Drakon – High Tales

It’s a bit strange that there’s a very limited information on band Drakon, and even less on their Речи Высокие (trans. High Tales) despite of the fact it was released back in 2023?! Nevertheless, after little research I learn that the band going under the moniker Drakon hails from Chelyabinsk Oblast (Russia), playing a mix of Heathen/Epic/Pagan and Atmospheric black metal.

The band was born in 2017 as collaboration between Veleyar (guitar & music) and Terror (vocals & bass). In 2017, the first album First was released, but soon after the release line-up split, and Terror released the instrumental EP The Last Battle of Angels and project was frozen. In the fall of 2021 Veleyar has resurrected Drakon on his own and released album titled Пррстцдение (Awakening) from 2022. After the release, the band immediately began work on the EP High Tales, a follow-up to their 2022 debut. A few more releases followed, but hereby I’ll just write a few words on this 2023 EP that I’ve been listening for three days now.

Речи Высокие (High Tales) includes five songs, two of which are cover versions by Unanimated and Enslaved. The tracklist, translated to English, looks as followed:

Tracklist:

1. Providence of Russian Blood
2. Timevortex
3. God of War
4. Life Demise (Unanimated cover)
5. Fenris (Enslaved cover)

Recording line-up for High Tales was comprised of; Veleyar (guitar), Demetr (vocals), Vladimir Kalmazan (bass) and Semen “Unholy Father” Luzin (drums). Music was mixed & mastered by Theodor Borovski (The Lust, Second to Sun, Alkonost, Dissector) and cover artwork was done by Alexander Tartsus (Grave Digger, Balfor, Depravity, Sinister, Kzohh).

With only three original songs, High Tales should still be regarded lyrically as a concept, as even covers for two Scandinavian bands, seemingly thematically distant from each other, are successfully woven into this common eschatological outline of the entire material. High Tales tells the story of human spirit, nature, darkness, paganism, Ragnarok and most importantly on this EP – reflections on the place of our people in the universe.

This five tracker EP from Pagan black metal combo from the Southern Ural, imbued with the endlessness of mountain forests, the coldness of lakes and the greatness of the human spirit. Put differently; it’s a piece of ‘icy black metal’ with Nordic/Scandinavian-sounding melodies and harmonies. Furthermore it features some ‘spoken-word passages’, often featuring slowly evolving repetitive riffs, tremolo picking, blast beat drumming and shrieked vocals. The tempos are mostly slower, often giving special importance the atmospheric aspect of their sound. Their style of playing – at least when talking of this particular EP – emphasizes immersive, expansive soundscapes and mood as much as raw aggression.

Album cover designs possess the ability to capture the essence of the sound on High Tales, evoking emotions even before the first note is played. It’s the biggest compliment I can give to Alexander Tartsus and the band.

I believe it will appeal to fans of Hellrunar, Keep Of Kalessin, Marduk, Mgła, Enslaved, Uada, Taake etc. For more information on this Russian dark entity and their complete discography at their bandcamp, meanwhile the whole High Tales EP can be heard below.