Кобь - "Давьныѣ Покровы Рипѣискыихъ Дрѣвочащь" [2006]

Artist: Кобь

Title: Давьныѣ Покровы Рипѣискыихъ Дрѣвочащь

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Russia
Year: 2006

Track List:

1. Дрѣвочащь покровъ / Shroud Of Woods / Покрывало лесов
2. Мордогляди езеръ / Mirrorlakes / Озёрозеркалие
3. На вѣтра крылахъ / On The Wind's Wings / На крыльях ветра
4. Мьгланыи одръ / The Hazy Cradle / Туманная колыбель
5. Въноутре камениевъ / Within The Heart Of Rocks / Во чреве скал
6. Давьныи Рипѣи / The Eldest Ural / Старший Урал

This band was formed in 1999 in Ekaterinburg by two musicians who never disclosed their identities but apparently weren't newcomers to the metal scene. On their only full-length album released ten years ago on Serpent's Lair Productions, three more musicians were involved, including Satt aka 121 (Velehentor, Valhalla, Nuclear Winter, Closing the Eternity) on khomus, tamborine and keyboards (except for the tracks #1 and #5). Later on, he considered this album to be the paragon of the Urals black metal.

While it's a very quality work beyond any doubt, I was slightly disappointed by it being pretty straightforward black metal with less "exotic" elements than I initially expected (same as with Melechesh or Vör). The khomus parts can be heard clearly, but the other "unorthodox" instruments - not so much. The use of programmed drums may also be off-putting for some listeners (not for me, though). Other than that, it's a very solid atmospheric black metal release heavily inspired by the nature and mysticism of the Ural Mountains (the band members seem to identify it with the legendary Riphean Mountains of Greco-Roman mythology, although that's quite questionable). The track names and at least some of the lyrics are in a language ostensibly similar to the Old Slavonic language, although I doubt its authenticity. Either way, the album name translates to "The Ancient Shroud of Primeval Ural Woods".

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