Review Summary: Oh sweet melancholy…
Just over a year after the release of their full-length album
Shadow Play, the Ukrainian black metal legends, Drudkh, have delighted their fans with a new offering. The
Thaw EP was conceived during the recording sessions for
Shadow Play, but these three tracks ultimately found their way into this standalone release. In my opinion, this was the right decision: it would have been a shame to "waste" these songs on a deluxe edition.
First, I must highlight how fitting I find the choice of title. The image of thawing blends the image of the stubborn cold of winter with the warmth of change, embodying a slightly ambivalent atmosphere. This imagery feels perfectly natural and tangible in the context of
Thaw, as the music itself brings this contrast to life. On this release, the contrast between the fierce, harsh sound of black metal and the melancholic, ethereal, and beautiful nature of the melodies is particularly striking - and this is what makes the EP great.
The structure of
Thaw follows a "framed composition": the duo of “Memory” and “A Moment in Eternity” (two pleasantly slow black metal tracks) encloses “Somewhere, Sometime”, a completely different, experimental, semi-acoustic, mysterious piece enriched with ethereal female vocals and a dreamlike vibe. The frame is provided by the similarity of the two black metal tracks, as both open with nearly identical riffs (and are also structurally very similar), meaning that, much like in classical music, a musical theme (and its variations) recurs on this release. These "sibling songs" are both characterized by a generally slow tempo (with only occasional bursts of speed, serving as outbursts), and they place a strong emphasis on synthesizers - making this perhaps one of Drudkh’s most synthesizer-focused releases. Throughout the music, there is a sense of building tension that seems to remain suppressed, only surfacing in the form of intensely melancholic and bitter melodies. However, the true catharsis never arrives, as these tracks fade into nothingness. This might be the EP’s only real weakness: these two prominent songs lack concrete endings. This is especially true for “A Moment in Eternity”, where the music fades out during a faster section, accompanied by vocals, leaving a sense of incompleteness in me. That said, this feeling is well counterbalanced by the remarkably massive and honeyed melancholy that
Thaw consistently radiates. So, for those seeking a captivating atmosphere in this genre, this EP will not disappoint.
Despite its short runtime,
Thaw stands strong on its own: Drudkh has delivered another emotional and highly atmospheric release, crowned - at least in my view - by one of the most beautiful album covers of the year. For those who couldn’t get enough of
Shadow Play,
Thaw will also be a treat.
