Band: Draugen
Title: Among The Lonely Shades
Label: Ancestrale Production
Distribution: /
Release date: November 2011
Review: CD

Draugen are a French duo (Okda Naos-d, and Ghost-v,b,g) and as from the early years (they formed this project at the very end of 2000) they still remain the core of the band. Throughout the years, Draugen wrote several tracks; some of them were recorded, yet because the duo wanted the perfect Nordic-inspired sound, they didn’t release anything officially – until now. Two years ago, Draugen finally started recording old and newly written compositions in self-production to achieve the sound they were aiming for. In mean time, they did sign to French label Ancestrale Production, which will take care of the release.

Among The Lonely Shades stands for the kind of Black Metal Norway was known for during the nineties (and still now, as a matter of fact). It dwells within those spheres that combine melancholy and solitude at the one hand, and misanthropy and hatred at the other. The approach is rather epic yet extremely suffocating – indeed the sound does cover all this within a bleak, oppressing veil of both melody and aggression. If they were aiming for this result, well: congratulations, it IS perfection! What strikes me are the nice guitar riffs: melodic in each aspect, when used the rhythmic way or when taking a leading, sometimes soloing role. On top of it, it comes with a cold, dry, funereal and obscure approach, and the few acoustic parts and decelerations, as well as certain industrialised riffs, softly caress the rotten heart of the Post-oriented scene.

For misanthropists for sure, and for ‘true’ fans of everything between Khold, Burzum, Gorgoroth, Tulus, Hades Almighty, Kampfar, Taake and this kind of un-heavenly beauty!

90/100

Ivan Tibos.