ORATHANIA are a new name out of Kyiv, but the lineup should ring a bell if you’ve been following the Ukrainian scene for a while. With Borgvarr, Varggoth and Karpath involved, Echo Of Freedom doesn’t feel like a tentative debut, it comes across self-assured right from the start.
What works in the band’s favor is how naturally the whole folk/metal approach is handled. There’s no clear separation between the elements, no sense of switching between styles. Bandura, hurdy-gurdy and drymba are woven directly into the songwriting, giving the material a cohesive and organic feel.
The music shifts between heavy, riff-driven passages and darker, more intense sections with hints of black-metal energy, yet it never lingers too long in one mood. “Perun” hits immediately, tense and driving, while “Our Light (Nashe Svitlo)” offers a reflective, atmospheric counterpoint that lets the melodies breathe. Some tracks charge forward relentlessly, others take a slower, ritualistic pace, but the flow always feels deliberate. There are no filler moments, every song contributes to the album’s cohesive and powerful narrative.
The production keeps everything in check. The guitars hit with bite, but they don’t smother the traditional instruments, which sit naturally in the mix. It all feels live, grounded, not overblown or artificially grand. The vocals and folk elements weave in and out as part of the music, never tacked on.
Lyrically, the record is tied to what’s happening in Ukraine right now - the loss, the struggle, the identity. There’s weight here, but it isn’t overplayed. If you know bands like Nokturnal Mortum, you might catch echoes here and there, but ORATHANIA aren’t copying anyone. It’s their own thing, a kind of parallel thread running alongside that tradition.
I’ve listened to this a few times, and it keeps revealing little details. Not everything lands immediately, some moments take time, but that’s part of the charm. For a debut, it’s confident, focused, and delivers without padding or unnecessary detours. Strong debut! However, due to known reasons, some editors will not write about this album, unfortunately (losers)...
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