Durbatuluk – Erzähle, Baba Jaga

1. Die Drohende Nacht

The first track, which title translates to The Looming Night, starts with a chilling sound of rain and a calm woman’s voice, is this the Baba Jaga telling us stories? The lyrics would suggest so, and the main riff drives the song forward, captivating. At first Farvanns screaming felt a bit too dsbm-y but the more I listen to it the more I find it suits the music. A short but fitting opener to the album.

2. Seelenwanderung

The second track is Seelenwanderung, meaning something like a soul wandering, the transmigration of the soul from one plane to another. The song deals with, as far as my interpretation goes, chasing one’s inner demons and ghosts and trying to tell the outside world of the experience. This is a great song, the drums really bring it together and lets the guitars and vocals shine. The intensity is kept throughout the song, and it leads neatly into the third chapter.

3. Hinab

Hinab, or Down in English, starts off in true dsbm fashion, with a mid-tempo beat, piercing, haunted vocals and a simple but effective guitar arrangement. A powerful, stomping mid-section lures us outside into the same rainy night that opened the album. Combined with the vocals in this part, it sets a chilling mood before it pummels you with its conclusion.

4. Die Kathedrale des Teufels

The fourth offering on the album, Die Kathedrale des Teufels, The Devils Cathedral, is in my opinion the strongest track on the album. With some angry parts to start off, shifting into some trashy tempos, the drumming on this song is truly epic. With the riffs being fast and energetic all the way through, this truly showcases the potential of this project. Towards the end it takes on a much more eerie mood, there is something haunting about the way repeatedly sings «und kinder und steine».

5. Сkвозь дремучий лес

The fifth track is all in Russian. It’s called Сkвозь дремучий лес, which translates to something like Through the Woods. It is all spoken word by the same woman as in the opening track, with the calming voice of guest vocalist Helga Keturka. It’s a calming song, and it fits in nicely as a breather in the middle of the album.

6. Die Hexe

Now we are more than halfway through this epos, the sixth track, Die Hexe, The Witch in English, is another banger. It’s by far the longest rack on the album and this gives it space to ebb and flow throughout as we are being told a story about this witch that seems to have evil intentions. A standout track in the way of its great songs structure, never a dull moment despite its 7 minutes running time.

7. Unsterbliche Mär

Unsterbliche Mär, Immortal Fairy Tale, is the last track with singing, as the final track is an instrumental. The desperation in Farvanns voice is still on full display, and it gives the lyrics a sense of urgency. It seems to bring the themes of the songs together, describing the art of storytelling, specially stories of ghost, witches and creatures, as something that is passed on through the generations.

8. Erzähle, Baba Jaga

The closer on the album is the epic instrumental with the same title as the album, Erzähle, Baba Jaga, Tell Me Baba Jaga. With the intensity of Farvanns vocals on the other tracks, except the fifth one, this instrumental is a fitting way to end this journey. It fades out as the Russian woman returns for a final message.