It is that grim sort of day when the sky presses close and you feel an urge for something steeped in black metal shaped by nature, folklore, bitter reflection and long roads walked alone. It is the kind of mood that points you straight to the Ukrainians from Drudkh, especially when you remember how “Shadow Play” struck you back when it first stepped into the world in early June 2025 via Season of Mist Underground Activists.
For me, Drudkh remains the companion you choose as you walk in silence from one place to another. They take their time and carve out space for riffs to grow like roots, never rushed, always patient, always deliberate. That sense of a slow ritual sets the tone for the album and from the first steps you take alongside it, everything falls into place.
Official logo
© Drudkh
Songs and their Pull
As I said, you feel Drudkh best when you walk alone. “Scattering the Ashes”, which opens the album, reinforces this. It begins with small sounds that breathe life into the scene and set your pace, simple elements that build into something solemn.
The guitar enters with a calm ceremony that could have turned predictable in lesser hands, yet here it becomes measured and sombre rather than overplayed. When the clean notes arrive they soften the weight of it all and bring a quiet sadness that feels lived in.
Life shifts onward in “April”, a piece that carries the signature of the album through layered parts that strike hard but never lose clarity. It is a storm, but a mindful one, where sharp vocals ride above a rhythm section that keeps everything steady. When the sudden break appears and the melodic line tilts downward, the whole track exhales. That moment feels weary and absolutely human. The clean chords over fast drums give it a breath near the end that I found striking.
And then, there it is… the gem of the album. Of the six pieces on “Shadow Play”, the one that lingered most for me is “The Exile”. At a little over ten minutes it moves with complete assurance. The band’s touch is unmistakable, from the instrumental flow you recognise instantly to the controlled and confident voice work. There is strain and resolve in equal measure and the lyrics speak about memories stolen, roads that no longer lead home and a wind that tosses a person like last year’s leaves. The song feels like a meeting point where poets long silenced rise again in someone’s chest.
“Fallen Blossom” brings a shorter and sharper cut that fans of their earlier aggression will appreciate, although it feels more rooted in familiar territory.
“The Eve” changes the course of the record with bright contrasts, layered parts that feel alive and a sense of movement that carries real intent. It has the clarity of a tale rather than drifting impressions.
“The Thirst” expands the atmosphere further, with wide guitars and contemplative passages that feel almost collaborative in spirit even though they are not. Everything blends into a rich and haunting whole and the ending finally avoids their habit of letting songs simply fade. The closing notes feel chosen rather than abandoned and the voice woven into that descent is a touch that works perfectly.
The World inside the Artwork
The cover artwork for “Shadow Play”
© O.L.
Another thing I have liked about Drudkh is their choice of artwork; I don’t think there’s an album to date whose visual side I haven’t appreciated. For “Shadow Play”, they went with a piece created by O.L., according to their Bandcamp profile.
At first, the piece appears almost minimal, a quiet interplay of shapes and shades. Yet the longer you look, the more it unsettles and expands, like a shadow stretching across memory. There’s a tension between stillness and movement, as if the image itself is caught between two worlds. The subtle textures hint at hidden landscapes, places just beyond reach, and the muted palette evokes melancholy.
The Last Whispers
In the end, Shadow Play stands as a compelling release. It shows a renewed desire to give each track its own character and it builds on the direction they found again on “All Belong to the Night”, from 2022. Will I give it another spin today? Absolutely.
The Tracks
“Scattering the Ashes” [07:23];
“April” [11:11];
“The Exile” [10:12];
“Fallen Blossom” [06:50];
“The Eve” [07:07];
“The Thirst” [12:21].
Find Drudkh!
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP8DW_M4og9bJnu6DN3KeSA;
Bandcamp: https://drudkh.bandcamp.com/album/shadow-play;
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4q5mj9YpaYesKvHzN8XYve;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drudkh.Official.
