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Drudkh > Пригорща зірок (Handful of Stars) > Reviews > Orlok666
Drudkh - Пригорща зірок (Handful of Stars)

Disconcerting at first - 90%

Orlok666, November 2nd, 2011

Drudkh's previous album before this, Microcosmos, featured elements of progressive rock, and touches of all their earlier albums mixed with new additions, leading this reviewer to have the feeling that perhaps the next album would be a change in some way. It certainly was, but as other reviewers have placed it, it's in many ways a superficial change. Under the changes in production the Drudkh sound is still here, it's just a disconcerting change that first assaults the listeners ears resulting in a sense of dislocation.

The production is clear, one of the best that Drudkh has done so far. The guitar tone is what throws a lot of people off, as it is fairly clean, with perhaps a slight over drive on it. Underlying this clean almost Thousand Swords-esque guitar tone is a more distorted guitar that lays the groundwork, and then a bass that is quite active in the mix and in the overall songwriting. This use of bass has been growing since Estrangement so hopefully won't be a big surprise. I personally enjoy it, and the clangy folky sounding guitar. The drums are clear and powerful.

Within the songwriting we find two primary aspects, one is that the overarching songwriting is still very similar to older albums, slowly developing cyclical guitar riffs that build a mood. But here and there we find different riffs displaying an influence from post-rock/post-metal and from classic rock/metal. This is where I feel many fans feel somehow like Drudkh has betrayed them, which is interesting since everyone seemed to accept the insane solos of the past and other elements from non-bm sources, but now stripped of the monolithic guitar tones it feels a little more naked.

While I wouldn't go and say this is Drudkh's best album or anything, I feel fans should accept change, particularly when a band could have continued writing the same album over and over again, but decided to take the basic elements of their sound and mix in new ideas and new tones.

All the new aspects to the sound feature the same spirit and vibe of older Drudkh, but are given a new life with the post-rock guitars. The music is still emotional and filled with the folky natural spirit of their older music. Still contained on here is the touches of heathen mysteries and Earthen spirits, it's just given a slightly different wrapping.

Like all transitional albums however, this Drudkh album will be hotly contested by their fans. At first I hated it, but months later after revisiting it with an open mind I found myself drawn into the melancholic atmospheres contained on here. It's a grower, and often albums that grow on the listener and slowly reveal their mysteries are the far greater albums then those that are immediate. Personally I enjoy this album far more then the previous one with its sudden changes and odd experimentation, for this one feels more complete and of a whole piece, giving it more of a feeling of the older albums like Forgotten Legends (which is my personal favorite Drudkh album).

Listen with an open mind and if you still hate it, there's always the past to dwell upon. At least its not St. Anger.