Album Review: Drudensang – Geisterzvvang
Band: Drudensang
Album: Geisterzvvang
Label: Folter Records
Release date: May 16th, 2025
Country: Germany
Format reviewed: High quality digital recording
Album Review: Drudensang – Geisterzvvang via Folter Records by Ioana
One of the things that draws me the most to black metal is its capacity to leave me surprised and impressed when I’m least expecting it, and Drudensang’s latest effort is without a doubt that exact kind of record. Managing to somehow put together a noticeable musical shift and an unmatched aura of authenticity is no easy feat, and somehow they managed to achieve exactly that in the span of a 30 minute EP… talk about concise songwriting. One of the reasons this took me by surprise is that generally, the short format of an EP doesn’t allow for much complexity, with some of the more mediocre ones remaining unable to even develop their musical ideas properly. That, in turn, makes them end up feeling a lot like the material is simply an amalgamation of scraps that didn’t fit on any record. However, as I’ve said, that can easily be changed with a few inspired songwriting choices, and Drudensang is here to show how an EP can be perfected.
One thing that can be observed right of the bat about Geisterzvvang is the highly well thought flow of the music. The songs possess a sense of continuity, making them all feel equally connected, while also standing out on their own. This is mainly due to the richness of the songwriting patterns, which are multilayered and complex, using every element available in the development of an immersive atmosphere. The spontaneous acoustic interludes, along with the occasional violin track help bring about a sense of mystery and suspense, without disrupting the generally epic mood of the EP too much. Speaking of that…
The mood and approach of Geisterzvvang left me with a raised eyebrow. Having been familiar with some of Drudensang’s earlier material, I was, for a second, taken aback by the grandiose, epic sound of the music, which comes in a rather stark contrast with the gloomy, much more gritty style the band approached on previous releases. However, what truly got me about is was that, despite seeming like it for the first minute, there is no attempt of erase or replace what the band has already established. Instead, it’s audible from the music itself that they are simply adding more to their sound, developing it further, while also including more and more diverse elements. You can trace the influence of projects such as Summoning and even Dissection, which blend together with the grittiness that has come to define the band thus far. The Summoning influence in particular is noticeable in the vocal execution, characterized by a more whispery execution, as well as on the closing track, “Miasma”. Another wild card of the EP is the intricacy of the lead guitar work. Despite the riffing being more or less simple and consistent, the occasional solos come off as the complete opposite, including various techniques and emphasizing the melodies already found within the music. To give a clear example, the track “Blutkreys Teufeley” fits the mark perfectly, just listen to the solo at the end and you’ll know what I’m talking my mouth (seriously speaking, it straight up gave me goosebumps, it’s that good).
Of course, one cannot talk about Drudensang without addressing their instrumental mastery. The harmonious way in which the instruments work together is admirable to say the least, making it obvious that each musician involved in the band possesses a clear knowledge of their abilities, thus being capable of playing their strengths to perfection. All of this is put to an advantage by the production, whose balance of rawness and clarity leaves more than enough room for all the sounds to be developed to their fullest extent.
For those who are still not convinced in regards to Drudensang’s musical trajectory, I get where you’re coming from, as this EP remains, in all honesty, a fairly big shift. However, I would highly advise staying with it for a little longer than average, perhaps giving it two or more listens to fully grasp its nuances and qualities. It’s the kind of record that grows on you the more time you spend with it. That being said, the future of Drudensang appears to be holding a lot of interesting treasures. 9.5/10
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