WERIAN are a Black/Doom metal band from Germany, formed in 2009, having first released their Demo in 2011. In October of 2017, they unleashed "Lunar Cult Society" into the world, from the depths of the occult. "Weiran" begins with a melancholic, slow riff on a slightly distorted guitar, which pulled me into the dark mood of the music right away. A catchy, repeated riff builds the momentum up and creates a dreaded feel. Double bass drums can be made out within the distortion that fills the space, making a unique sound - like the knocking of wood. The drums sound loose and damp, adding to the sunken mood.

"Manus Mortua" begins with a guitar chord sequence that changes slowly, repetitively, where it seems like it will go on until infinity, until cymbal-led drums join in. Then, some raspy vocals evolve from a whispering texture, to a more emotional, painful outcry, boosted by the play of distortion generated in the recording.  Towards the end of the track, the song becomes more experimental and progressive, diverging into different tones and chord sequences, topped with the occasional guitar screeches.

The introduction of "Acid Mountain" has a strange gurgling sound, where it is hard to tell if it comes from a human, or another being. Waves of cymbal crashes and persistent riffs build up some speed. Vocals come straight from the guts of the singer, and are echo-ed out in the recording. Around a third in, layers of guitars make some interesting overlapping melodies and improvisations. The speed then settles again, back into a creeping, spaced atmosphere.

I found "Devourer" to be a highlight, with its tremolo guitar riffs are backed by shuffling drums. The strings sound very shaky, and vibrational as we enter further into the song, adding a tension to the atmosphere. Also, the guitar riffs towards the end of the song become increasingly clear sounding, slightly more melodic, and rhythmic, matched well with the drums. Some more interesting and tense guitar changes make their way even further into the song. The finale track "Werian (Alive)" sends the release to a powerful close, where the energy picks up, through an unfurling of blast beats and grim distortion.

The sound of WERIAN's "Lunar Cult Society" is grainy and raw, like a roughly cut blade, with some slight shifts in style, with a mood of melancholy that continually seeps through the speakers. While many of the songs are relatively lengthy (around 10 minutes) they extend out at a slow pace, creating a more emotionally intense, dark setting.