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Ukraine’s Drudkh hold a unique place in the black metal canon, having maintained a significant following for a decade and a half despite a refusal to do interviews and questions over political sympathies. The reason for this quiet success is the quality and honesty of the band’s output and this, the band’s 13th full-length release, does nothing to tarnish their stellar reputation. Dense and earnest BM with lengthy mid-paced riffs and fast percussion is the order of the day, the songs leaning away from the group’s more folky and melancholic manifestations. Not to suggest the material is particularly upbeat mind you, but this is Drudkh at their more aggressive and steadfast, with minimal diversions or breaks in the tracks. Some will prefer the more distinctive and sorrowful works of the past but it’s hard to deny the quality here.