Review by Sandre the Giant
If there’s one thing that the Russian scene seems to be able to produce with an alarming frequency and quality, it is melancholic and atmospheric black metal. Drevorod are just that and their new record ‘Anthems of Soil and Stars’ is out now through Heidens Hart Records.
Opener ‘Sunrise’ is a twelve minute epic, sweeping tremolo riffs gliding above a bleak and windswept soundscape of cold and evocative darkness. Drawing much from the Drudkh/Nokturnal Mortum school of black metal, Drevorod also manage to slip in an obvious folk metal influence too. Much more Moonsorrow than Korpiklaani of course, but you can sense the traditionalism in the beautiful acoustic passages that pepper this record. I also like the little touches of, is it flute? I’m not sure, but it adds a certain old world feel to proceedings. There’s a certain post rock shimmer about some sections of guitar too, as well as plenty of the more traditional black metal stylings as well. ‘Soil’ is a masterpiece of songwriting; blending the finest elements of melancholic black metal, stirring folk melodies and a sense of the vast and the forgotten.
‘Anthems of Soil and Stars’ is more than just your average atmospheric black metal record though. It feels like it has a real heart, and an old soul carved from ancient Ural mountain rock, icy Russian rivers and the lonely countryside. When you have the rich vocal work of ‘Vesper’, or the sweeping majesty of ‘In the Depths of Night’, you cannot help but really FEEL something. Beautiful stuff.
https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/anthems-of-soil-and-stars
The Killchain 