Review: Drudkh - “Microcosmos” (2009)
Majestic, epic, atmospheric, folk-influenced, transcendent… Everyone pretty much knows what to expect from Ukrainian black metallers Drudkh, and the same descriptions can be applied to their newest offering Microcosmos as to any of their previous works. As usual, Drudkh presents us with a handful of long-running tracks of pagan black metal with lyrics based on Ukrainian poetry. There are some shorter acoustic tracks thrown in that utilize traditional folk instruments, which is of course also standard for a Drudkh album. That Microcosmos is qualitatively on par with the band’s previous work should be a comfort to most fans, but I actually think that the small differences between this newest Drudkh album and the others in their catalogue are what makes it truly impressive.
One of the first things listeners will notice about Microcosmos is the production, which is nearly flawless for this type of music. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with the slightly muddier mix of older albums, but on Microcosmos every nuance of every instrument is clearly audible, without sacrificing any of the music’s atmosphere. The guitars are clearer than ever before, giving the listener a chance to really appreciate the complex layered riffing style and subtle melodies in each song. The bass can actually be heard, surprisingly, and the vocals and drums also sound superb.
Everything on Microcosmos seems like a streamlined, condensed version of the band’s previous work. While the nine to ten-minute song length is about average for a Drudkh album, the song structures somehow seem to cram more riffs into each song, giving them the impression of being shorter than they actually are. Guitar solos, something that occasionally bothered me on Drudkh’s other albums, are also used rather sparingly and tastefully here.
I don’t think most Drudkh fans will find much to dislike about this album, and because of the production and slightly more focused songwriting I think that this album would probably be easier for newer fans of the band to digest than some of their earlier albums. Microcosmos is one of very few albums this year that not only met my lofty expectations, but actually exceeded them.
