This month, the Ukrainian black metal legends, Drudkh released their eleventh album called “They Often See Dreams About the Spring”. Drudkh are known for their atmospheric sound with epic folk-influences. Their style has developed over time and now it has gained a sort of maturity which is understood by the open-minded fans of this extreme music. Its spiritual atmosphere and epic approach made it an album that I came to love.
Roman Sayenko crafted the lyrical and the conceptual part of this album, embracing themes such as nature mysticism, the passing of season, philosophy, Ukrainian mythology, legends and history .The lyrics are written by nineteenth and twentieth century Ukrainian poets.
Atmosphere is indisputably the predominant factor of this release. From the first song, the distinctive aspect of this album is the rhythm, with some resemblance to Celtic Frost. The guitars are still extremely prominent and ear-piercing with some of the finest Drudkh riffs in history but with melancholic pieces such as the first track, this album is definitely able to be easily separated from the last one. First track,“Nakryta Neba Burym Dakhom” starts off sounding fairly chaotic with a faster paced riff accompanied by blast beats. However, it is when this song slows down a bit where things start sounding amazing. The lyrics are written by Ukrainian poet Bohdan Ihor Antonych in 1936. The ambience certainly has been stepped up on this album and the guitars still remain the driving force.
The second track of the album “U Dakhiv Irzhavim Kolossyu” starts off at a slower pace and has an atmosphere that would likely sound breathtaking whilst listening on the top of a mountain in the midst of a blizzard. This song holds well as an example of melancholic, atmospheric black metal with a solid and energetic vocal part. The whole experience is speedy with the guitars taking front and center while the voice of Thurios is more prominent.
“Vechirniy Smerk Okutuye Kimnaty” is still an epic song which enhance the ambience within Drudkh`s music. The lyrical theme of Vasyl Petrovich Bobinsky create an introspective and claustrophobic atmosphere while suits the musical pattern.
With “Za Zoreyu Scho Striloyu Syaye…”, Drudkh comes back to their roots a bit, as it also has that monumental sound, which always characterized this band. It is very atmospheric, but also aggressive. On the other hand, it also has small progressive arrangements.
There are keyboards spread into the music; they’re not used as a prime instrument, rather a background one that really can’t be heard all that much. Guitars are what drive the atmosphere but If you don’t like repetitive music, you won’t like this album .“Bilyavyi Den’ Vtomyvsya I prytykh”, the last song of this full length concludes that this album breathes nature and contemplation. It is purely solitary art, and that’s a good part of the reason why the melancholic atmosphere works so well.
The production is notable, with great clarity, the tone is good and has a raw enough edge to keep away the posers. The vocals are sharp and don’t distract from the music.
In the end I would like to share the thought of a friend who find comfort in this kind of music: ”Sometimes in life, you pass through periods when nothing makes sense, when you need an answer, when you need some kind of belief. Then this album appears in your playlist and then you let your mind fly, remembering that you can walk side by side with void, darkness and chaos.”
