KULTIKA really like CULT OF LUNA and that's strongly apparent on the first track that opens the debut release of this Post Metal act from Romania. The furious riffs melded with eerie synths and sequencers on "Rising From The Sea" bear a heavy influence of the Swedish sextet, intently recapturing the same dark, miserable atmosphere that made "Vertikal" such an intriguing and captivating proposition.

I'm not accusing KULTIKA of plagiarism. It's true that most of the songs here sound heavily influenced by CULT OF LUNA, but there are also good moments here that offer a glimpse of their own identity. The touches of clean singing amid some ethereal sounds provided by keyboards on "Insects" and the latter part of "Rising From The Sea" are good examples of that creative side and add some interesting moments of delicacy to their dark, heavy sound. The ethnic sounds explored on the title track are also surprising and blend in nicely with the dark, intriguing landscape, while on "Cries of Eiram" they intensity the orchestrations resulting in a captivating song that oscillates between a serene beauty and a suffering anguish.

Despite the obvious fixation with CULT OF LUNA, "The Strange Innerdweller" is really an interesting and rewarding proposition exploring some dark, eerie atmospheres and vibes that can be exceptionally negative and depressing as well as breathtakingly beautiful.