Review: Thanatorean – Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents

Style: dissonant black metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord, Mgła¹, Misþyrming, Behemoth
Country: Poland
Release date: 27 June 2025

Polish art would have you believe the country is the most depressing place on Earth. Sculptor Alina Szapocznikow documented human suffering, fragmenting the female form and criticizing labor practices and war; filmmaker Artur Zmijewski looks into the traumatic past of his nation; and every metal fan is well-acquainted with the dystopian surrealist painters Zdzislaw Beksinski and Mariusz Lewandowski. Naturally, the nihilism of visual art has wormed its way deep into the heart of Polish metal with the country’s distinct black metal scene leading the charge, with notable artists like Mgła, Behemoth, and Batushka. Digging a little deeper into the scene’s catacombs, one will find K.M.’s dissonant black metal project Ars Magna Umbrae, full of existential dread yet fraying at the seams with the slightest twinkle of melody.

K.M. joins forces with vocalist E (Cultum Inferitum) to form a new band Thanatorean. Their debut record Ekstasis of Subterranean Curren picks up the writhing dissonance from K.M.’s main project, certainly, and at first glance is another inimically opaque record, styled after diabolical black metal icons, like Mgła and Deathspell Omega. On the surface, Ekstasisof Subterranean Currents seems like another solid entry into the canon of Polish black metal, and that’s that, end of story. And one wouldn’t be wrong for reading the record that way. The record opens on “The Descent” with creepy ambience suddenly racing into second-wave black metal riffery, swirling tremolos peaking their way above the seedy underbelly of the mix. E lets out well-enunciated beastly growls and gralloching highs across the record, cutting through the filthy, deathened black metal. Stormy bouts of chaotic noise overwhelm the senses at times like at the end of “With Tongues of the Underworld” and “Tranquil Trueness of End.” And throughout Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents, riffs contort unexpectedly to create a haunting atmosphere, permeated with dissonance. That’s the Polish black metal experience.

Thanatorean are more than meets the ear, however, and Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents is—dare I say—a fun record at heart. As opposed to the grim philosophy and anti-religious sentiments of the other bands mentioned, Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents plays around with death cults in their lyrics, utilizing dramatic vocabulary, camp rhyme schemes, and occasional dramatic spoken word (the final four stanzas of “To Abyss Sacrosanct” each open with an infinitive verb spoken before three short lines of E’s beastly harsh vocals. It’s incredibly sick, and Thanatorean don’t overuse the songwriting device). The attempt at high-brow lyricism is (perhaps unintentionally) funny as hell in a good way, the duo not taking themselves too seriously.

More importantly, the music is a rowdily great time. K.M. demonstrates his fealty to the riff as second-wave black metal and evolved dissonance collide—Thanatorean are at their most interesting and engaging when they experiment on the Ars Magna Umbrae side of the sound more than the traditional one. The angsty black metal musicians often still have excellent riffing, but Thanatorean separate themselves from their Polish kin with their occasional flashes of swagger. “The Descent” has a ripping guitar solo; every track has endlessly mutating and intricate guitar parts with silvering leads; and “De Profundis” and “To Abyss Sacrosanct” open with abhorrently tasty bass licks. In opposition to the complexity of the guitar lines, the songwriting on Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents is tame, with little variation in track-length or tempo among the nine short tracks. A few tracks also conclude with fadeouts, frustrating for the quality of progressive song evolutions K.M. has proven to be capable of with Ars Magna Umbrae. 

I’m pleasantly surprised at how Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents defied my expectations for it. K.M.’s mastery of warped atmospheres and E’s filthy vocals go together perfectly, blending to make Ekstasis of Subterranean Currents a record sonically evil but tonally more of a headbanger than a brooder-in-the-corner. Thanatorean’s debut is a solid proof of concept and a breath of fresh air for the Polish scene—I just hope they lean into a bit more weirdness going forward.

Recommended tracks: The Descent, De Profundis, To Abyss Sacrosanct
You may also like: Ars Magna Umbrae, Fryktelig Støy, Haar, Spectral Voice, Zhrine, Thy Darkened Shade, Kriegsmaschine, Negative Plane, Mānbryne
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Metal-Archives

Label: I, Voidhanger Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website

Thanatorean is:
– K.M. (everything)
– E (vocals)

1. We are aware of DSO and Mgła‘s sketchy ties and do NOT support these bands and are merely using them as a sonic reference. ↩︎