Drudkh was founded by Roman Saenko, the leading member of Hate Forest; Thurios, the leading member of Astrofaes; and Yuriy Sinitsky, of Lucifugum and Definition Sane. Their strongly folk-influenced music focuses on a dense atmosphere with a lot of feeling, and the lyrical contents embrace Slavic mythology, seasons and poetry. Many of the band's lyrics are derived from the works of nineteenth and twentieth century Ukrainian poets, especially Taras Shevchenko.
"During all its history, the band followed a 'no photos, no interviews, no website, no gigs' policy, which was nobly accepted by Drudkh's new label Season of Mist. The absence of any comments or information from Drudkh's side gave an opening to a few ignorant internet warrior-fans to spread rumors, that the band embraces extreme political views. This is absolutely misleading and a total profanation, since there is nothing in Drudkh's music or lyrics that would suggest any political outlook. Drudkh praise individualism, self-improvement and estrangement from modern values." Roman Saenko (2008)
Discography:
2003 – Forgotten Legends
2004 – Autumn Aurora
2005 – Лебединий шлях (The Swan Road)
2006 – Кров у наших криницях (Blood in Our Wells)
2006 – Пісні скорботи і самітності (Songs of Grief and Solitude)
2007 – Anti-Urban (EP)
2007 – Відчуженість (Estrangement)
2009 – Microcosmos
2010 – Пригорща зірок (Handful of Stars)
2010 – Slavonic Chronicles (EP)
2012 – Вічний оберт колеса (Eternal Turn of the Wheel)
2014 – Thousands of Moons Ago / The Gates (split with Winterfylleth)
2014 – Eastern Frontier in Flames (Compilation)
2015 – Борозна обірвалася (A Furrow Cut Short)
2016 – Той, хто говорить з імлою / Pyre Era, Black! (One Who Talks with the Fog / Pyre Era, Black!) (split with Hades Almighty)
2016 – Зраджені сонцем / Hägringar (Betrayed by the Sun / Hägringar) (split with Grift)
2017 - Десь блукає журба / Schnee (IV) (Somewhere Sadness Wanders / Schnee (IV)) (split with Paysage d'Hiver)
2018 - Їм часто сниться капіж (They Often See Dreams About the Spring)
Ars Poetica
Drudkh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Бути забутим, як стара статуя в маленькім місті.
Знати кохання каменя лиш, непрозоре каменя серце,
І в чорно-білих світлотінях бачити світ...
...Шукати лиш суть, лиш обрій буття шукати - суть буття.
Відчувати простір, літ чорних птахів далеко.
Відчувати час: чіткі рисунки в чорних печерах,
The lyrics of Drudkh's song Ars Poetica speaks of the virtues of being silent, objective and forgotten. The persona is likened to a shut door or a forgotten statue in a small town, these are images that suggest detachment, stability or even being immovable. The persona is said to only know love through a stone, which implies that they prefer to love something that is unchanging and unresponsive, like a rock. The persona claims to see the world in black and white only, implying that they do not dwell in ambiguity, but rather favor the straight and clear-cut truths.
The song then highlights the search for meaning and the essence of self in the midst of the chaotic, ephemeral reality that we inhabit. To the poet, the search for the horizon of existence is paramount, essential and all-consuming. The persona claims to feel the vastness of black birds and the clarity of time as they roam the obsidian caves. They then implore the poet to understand their day through an absolute wind, which implies that the day is ephemeral and transient, but the understanding of it remains absolute.
Line by Line Meaning
Бути німим, безпристрасним, як завжди зачинені двері.
To be silent and impartial like always closed doors.
Бути забутим, як стара статуя в маленькім місті.
To be forgotten like an old statue in a small town.
Знати кохання каменя лиш, непрозоре каменя серце,
To know the love of stone only, a heart as opaque as stone.
І в чорно-білих світлотінях бачити світ...
And to see the world in black and white shades...
Шукати лиш суть, лиш обрій буття шукати - суть буття.
To seek only the essence, only the horizon of existence - the essence of existence.
Відчувати простір, літ чорних птахів далеко.
To feel the space, the flight of black birds far away.
Відчувати час: чіткі рисунки в чорних печерах,
To feel the time: clear drawings in black caves,
І абсолютним вітром розуміти свій день, поете.
And to understand your day with the absolute wind, poet.
Contributed by Ian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tyler V
So many different genres of music come to mind when I hear this song. So awesome!
Lazarus Long
I could listen to this a thousand times and still be blown away each and every time. Masterpiece.
Omar Ortiz
Riff starting @ 7:23... Best riff I've ever heard...
Jakob Lancaster
This is why Black Metal is my favorite subgenre of metal. It just has so much expressive potential. Don't get me wrong, I love all extreme music, but let's get real. Death Metal is all about tempo and rhythm; you know, music theory stuff. The same with Thrash and Doom. They are defined by their music theory, and that's what they're all about. Black Metal, on the other hand, is about expression, and Black Metal does what it does better than anything else could ever hope to.
Mick J
Exactly!
Jackson Zhang
best comment ever for a black metal song
Lazarus Long
Well said!
tiki2188
@DavidTDuncan Both those bands are absolutely brilliant. New them first, but have found Drudkh recently and they are something else. This album is fucking great
Karenina
Buscar solo el sentido, buscar solo el horizonte de la existencia: La esencia del Ser ♥
avishv
god, how much i loved drudkh :')