Drautran
Unter dem Banner der Nordwinde
[Independent]
Even if you, like me, don't have any knowledge of the German language, it
won't take a genius to figure out what the title of this CD means. That
title, along with the CD's stern black and white layout, pensive and airy
photographs of nature inside the booklet, and the fact that Drautran hail
from the German town located way up in the North of the country beg the
conclusion that everything about this release will be harsh, cold, fast and,
yes, very Northern.
And indeed, Drautran is a very Northern sounding band, who try to walk a line somewhere between "ITNE"-era Emperor, early Enslaved, Mithotyn and whatnot, aiming to create fast, thunderous and warped songs but still be able to inject plenty of atmosphere into them by also using healthy doses of keyboards. The band --- consisting of seven members, including two vocalists (one on a few occasions provides some growling vocals, while the other specializes in hysterical screams and shrieks; a little bit of clean, chant-like singing is also present), plus another guy who is credited with singing and playing all instruments on one acoustic, Viking-folk type track --- are trying hard enough, and while this demo-CD is not about to set new standards in the black metal realm, these guys managed to come up with some decent stuff. It is not overly original, but at the end the band exude plenty of energy and power with just enough feeling and personality, so that their music doesn't come-off as contrived and trite. They have a very good sense of atmosphere, which, as you might have guessed already, I wouldn't describe as really evil but more Viking-flavored, with a somewhat naturalistic feel to it. And their sound is quite cold, distorted and trebly but still kept under control, so that underneath all the harshness and brutality a distinct thread of atmospheric subtlety can always be felt. One could still go ahead and dismiss them as yet another Norsecore band, but Drautran might just turn out to be a pleasant breather for the aficionados of Nordic black metal after the usual floods of soulless bands they have to sift through on daily bases.
Drautran:
Postfach 1926
24018 Kiel
Deutschland
Blutaar@web.de
© 2001 boris
And indeed, Drautran is a very Northern sounding band, who try to walk a line somewhere between "ITNE"-era Emperor, early Enslaved, Mithotyn and whatnot, aiming to create fast, thunderous and warped songs but still be able to inject plenty of atmosphere into them by also using healthy doses of keyboards. The band --- consisting of seven members, including two vocalists (one on a few occasions provides some growling vocals, while the other specializes in hysterical screams and shrieks; a little bit of clean, chant-like singing is also present), plus another guy who is credited with singing and playing all instruments on one acoustic, Viking-folk type track --- are trying hard enough, and while this demo-CD is not about to set new standards in the black metal realm, these guys managed to come up with some decent stuff. It is not overly original, but at the end the band exude plenty of energy and power with just enough feeling and personality, so that their music doesn't come-off as contrived and trite. They have a very good sense of atmosphere, which, as you might have guessed already, I wouldn't describe as really evil but more Viking-flavored, with a somewhat naturalistic feel to it. And their sound is quite cold, distorted and trebly but still kept under control, so that underneath all the harshness and brutality a distinct thread of atmospheric subtlety can always be felt. One could still go ahead and dismiss them as yet another Norsecore band, but Drautran might just turn out to be a pleasant breather for the aficionados of Nordic black metal after the usual floods of soulless bands they have to sift through on daily bases.
Drautran:
Postfach 1926
24018 Kiel
Deutschland
Blutaar@web.de
© 2001 boris