EXCLUSIVE: Ukrainian black metal masters Drudkh reveal a majestic new track

Drudkh, They Often See Dreams About The Spring album cover

Despite pursuing a level of reclusiveness that makes Deathspell Omega look like the Kardashians, Drudkh founder Roman Saenko’s singular purpose is to bring what was hidden into being. After more than a decade and half, the Ukrainian musician’s far flung odyssey through the recesses of his native folklore remains a singularly incandescent endeavour, wherever it chooses to roam.

Having journeyed into more blackgaze territory with 2010’s A Handful Of Stars, Drudkh have been mining darker territories of late, but their forthcoming 11th, album, They Often See Dreams About The Spring (to give it its English title) - released via Season Of Mist Records on March 9 - sees a return of the melodic, pastoral strain that made 2004’s Autumn Aurora both a genuine landmark in the history of black metal, and a deeply affecting work of visionary, romantic wonder.

If three and a half weeks seems a long time to wait, then rejoice, because we have an exclusive preview in the nigh-on nine-minute form of U Dakhiv Irzhavim Kolossyu. An epic whose capacity to keep you spellbound for its entire duration is measure of its emotional scope, its melding of world-weary yet luminous pilgrimage to all-out cathartic splendour contains a universe’s worth of sonic nuance, spiritual excavation and ferocious, stormswept testimony.

So lay down your tools, gaze at the heavens convulsing above and give yourself to the turbulent, transformative majesty that is U Dakhiv Irzhavim Kolossyu below!

Check out Drudkh’s Facebook page here

And pre-order They Often See Dreams About The Spring here!

Jonathan Selzer

Having freelanced regularly for the Melody Maker and Kerrang!, and edited the extreme metal monthly, Terrorizer, for seven years, Jonathan is now the overseer of all the album and live reviews in Metal Hammer. Bemoans his obsolete superpower of being invisible to Routemaster bus conductors, finds men without sideburns slightly circumspect, and thinks songs that aren’t about Satan, swords or witches are a bit silly.