Review: DRUADAN FOREST / OLD SORCERY – Druadan Forest / Old Sorcery

Year of release: 2021
Label: Werewolf Records
Rating: 9 / 10

DRUADAN FOREST and OLD SORCERY are lumps of modern synth ambient. In essence, without departing from the traditions laid down by MORTIIS and DEPRESSIVE SILENCE, they turn the new technologies to their advangate. Their music does what fantasy synth ambient is supposed to do - organizes a leisure journey through fantasy kingdoms whose stories are revealed to listeners like a good book. I have already compared the year before last year's DRUADAN FOREST album with a book, but again I have to repeat this comparison. His music is reminiscent of reading "The Lord of the Rings": the work is not the easiest to understand, but immensely deep and monumental. In contrast to the more primitive works of the mid-90s, there is a vast sonic range and many enriching elements, which, however, are added according to a rigid sense of proportion. It is interesting that the Finn plays quite simply, this is not an experimental genre. Each fragment is repeated 12-16 times, so it is not difficult to absorb the music. But the general plan turns out to be gigantic (the tracks are long), so it is impossible to grasp it within the mind from the first swoop. These things need to be savored over and over again, allowing the picture to emerge in your head. Whereas the track “Forever Wandering Towards the Shadowgate” takes a long walk through uncharted green valleys, then “Pale Sorcery of the Endless Moon”, following the title, plunges into enchanting and mysterious darkness, and then gives a solemn close-up in the vein of THANGORODRIM. Both tracks have a bit of vocals in the form of echoing recitations.

OLD SORCERY - also Finn - on this split sounds in unison with DRUADAN FOREST. His approach is a little more old-fashioned; he uses low-pitched "horns" from the ancient times. But he does not shy away from a certain "cinematicism", which rarely turns, fortunately, into symphonism. His music works on contrasts: both tracks begin with gloomy and depressing sections, but along the way they are modified many times, sometimes enticing with the glitter of the stars, then caressing the ears with almost frivolous “elven” melodies. There are, of course, epic landscapes that will take your breath away. From time to time, especially on the second track, the music reminds of the highly developed ideas of BURZUM from the times of prison ambient. Like V-Khaoz, Vechi Vrăjitor (the pseudonym of the creator of OLD SORCERY) uses retouched recitations instead of vocals, reading out some deeply meaningful lines.

The split turned out to be simply excellent, and I strongly recommend that all nerds, hidden or open, pay close attention to it. Reality is shit, and if you really want to run away from it, then run to another world, but not to the bottom of the bottle or something.