Album Review: Drudkh’s "Microcosmos"

This is going to be a quick one…

So apparently one of the stipulations that Ukrainian band Drudkh sought when signing with the Season of Mist record label was to continue not having band photo shoots, taking interviews, playing live shows, or building a band website. Odd, you might say, in this era of instantaneous communication, total information divulgement, and ultra-commercialized music, especially from a band who has basically created then furthered the “Slavonic Heathen Metal” specialty genre within black metal. Apparently they don’t need media; they can just compose and record their music and people listen to it without hype. Amazing idea.

This LP starts as many of theirs do, with a mellow introduction filled with antique sounding instruments. The vocals are restrained throughout the album, but this fact doesn’t deter from its powerful effect. The vocals, however, serve as icing to go along with the groovy bass lines that Krechet saturates each of the six tracks with, and interestingly, the bass is quite high in the mix unlike other Drudkh albums.

“Everything That’s Been Said Before” is probably my favorite song on the LP; it’s the most pummeling on the disc, as it starts with a raucous yet pinpoint solo, then ends with violins and the sound of a creek in the background. However, “Ars Poetica” and “Days that Passed” include atmospherics and acoustic interludes that add to the diversity peculiar guitar lines and time changes, making both standout tracks.

When I first became acquainted with Drudkh a few years ago, I realized that their albums require, but also beg for, repeated listens due to the intricate movements in each song. All their albums are both beautiful and dark, and “Microcosmos” is just that; beautiful and darkly frightening at the same instant. Recommended.

Drudkh - Microcosmos

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