Sepultura made some of their best music when life was brutal. Megadeth’s greatest songs were born when Dave Mustaine was spiraling in addiction. A lot of the best music out there—metal or not—comes straight from pain and chaos. Sometimes, the roughness of daily life is the fuel that lights real art.

Since 2022, Ukraine’s been living that harsh reality every single day. Drudkh didn’t get to dodge it either. Their drummer, Amorth, died fighting for his country. It’s heartbreaking just to think about—and even harder to imagine what it did to the band.

But somehow, out of all that grief, Drudkh have put out some of the most beautiful, powerful Black Metal of their career with their new album, “Shadow Play”. They’ve always been something special—a real gem buried under piles of cheap plastic bands that try too hard. And even now, with their homeland torn by war, they’ve managed to stay true to what they are: a band that turns pain into music that actually means something.

Drudkh have always had a gift for mixing crushing black metal with calmer, melodic moments. They can switch from blasting chaos to fragile, almost doomy melodies without losing a step. That play between light and dark is what’s built their sound over the years. Each album sometimes stray a little from the previous one, but the roots stay strong.

The new album opens like a lot of their stuff—with a long, instrumental track called “Scattering the Ashes.” It’s seven minutes of slow, distorted guitars wrapped around a clean, hypnotic rhythm.
“April” kicks the bucket, ushering in a darker, more menacing atmosphere with pounding double-bass drums and a harsher guitar tone. Yet even at their heaviest, Drudkh’s aggression carries a desperate sorrow rather than pure anger. This has always been one of their strongest traits: the ability to sound heavy without sacrificing their deep emotional resonance, while “The Exile” continues this melancholic journey, unfolding through mid-tempo corridors where different musical influences subtly echo through the riffs and melodies.

Keeping with their tradition of sprawling compositions, “The Thirst” stretches to almost twelve minutes. It feels like a grand summation of everything Drudkh has crafted over the years—a musical puzzle where all their signature elements meet: soaring melodies, raw black metal roots, sorrowful harmonies, and powerful, relentless drumming. It’s a song that breathes, sighs, and roars, embodying the very spirit of a band that refuses to be broken even as the world around them burns.

The latest musical effort by the Ukrainians would sound similar to other works of the band, but at the same time it comes in times of grief and loss, that may make it a tad more raw than other releases from the band. Veterans of the music would find their beloved tunes again, while newer fans may find out an album that sucks them in.

Release Date: March 2025
Label: Season of Mist

8.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Scattering the Ashes
2. April
3. The Exile
4. Fallen Blossom
5. The Eve
6. The Thirst