Review: Pagan Land / Tini Zabutyh Predkiv - Split CD

Ukrainian Pagan metal has its strongest origin with bands like Nokturnal Mortum in the mid nineties. Others have emerged more recently, with folk influence; but the two bands on this split claim to have their own roots planted back in the late nineties, despite this being the first release for both.

Pagan Land is first. Billed as an album but barely reaching MCD length, the material is good but by not making use of their strengths it falls short of excellent. Other Ukrainian bands like Kroda, Svarga and a glut of Russian bands have stepped in during the lifespan of Pagan Land and led the way, bringing traditional instruments into the core of songs.
Acoustic breaks and choral vocal sections are evocative and powerful. Unfortunately they are a contrast to the majority of the music which has a thin production. A drummer is used although it is hard to believe these are not programmed. Keyboards are used fairly heavily and in replacement of the real instruments. If this was purely a folk-metal recording that would be a problem, but they bring an ethereal quality like early Norktunal Mortum, aided by some expressive guitar solos.

A crossover with the aforementioned Kroda is cemented with Tini Zabutih Predkiv who share members with this band as well as Pagan Land, and provide the majority of content on this CD (the remaining nine tracks).
Where Pagan Land would be considered Black Metal + Pagan/Folk influence; TZP have a heavier, Death Metal influence. TZP’s overall sound is very close to Pagan Land. It again uses acoustic guitars and sung, choral vocals very well and brings these traditional sounds into the main metal-songs, to a degree.

This is one of the most unified split albums you can find. Bands share members and both recorded at the same studio. Both integrate folk, Pagan Land do it better.
Overall a good example of this style and highly unlikely you’ll only be listening to one side of the split!