Artist: Draugaskógur
Country: Serbia
Label: Inferna Profundus Records
Formats: Cassette Tape
Year: 2025
From the Inferna Profundus Records stables comes this new Serbian one-man project called Draugaskógur and with ‘Fullmoon Hypnotic Ritual’ it goes right for the full-length album, skipping all demo-necessities. Judging from the quality that’s on offer it could very well be that the man behind this band has gained a good amount of experience within the ranks of other musical endeavours. If that’s not the case, he’s just a natural talent in forging woeful and melancholic Black Metal with a strong repetitive nature.
Repetitive Black Metal is often linked to Burzum, and for good reasons as that was undeniably the first band to ever venture in these territories, yet in this particular case it could well be said that this is beyond the first classic Burzum records – despite what the promo texts say. If you’d spend a good time with ‘Fullmoon Hypnotic Ritual’ it is clear that the music has much more in common with contemporary Black Metal with a strong hypnotic vibe. If we’d need some musical comparisons, this could best be described as a strong blend between Poland’s Evilfeast and Candelabrum from Portugal. It has the power and repetitiveness of the latter and the melodicism of the Polish act. Together resulting in something that is both atmospheric and raw, melodic and glorious. A truly great marriage that is both carried by the strong and memorable riffs and the moody synths, a testament of great craftsmanship in terms of orchestration and song writing.
Yet, fair dictates that both Evilfeast and Candelabrum, in their turn, took some evident inspiration from Burzum and early Forgotten Woods, but when mixed together it comes down to something that combines the best of both worlds. Most of the slower and more incantatory Black Metal lacks the melodic parts presented here and strongly reminds of the last few recordings of Evilfeast or even Nocternity. Impressive, compelling, dominant and persuasive, Draugaskógur surely knows how to impress the listener with its very first recording. Those interested shouldn’t waste too much time thinking as the cassette tape on which the music is presented is only manufactured in 66 copies.
