While Drudkh may very well be the most popular Ukrainian metal band out there, most fans agree that the group’s early output eclipses most of their later works. And it is true that the appreciation of Autumn Aurora and Blood in Our Wells is more unanimous than that of, say, Eternal Turn of the Wheel.

Still, it would go too far to say Drudkh has totally lost its touch, as nearly every one of their albums contains at least a few great songs, even if the record as a whole may not have turned out as consistently amazing as Blood in Our Wells. Hence why this best-of list covers work from the band’s entire career. (Though it’s worth noting that it does not yet take into account their brand new album, A Furrow Cut Short.) If by some grave misfortune you’ve missed out on these Ukrainian black metallers up to this point, these tracks will help you understand what the band is all about. 

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“Fate” (from The Swan Road, 2005)

Whenever nostalgic fans reminisce about Drudkh’s glorious first four records, they often throw The Swan Road in there for convenience. It’s a transitory album that contains many ideas which the band hadn’t yet perfected. But songs like “Fate” are sparks of brilliance that deliver stunningly vivid visions of Ukraine’s violent past.

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“When the Flame Turns to Ashes” (from Blood in Our Wells, 2006)

On Blood in Our Wells, Drudkh delivered their most melancholic, tragic sound. The best track on this album is “When the Flame Turns to Ashes,” which first evokes a sense of despair that hits you like a train, while its second half delves into overpowering nostalgic beauty.

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“Eternity” (from Blood in Our Wells, 2006)

“Eternity” has an almost optimistic start before eventually presenting us with an instrumental segment that motivates the listener to contemplate the human condition. Pretentious though it may sound, it is exactly this universal aspiration that lifts Drudkh’s art above any petty political implication.

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“False Dawn” (from Forgotten Legends, 2003)

With a 15-minute run time, “False Dawn” is not only Drudkh’s first track, but also its longest. Regardless, the hypnotizing, perilous beauty of the composition makes you wish it’d go on forever. It’s the type of song that disproves the obsolescence of the repeat button.

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“Wind of the Night Forests” (from Autumn Aurora, 2004)

While I don’t seem to love Autumn Aurora as much as other people, I fully acknowledge its penultimate track “Wind of the Night Forests” as one of Drudkh’s undisputed masterpieces. Everything about this song is perfect: the threatening atmosphere, the outstanding drumming, the desperate howls…it’s black metal at its finest.

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“The Day Will Come” (from Handful of Stars, 2010)

Handful of Stars is undoubtedly Drudkh’s most controversial album, as it sees the band play post-rock rather than the black metal it is known for. Whilst I agree that it is largely a failed experiment, “The Day Will Come” sees the band capture the essence of their black metal melancholia and recreate it as a post-rock masterpiece.

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“Farewell to Autumn’s Sorrowful Birds” (from Eternal Turn of the Wheel, 2012)

Much like every German black metal band seems to have a werewolf-themed song, Ukrainian bands will at one point always mention cranes. These migratory birds represent the transition of seasons (or the cycle of life), so it is only logical that Drudkh invoked them to represent this rite of passage in their music.

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“Why the Sun Becomes Sad” (from Songs of Grief and Solitude, 2006)

Drudkh’s folk album, Songs of Grief and Solitude, was a moment of reflection for the band; it featured acoustic arrangements of familiar songs. “Why the Sun Becomes Sad” is a folk version of Autumn Aurora‘s “Sunwheel.” Its warm, evistal charm proves that listening to Drudkh needn’t be a depressive ordeal.

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“Glare of 1768” (from The Swan Road, 2005)

Another track off The Swan Road, “Glare of 1768” showcases the combative side of Drudkh’s music. You’d be hard-pressed to listen to this track and not think of one of the numerous glorious battles fought on Ukraine’s blood-soaked soil.

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The Horns Up Top 10 on Spotify

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That will do it. My review of the band’s new album, A Furrow Cut Short, will be publishing later today. Until then, this should hopefully whet your appetites.

-Jesse