Here is the band which made me resume my activities as a writer. Making time for this review was a challenge though, and I apologise for such a delay. Banderstadt is the band we listened to (along with Rome) while driving around Kharkiv with my friend last summer. This friend is part of the label under which Червоне(Red) was released, Archivist Records. This is an underground metal label and while Banderstadt shares values and mindset, this may have been confusing to some regarding what music do they play. The band proclaim themselves as both folk rock and folk metal but I tend to define them as the former rather than the later. I will explain myself later, let’s get into the music first!
When I checked their music after my trip, their first single just came out and I was glad to see it earned a proper introduction track on the album. “Море | The Sea” offers a haunting opening, reflecting how strong and scary the sea can get, and eventually the leading melody of “Човен | The Boat”, which funnily enough, created some sort of nostalgia to me, like some sort of long lost time you’re glad to meet again. This song is a hit and showcases Banderstadt’s rock formula the best way: a good melody that is properly developped and accompanied without drifting away from the essential and a voice with its very own fingerprint that makes you sing-along even though you don’t know the lyrics. I especially like the singer’s diction.
This is how I qualify Banderstadt as rock rather than metal because rock bands have a whole formula while folk metal ones rather relies on elements that can be as recurrent as they can be ditched. Also it seems to me that the folk aspect is expressed differently than in folk metal, Banderstadt doesn’t rely solely on folkloric instruments, though they do contribute. The lyrics themes are unmistakenly tied to Ukrainian folklore, referring to the sun, poppies flowers and figures such as Chumak (they will explain it better than me).
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However the three following songs would be the reason why the metal etiquette is tied to them. “Сонечко | The Sun” storms with heavier riffs and impetus. “Кров | Blood”, quite on the opposite, weighs down both the pace and the atmosphere by going to darker place, leading to a powerful elevation, solo and ending. And “Чумак | Chumak” seems to let the story being embodied both by the voice and the instruments. It goes always stronger until this breakdown and escalation. A skilled composing was displayed there and it is not stopping anytime soon. It’s not just rock, Banderstadt are really bringing something more to this genre, a certain richness all by being nowhere near too much.
Moving to a different atmosphere, “Ранок | Morning” is an immersive, eerie yet familiar instrumental. Somehow it is pretty pared down but also extremely atmospheric. I could picture how such a morning would look and feel like. It opens on “Маки | Poppies”, a slightly slowed down and meaningful track as it seems to be dedicated to Ukrainian children and the challenging times they live in. “Закляття | Spell” comes to add a refreshing fantasy touch. The story-telling is here again, with a lighter and mischievous impression. It’s heavy, catchy and I love it.
We’re back on a more serious note to end this album with “Перемога | Victory”. I can’t help but think of Sasha Boole, an Ukrainian country and folk musician, when I hear these strings in the introduction. This is yet another polished composition, and a moving one. Pretty much everyone who is concerned directly or undirectly has ever wondered how the end of this invasion would happen. This would be one vision of it. Just like the whole album would be an authentic slice of life of Ukrainian state of mind.
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Червоне| Red is out now
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