Drudkh: Autumn Aurora (2004)

Here we have another Dread Records reissue of an album by the Ukrainian black metal band Drudkh.  This is the band's second album and it expands on some of the ideas presented in their first release.  This is now the fifth release I have picked up by the band, and there are a couple more coming.  It is safe to say that I have found a band that I thoroughly enjoy.

Autumn Aurora starts off with a short instrumental introduction track before getting into "Summoning the Rain".  The album appears to be a concept album about the change in the seasons from Autumn to Winter.  And honestly the music captures this atmosphere perfectly.  It is organic and breathtaking all at once.  There are long periods where there are no vocals and the band is just repeating an atmospheric riff, but these are generally the best parts of the album.  Nothing against the vocals, they are fine, but this is one of those albums that would almost sound better being just an instrumental release.  Sometimes the blackened screaming contrasts a little too sharply with the almost beautiful music.

I am still kind of exploring the Drudkh albums, so I do not have a real great handle on where this album ranks in their discography.  I like it better than the debut, though not as much as Blood in Our Wells or They Often See Dreams About the Spring.  Nevertheless, it is definitely not a weak album, there seems to be no such thing in the Drudkh discography.  At the very least, it is an appropriate album to listen to as the days shorten and become colder and Autumn overtakes the countryside.