DRUDKH/WINTERFYLLETH - Thousands of Moons Ago/The Gates

Genres: Pagan Black Metal/Black Folk Metal

Label: Season of Mist

Rating: 6/10

The first track off this split is "...w Krainie Drzew," originally by Polish band Hefeystos. Having listened to the original, Drudkh really take it and make it their own. You can tell it isn't by Drudkh, but it's an upgrade for the song. (By the way, the original was from a demo and is very different from the rest of Hefeystos's material.) The second song is called "Ten, který se vyhýbá světlu" by Czech band Unclean. It's decidedly unlike anything Drudkh has released, but still good. Finally is a Sacrilegium cover, "Recidivus." It's a rather cliché song, lacks the majesty of Drudkh's music, but I suppose everyone's got to get that out of their bones at some point. The last track of the split is a Hate Forest cover by Winterfylleth, of the song "The Gate." It does the job, but these Anglos can't hope to achieve what Hate Forest did on the original.

Ultimately, I wouldn't buy this release. I want new Drudkh, not covers. Winterfylleth I couldn't care less about.