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The label, Land of Decay, provided no information about this tape, but the track titles certainly give a good suggestion of the sort of thing to come: "In My Shadow Widows Scream", "Arch-Crone Bone Mother", "Koschei the Deathless".  So, it's going to be dark in some way or another.  In fact, Cultus Sabbati provide fifty minutes of distortion and drone that falls somewhere between industrial, noise and dark ambient.

"Never Turn Your Back to the Forest" sets the scene well: a lone synth melody plays hauntingly beneath layers of choking, but subdued, distortion.  Vocals are hushed, appearing whispered at first, and later manipulated to seem almost inhuman.  Occasional screams and clunking percussive sounds bring variety just as it is needed, and the whole piece successfully demonstrates how music can be oppressive without needing to be extreme.

The remainder of the record unsurprisingly features variations on this style.  "In My Shadow Widows Scream" is more intense, based around distorted guitar and heading fully into noise territory.  "The Attestation of Vasilissa" is more abstract, largely a drone piece.  After a while, the harsh guitar blasts appearing from subdued drone do become a little predictable and lose their impact, but on the whole the mood is sustained and interest is kept.

The Hagiography of Baba Yaga is not the most original or exciting release of the year, but it does successfully project a feeling of fear and intensity, which would seem to be the intent.  An enjoyable tape, if not essential.