Eternal Turn of the Wheel
Year: 2012
Format: Spotify
Grade: B-
Ukranian metalers Drudkh lost a lot of fans when they steered toward blackgaze with 2010's Handful of Stars.
The elusive group continues with elements of atmospheric sludge and blackgaze on their latest LP, Eternal Turn of the Wheel, a title which speaks to the changing of the seasons.
The record has five tracks: An introduction and then the other four each serve as a sign post for spring, summer, fall and winter.
The songs are long and veering. The bass and drums lock step and throttle their way through blistering paces early in "Farewell to Autumn's Sorrowful Birds" as well as "Breath of Cold Black Soil."
While the band shows concept, the songs sometimes slide into a directionless feel. "When Gods Leave Their Emerald Halls," presumably representing summer, slips into a quiet middle section that recalls Opeth's efforts toward hard rock instead of black metal. The record is constantly rising and falling, changing mood and tone.
And maybe that's the point of Eternal Turn of the Wheel. To everything, there is a season, right? The album begins and ends with the sound of wind blowing, a sign that this, too, shall pass.
Tomorrow's entry: Glen Phillips, Tornillo
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