Drudkh

Drudkh are pioneers of atmospheric black metal known for their secrecy—eschewing interviews, photos, and printed lyrics. Blending black metal with Ukrainian folk and poetry, as heard on acclaimed efforts like Autumn Aurora (2004), Blood in Our Wells (2006), and A Furrow Cut Short (2015), their work draws heavily from national heritage and poets such as Taras Shevchenko. The long-running group issued their thirteenth long-player, Shadow Play, in 2025. Drudkh (Sanskrit for "wood") was formed in Kharkiv in 2002 by Hate Forest and Dark Ages member Roman Saenko (guitars and bass), fellow Hate Forest member and Astrofaes vocalist and keyboardist Thurios, and Lucifugum member Yuriy Sinitsky (drums and keyboards). The band drew criticism from some quarters for embracing causes that could be perceived as "nationalistic." Still, Drudkh argued that they were merely acting in a politically and culturally "conservative" manner; however, how that may be interpreted is up to the beholder. Political leanings aside, the band was surely responsible for furthering the ideals of Ukrainian culture and mythology through a cavernous black metal filter, featuring folk-based music with direct and indirect lyrical inspiration from some of their nation's most prominent poets, such as Mykhailo Yohansen, Oleksandr Oles, and Taras Shevchenko. Their debut album, Forgotten Legends, was released in 2003. An expansive record, it acted as the blueprint for album number two, Autumn Aurora, which was released to critical acclaim in 2004. The main difference this time around, however, was the use of markedly less traditional instruments, such as electronic keyboards and synthesizers. While Drudkh were notorious for not printing their lyrics, they did make the texts of their next album, 2005's The Swan Road, available, likely because all of the album's words were taken, in some measure, from the poet Shevchenko. More Ukrainian poets were featured on album number four, 2006's Blood in Our Wells, which, like much of the band's work, was released on the Supernal label. While releasing two albums in one year may seem like a relic from the past, Drudkh managed exactly that in 2006, pairing the more progressive black metal-leaning Blood in Our Wells with the Ukrainian folk record Songs of Grief and Solitude. There was no need to raise a fuss about the lack of lyrics on the latter album, as it had no lyrics. Featuring a myriad of wind instruments and minimal percussion, the LP marked a departure from the more traditional aspects of even a genre as malleable as black metal. A limited (999 copies) edition EP followed in 2007 -- entitled Anti-Urban -- which signaled a return to more "metal" territory. This aesthetic carried over to the full-length Estrangement later that year. 2009 saw the release of the dark and inward-looking Microcosmos, followed in 2010 by the divisive Handful of Stars, which took a stylistic detour into Alcest and Deafheaven-leaning post-black metal and shoegaze territory. Drudkh returned to their roots in 2012 with the release of Eternal Turn of the Wheel, a raw and incisive set of atmospheric black metal. Emboldened by the response to their return to form, they looked deeper into the abyss with 2015's epic and uncompromising double LP, A Furrow Cut Short. 2017's seasonal and poetic They Often See Dreams About the Spring favored mood over aggression, while 2022's defiant All Belong to the Night saw the band deliver a potent, primal scream for cultural preservation during a period of intense national struggle. Three years later, Drudkh returned with their thirteenth full-length effort, Shadow Play, a deeply melancholic concept album rooted in existential crisis. ~ Chris True & James Christopher Monger, Rovi