iron Jaws”, Carach Angren has primarily been a duo, with other personnel used for additional instrumentation and live performances. The brainchild of the band, Dennis “Seregor” Droomers, handles most of the guitar work. His vocals and imagery have anchored the band and set its feet firmly in purpose. His vocals are expansive in range and unique to the genre. Jumping between more traditional black metal shrieks, towards more discernible barks, and even clean vocals, his vocals capture the storytelling aspect of the band, with his many “voices” feeling like distinct characters. Multi-instrumentalist Clemens “Ardek” Wiejers handles the keyboards, strings, orchestrations, and all the other sonic goodies that lace the Carach Angren atmosphere with eerie terror.

The Cult of Kariba is a solid horror-laced symphonic black metal release that builds upon the storytelling repertoire of previous Carach Angren records. A uniquely placed band in a quickly saturating genre, the band continues to infuse horror and folklore into modern black metal, creating a fresh nightmare to feast upon.