Drudkh : "A Furrow Cut Short"

The new album from the Ukrainian heavy weights doesn't begin with any folk metal or droning ambiance it goes straight for the blasting, though it grows from a more sonic garden than your run of the mill black metal band.The riff eventually bangs it's way into holding some melody once the song gets it's claws into you. The wheel isn't being re-invented, but their playing seems to have a little more depth with the drummer  standing out as the most improved member of the band. The first two songs are a part one and two of "Cursed Sons". The second part rolls in a steady stream of double bass and some epic gallops. At this pace there is a more Moonsorrow like quality to their assault. The vocals stay in a gnarly mid range rasp, they are the only the only one dimensional component to their sound.

The more atmospheric drone doesn't begin until they start the entrancement on the third song. They hang on the riff, with the drums shifting underneath them. This takes a subtle switch into a more head banging inducing groove, before the go back to the blast beats.By the time the album winds it's way around to "Embers" it seems like the are going to stick to the same guitar tones and feel only varying tempos from blast beat fast to deliberate gallop and back again, until the latter half of this song when they begin to defy this formula and offer more texture. They return to the two part theme for "Dishonor" The first part is a blur of blasting that creates a sonic wave of white noise until they drop down to pick out the chords. This induces a different brand of drone that lends it's self to more dynamic pathways for the band to take. The second part slows things down , which at this point in the album is a very wise choice for the band to make. It also allows for the guitars to have more room to weave in melodic embellishments. They do build it back up, going from double bass back into a blast beat section.

They go out with a blast. They lock into a pretty powerful and driving storm of sound.If you were hoping that Drudkh would be the band to come out and take black metal in a whole new direction, you will be waiting a bit longer for some other band to do that , but the good news is You don't have to worry about this band playing Bonnaroo. They are not trying to adhere to any band wagon or take the edge off what they do. In fact I think there is more straight up metal to this album. I'm a little conflicted on this one, because as songwriters I think they could have pushed the envelope a little more, this album plays it a little safe. But it does have a lot of power and sounds great so I'll give it an 8.