Band:	Drudkh
Album:	Пісні Скорботи I Самітності (Songs Of Grief And Solitude)
Style:	Contemporary folk
Release date:	October 2006

01. Sunset In Carpathians
02. Tears Of Gods
03. Archaic Dance
04. The Milky Way
05. Why The Sun Becomes Sad
06. The Cranes Will Never Return Here
07. Grey-Haired Steppe

After four releases of great atmospheric Black Metal, Ukrainian band Drudkh decided it was for time for a change. They laid down there electric guitars and distortion peddles and grabbed nothing but an acoustic guitar, some weird folk instruments and a sparse use of drums. Nothing more. The news that Drudkh would release an all-acoustic album evoked different sorts of reactions in the metal community. Would these fine Black Metal musicians be able to pull this off or would they fail miserably? Now, when I am holding this courageous offering in my hands they, as much as I hate to say it, failed.

The main problem of this album is easy to put into words: it has a serious lack of progression. Most of the songs contain some great acoustic folk parts, really enjoyable to listen to. They all sound like intro's of a great song that is about to unfold. However, that great song never unfolds. And with this fact, "Songs Of Grief And Solitude" stays nothing more than an ambitious project, a compilation of good ideas without an essential climax. This album has made a lot of spins in my cd-player since I bought it and every time I hear it I get sad. Not because of the great atmosphere on this album but because of what it could have been. For example, a song like "Archaic Dance" sounds so bloody awesome, riff after riff. And when it has finished, I remember nothing of it. There is no clue, no slow building of climaxes that the other Drudkh releases have in such a magnificent way.

So definitely these songs bring me a feeling of grief. But only because I see this as one of the albums of 2006 with most potential and promises, but with the least in final result. Disappointing.