Kroda - "Varulven" 2013

Kroda

"Varulven"

Purity Through Fire

2013

This album is a compilation of previously unreleased material. It contains only four songs, and lasts for circa twenty minutes. Here you can read more about it and actually listen to it for free - as it's available on Kroda's bandcamp. I may only add that the physical version (limited digipack) will be released by PTF in the beginning of November. For those who are not familiar with this band I will write few word why it's worth to have it in your collection.

And it's woth because it shows a bit different face of Kroda. The first track is played (as it's written on bandcamp) in a viking rock style, and bases on traditional nordic song. The main vocals are a female one, while the howling of Eisenslav is a bit on the second plan. In my opinion it sounds very good, and it would be interesting if a band adopted such elements on a new release. 

The rest of the material is more typical for this project. "Nemesis" is a german folk song, played on traditional ukrainian instruments (sopilka etc). If you heard "Oj na Gori..." from "Funf Jahre Kulturkampf" you can be sure that it sounds really (let's not be affraid of that word) nice. This track is also a good break between "Werwolf" and "Der Scharlachrote Tod". Both of those tracks are covers - the first one is Temnozor's, while the second one is Absurd's. It's not a big secret that Kroda knows how to play in interesting and ass-kicking way music of someone else. "Werewolf" is a bit different than the original, and moreover it's so full of energy that it looks a bit strange how only one person can make such a gehenna! The last track is like his predecessor a guts-grinding piece of brutal art, except it's a live version. And well, it just proves that Kroda is a beast on the scene!

I listen to "Varulven" whenever I can, and I am already preparing some money to buy the upcoming digipack. To everyone who is a fan of this ukrainian band or is simply interested in pagan/folk metal scene I recommend to do the same. A short, yet very good release.

Rate: 8+/10

Vladyka

Tracklist:
1. Varulven
2. Werwolf
3. Nemesis
4. Der Scharlachrote Tod (Absurd cover)

Kroda - "Schwarzpfad" (2011)

Kroda

Schwarzpfad

Purity Through Fire

2011

 

This is the 5th album of ukrainian black/folk metalers from Kroda. Or maybe I should write "metaler", because this is also the first album released after leaving a band by one of the co-founders - Viterzgir. 

Well, I am not sure if this is beacause of line up changes or not, by "Schwarzpfad" is much more rawer material than the previous ones. The ukrainian folk instruments are reduced here to minimum. But don't worry - Kroda haven't loose it's original sound. Traditional instrumentation this time is being used not to create an atmosphere, but to just highlights it. I love their previous stuff, but as for me that kind of playing is also pretty good! It can be clearly heard that Eisenslav decided to create much more darker compositions, and so to use more keyboard instead. It really works, the music is more mysterious and even a bit depressive. Just listen to this weird, haunted ending of the second track "Universal Provenances" which I am listenning now - it makes overwhelming impression.

Predominatingly characteristic, possessed vocals are howling desperately about the upcoming end of the world, guitars are mostly grinding listeners' ears with quite melodic, yet still very raw riffs and drums are quickly striking rhythm heralding the upcoming Ragnarok. Yet quite often everything turns into slower, more melancholic areas with usage of folk stuff or just acoustic guitars. But of course as I have written before don't expect another "Cry To Me, River..." because this time Korda explores more gloomy fields. The last novelty is the ending track "Cold Aurora", entirely composed as an cold, ambient thing. Most of the bands which tries to compose such things are just boring me to death, but in this case it's a great example how to end the album in a big way.

To make it quick, generally speaking I am glad that Eisenslav do not goes the easy way, but still tries to create something fresh. "Schwarzpfad" is a great piece of black metal art. The maniacs of that kind of playing should immediately get this album, if they haven't already do it. All hail Ragnarok! 

Rate: 9+/10

Vladyka

Tracklist:

1. First Snow

2. Universal Provenances

3. Forefather of Hangmen

4. Heil Ragnarok!

5. Cold Aurora