«Мещера - Песни Вечных Ветров»
Meschera's third album, titled "Songs of Eternal Winds" (Песни Вечных Ветров), serves as a true guide into the mysterious world of ancient Meshchera forests, swamps, and powerful pagan forces. This release not only confirms the collective's reputation as one of the most distinctive representatives of the "Dark" Folk Metal scene but also demonstrates a bold step forward in their creativity. Following their previous work, "Zhаtva" ("Harvest"), the musicians continue to expand the boundaries of the genre, masterfully infusing their melodies with the living breath of folk instruments.
From the very first seconds, it's clear the band aims for an even more epic sound. Here, aggressive guitar parts don't dominate but organically intertwine with ethnic instruments. These parts often come to the forefront, enhancing the sacred, even ritualistic, mood of the songs. Atmospheric, melodic arrangements add volume and depth without disrupting the overall style.
Vocals also play a significant role: Alexandra's voice sounds more multifaceted than on previous releases. The combination of enchanting clean parts and piercing "extreme" screams perfectly reflects the contrast between pagan fairy-tale-like wonder and the harshness of metal. This sense of inner struggle between "warm" and "cold" is present in almost every track and gives the album a special energy.
• The album begins with "Kolybel'naya lesa" (Lullaby of the Forest), which sets the tone for the entire work. It's a mystical, almost theatrical composition where the voice sounds like an incantation, inviting the listener into the forbidden forest world. Ethnic instruments create the atmosphere of an ancient ritual, while sharp transitions between calm chants and aggressive sections emphasize the duality of the forest's nature: it can be both a cozy refuge and a deadly trap.
• The composition "Myortvykh drev voy" (Howl of the Dead Trees) makes a powerful impression thanks to its dense instrumental sound, rooted in an atmosphere and energy characteristic of black metal. This "dark" foundation gives the track a heavy monolithic quality, underscoring the chilling yet captivating nature of the song. The vocal part adds unexpected multifacetedness to the composition. Contrasting transitions from whispers to piercing screams enhance the drama and emphasize the narrative's tension. This technique allows the listener to feel both awe before the grandeur of nature and fear of its ruthlessness. The lyrical basis of the song is a true ode to the eternal cycle of life and death, embodied in the imagery of the mysterious forest. The theme of the "faceless path" serves as a metaphor for the inevitable journey, where each step brings the hero closer to transcendent rebirth. The author masterfully uses the symbolism of ancient trees, their "branching hands," and the earth that swallows and resurrects, to show how a person becomes part of the powerful natural element, losing their individuality in the process. The instrumental background further enhances this atmosphere. The rhythmic structure resembles the pulse of the earth, its relentless breathing. The use of diverse timbres, from deep, resonant percussion to high, almost wind-like guitar harmonics, creates an effect of complete immersion. The listener feels as if they become part of the forest, where every tree carries the frozen scream of ancient souls. "Howl of the Dead Trees" successfully combines the dramatic intensity of black metal with poetic, almost ritualistic imagery. The powerful instrumental component enhances the ominous but captivating atmosphere, while the profound lyrics immerse the listener in an otherworldly reality where mysterious forces of nature become the main guides on the path between life and oblivion.
• "Pesni vechnykh vetrov" (Songs of Eternal Winds) serves as the album's centerpiece. After listening to "Howl of the Dead Trees," the composition "Songs of Eternal Winds" appears noticeably calmer and more meditative. The slow development of the musical line and measured rhythm create an effect of concentration on the song's details. The voice remains in the foreground, reflecting the performer's internal monologue, while the instrumental part subtly underscores the tonality and emotional mood. The chorus repeats motifs of losing peace and the disruption of sleep, emphasizing the inevitability of change and loss. However, there is also eternity in this process – a connection with nature that remains unchanged, like the "trunk of a dry birch" hidden beneath the bark. An important motif is not only natural symbolism but also personal experience: the hero seems to try to hold onto the fleeting essence of time, asking it to look back and "wait!". However, the relentlessness of the wind and river emphasizes the inevitability of life's events. In this state, a deep emotionality transitioning into quiet sadness is traceable. Through mentions of falling leaves, emerging flowers, and dancing snow, the eternal cycle is felt: decay is always followed by rebirth. The song leaves behind a feeling of unity with the world and acceptance of its laws, where even destruction and death are part of the eternal movement of life.
• "Khozyain solntsa" (Master of the Sun) plunges into a gloomy and anxious world where the lyrical hero appeals to the "master of the sun" for mercy, yet demonstrates contradictory feelings – from plea to threat. The song is filled with images of winter cold, wolf howls, and ancient curses, creating an atmosphere of constant tension and hopelessness. At the same time, the sense of doom intertwines with hope for purification and finding a new path. The sound has become fiercer and more dynamic: the musical foundation is sharper and harsher, drum parts sound more powerful, and guitars pierce every line of despair and fear. The vocals frequently shift from normal to piercing screams, emphasizing the contradictory nature of the lyrics – between prayer and threat, between pleading for light and readiness to plunge everything into eternal darkness. This contrast enhances the feeling of inner struggle, and the somber energy compels you to listen closely to every word, as if it were the last call for salvation or final doom. The final lines underscore the tragedy: the sun, meant to give life, becomes a destructive force, and the earth is washed with blood. The composition concludes with a sense of hopelessness, where even the gods are cursed, and heroes are doomed to eternal existence in a "rotten mire." "Master of the Sun" is a true poetic drama, where every line is filled with deep meaning, and the dynamic, aggressive melody intensifies the emotional impact, leaving the listener in a state of tense reflection.
• The new composition "Lepestkami kostrov" (By Petals of Bonfires) paints a frighteningly captivating picture of encountering a forbidden power. Here, the emphasis shifts towards dynamic guitar parts and atmospheric inserts of folk instruments, creating a unique feeling of a mysterious ritual happening somewhere on the border between the wild forest and a mythical world. The work itself can be described as a poetic depiction of a relationship where love and pain intertwine like a witch's spell. The lyrical hero is trapped in feelings that are simultaneously alluring and destructive. The beloved's touch is compared to the "black plague," and meetings to a "witch's curse," highlighting the destructive power of this bond. However, despite the suffering, the pain seems sweet, like flower pollen, and embraces are viscous, like resin holding one in its nets. The final lines emphasize the inevitability of the end: the pain that once seemed sweet now takes on a bitter hue, and the embraces become the last. The image of "petals of bonfires" carrying the hero into "heights and eternity" can be interpreted as liberation through destruction. It's a story about a love that burns but leaves behind ashes full of contradictions and pain. Overall, "By Petals of Bonfires" is a story about the struggle with overwhelming passion and its fatal consequences. The song balances between magical imagination and internal conflict, where temptation, fear, and liberation intertwine in a single, almost witch-like dance.
• The song "Tyomnyy den'" (Dark Day) immerses the listener in a gloomy, almost mystical atmosphere where images of nature, pain, and fatalistic doom intertwine. The "dark day" sung about is not just a time of day but a metaphor for an internal state. The composition plunges the listener into a world where the hero, devoid of soul and warmth, moves through swamps and darkness, symbolizing a struggle with one's own fate. Simultaneously, the song speaks of the inseparable connection of man with the earth and nature, suggesting that no matter how one tries to escape their destiny, they are still bound to their origins, their roots. This piece leaves a vivid, albeit heavy, impression on the imagination: it attracts with its mystery, dark poetry, and atmosphere of fateful inevitability. "Dark Day" can be perceived as an allegory for life's trials, a metaphor for war, or a story about the arrival of death and all-consuming darkness. In any case, the song prompts reflection on the transience of human life, the cyclical nature of time, and the inner darkness that can overtake anyone.
• "Oy, ty spi v lesakh" (Oh, You Sleep in the Forests) is a composition filled with melancholy, nostalgia, and philosophical reflections on memory, oblivion, and the eternal cycle of life and death. The song sounds like an elegy dedicated to those forgotten by time, whose lives and sufferings remain only as "black dust" along the roads of history. The repeating refrain "Oh, you sleep in the forests..." sounds like an incantation or a lullaby for lost souls, lost among swamps and dark thickets. These images create a sense of mystical sleep, but behind the external silence and peace lies unceasing sorrow and helplessness before the unchangeable. The main meaning of the song lies in the theme of oblivion and restless souls whose suffering continues because the world has forgotten them. Lyrical characters addressing us from the past seem to become ghosts – they "see, weep, and mourn," finding no peace or place in today's memory. Dust along the roads, black ice, swamp mire – all these details point to the transience and fragility of human life. On the day "we were forgotten," souls become dust, dissolve into history, and only remind us of themselves as echoes through the silence of centuries. The composition is a dark ballad about the tragedy of past generations and how memory can conceal entire layers of stories, fates, and sufferings. It speaks of the cyclical nature of time: the past may be forgotten, but it doesn't disappear without a trace, leaving scars and warnings for the future. The musical and poetic structure conveys a sense of irreversible loss – yet simultaneously reminds the listener of the importance of remembering, so as not to repeat past mistakes and lose connection with those who were once left "sleeping in the forests."
• "V bezmolvnoy pechali" (In Silent Sorrow) presents a poetic canvas permeated with motifs of nature, cyclicality, and deep inner sorrow, where every image – be it water, forest, ice, or crimson foliage – reveals the essence of the eternal cycle of life and the inevitability of change. Sadness reigns in the song, but it's not hopeless despair, rather a quiet, deep sorrow of contemplating nature and one's own place within it. There's a sense of a call to accept life in all its manifestations – beauty and ugliness, joy and bitterness. The author speaks of "our earthly memory," grieving in spring and "eternally dead in winter." This reflects a philosophical view that memory, like the changing seasons, never completely disappears: it slips into every new beginning and every dying day. This song is a philosophical statement about man's place in the world. It reminds us that we are part of nature, and our lives, despite their brevity, are woven into the eternal cycle of being. The song seems to remind us that by going through trials, we will find new birth, and our connection with the world, even after departure, will not disappear but only transform. This work can be seen as a call to mindfulness, to appreciate every moment and see beauty even in sorrow.
• The album closer, "Skvoz' sneg i mglu" (Through Snow and Haze), weaves together motifs of icy inaccessibility and hope. From the first lines, cold and blizzard are felt, in which the storm "tenderly howls like a wolf." Spacious guitar passages create the image of a lonely traveler searching for home beyond the snow and mists. This work is a powerful artistic statement about human resilience, the search for meaning in chaos, and the belief that even in the harshest conditions, a path to light can be found. The song leaves behind a feeling of sadness, but also a firm conviction that the struggle and search are not in vain. "Through Snow and Haze" is a poetic reflection on life, death, loss, and hope that resonates within the listener's soul.
Compared to the previous work, "Zhаtva", significant changes have occurred in the release "Songs of Eternal Winds". Firstly, dynamic variability has increased: rhythmics have become more flexible, instrumental parts have gained multifacetedness, and transitions between aggressive and lyrical fragments have become even more natural and smooth.
Furthermore, the black metal component has noticeably decreased in the album, giving way to more complex and melodic structures, highlighting the evolution of the band's sound. The main focus has shifted towards progressive folk: melodies are less saturated with black metal elements, and the sound has acquired a progressive character with a clear core around which the entire composition is built. This has given the music greater depth and integrity, demonstrating a new stage in the collective's creative development.
"Songs of Eternal Winds" is an album that equally captivates fans of extreme music and lovers of authentic folk components. Strong lyrics and impressive emotional expressiveness make this work truly significant in the context of the contemporary Russian-language metal scene.
The album sounds cohesive and monumental, and each composition holds its own story, filled with ancient mysteries and the spirit of the pagan forest. For anyone who appreciates a strong atmosphere, conceptual depth, and the skill of intertwining folk elements, "Songs of Eternal Winds" will be a real discovery.
From the very first seconds, it's clear the band aims for an even more epic sound. Here, aggressive guitar parts don't dominate but organically intertwine with ethnic instruments. These parts often come to the forefront, enhancing the sacred, even ritualistic, mood of the songs. Atmospheric, melodic arrangements add volume and depth without disrupting the overall style.
Vocals also play a significant role: Alexandra's voice sounds more multifaceted than on previous releases. The combination of enchanting clean parts and piercing "extreme" screams perfectly reflects the contrast between pagan fairy-tale-like wonder and the harshness of metal. This sense of inner struggle between "warm" and "cold" is present in almost every track and gives the album a special energy.
Now let's move on to a detailed look at the tracklist:
• The album begins with "Kolybel'naya lesa" (Lullaby of the Forest), which sets the tone for the entire work. It's a mystical, almost theatrical composition where the voice sounds like an incantation, inviting the listener into the forbidden forest world. Ethnic instruments create the atmosphere of an ancient ritual, while sharp transitions between calm chants and aggressive sections emphasize the duality of the forest's nature: it can be both a cozy refuge and a deadly trap.
• The composition "Myortvykh drev voy" (Howl of the Dead Trees) makes a powerful impression thanks to its dense instrumental sound, rooted in an atmosphere and energy characteristic of black metal. This "dark" foundation gives the track a heavy monolithic quality, underscoring the chilling yet captivating nature of the song. The vocal part adds unexpected multifacetedness to the composition. Contrasting transitions from whispers to piercing screams enhance the drama and emphasize the narrative's tension. This technique allows the listener to feel both awe before the grandeur of nature and fear of its ruthlessness. The lyrical basis of the song is a true ode to the eternal cycle of life and death, embodied in the imagery of the mysterious forest. The theme of the "faceless path" serves as a metaphor for the inevitable journey, where each step brings the hero closer to transcendent rebirth. The author masterfully uses the symbolism of ancient trees, their "branching hands," and the earth that swallows and resurrects, to show how a person becomes part of the powerful natural element, losing their individuality in the process. The instrumental background further enhances this atmosphere. The rhythmic structure resembles the pulse of the earth, its relentless breathing. The use of diverse timbres, from deep, resonant percussion to high, almost wind-like guitar harmonics, creates an effect of complete immersion. The listener feels as if they become part of the forest, where every tree carries the frozen scream of ancient souls. "Howl of the Dead Trees" successfully combines the dramatic intensity of black metal with poetic, almost ritualistic imagery. The powerful instrumental component enhances the ominous but captivating atmosphere, while the profound lyrics immerse the listener in an otherworldly reality where mysterious forces of nature become the main guides on the path between life and oblivion.
• "Pesni vechnykh vetrov" (Songs of Eternal Winds) serves as the album's centerpiece. After listening to "Howl of the Dead Trees," the composition "Songs of Eternal Winds" appears noticeably calmer and more meditative. The slow development of the musical line and measured rhythm create an effect of concentration on the song's details. The voice remains in the foreground, reflecting the performer's internal monologue, while the instrumental part subtly underscores the tonality and emotional mood. The chorus repeats motifs of losing peace and the disruption of sleep, emphasizing the inevitability of change and loss. However, there is also eternity in this process – a connection with nature that remains unchanged, like the "trunk of a dry birch" hidden beneath the bark. An important motif is not only natural symbolism but also personal experience: the hero seems to try to hold onto the fleeting essence of time, asking it to look back and "wait!". However, the relentlessness of the wind and river emphasizes the inevitability of life's events. In this state, a deep emotionality transitioning into quiet sadness is traceable. Through mentions of falling leaves, emerging flowers, and dancing snow, the eternal cycle is felt: decay is always followed by rebirth. The song leaves behind a feeling of unity with the world and acceptance of its laws, where even destruction and death are part of the eternal movement of life.
• "Khozyain solntsa" (Master of the Sun) plunges into a gloomy and anxious world where the lyrical hero appeals to the "master of the sun" for mercy, yet demonstrates contradictory feelings – from plea to threat. The song is filled with images of winter cold, wolf howls, and ancient curses, creating an atmosphere of constant tension and hopelessness. At the same time, the sense of doom intertwines with hope for purification and finding a new path. The sound has become fiercer and more dynamic: the musical foundation is sharper and harsher, drum parts sound more powerful, and guitars pierce every line of despair and fear. The vocals frequently shift from normal to piercing screams, emphasizing the contradictory nature of the lyrics – between prayer and threat, between pleading for light and readiness to plunge everything into eternal darkness. This contrast enhances the feeling of inner struggle, and the somber energy compels you to listen closely to every word, as if it were the last call for salvation or final doom. The final lines underscore the tragedy: the sun, meant to give life, becomes a destructive force, and the earth is washed with blood. The composition concludes with a sense of hopelessness, where even the gods are cursed, and heroes are doomed to eternal existence in a "rotten mire." "Master of the Sun" is a true poetic drama, where every line is filled with deep meaning, and the dynamic, aggressive melody intensifies the emotional impact, leaving the listener in a state of tense reflection.
• The new composition "Lepestkami kostrov" (By Petals of Bonfires) paints a frighteningly captivating picture of encountering a forbidden power. Here, the emphasis shifts towards dynamic guitar parts and atmospheric inserts of folk instruments, creating a unique feeling of a mysterious ritual happening somewhere on the border between the wild forest and a mythical world. The work itself can be described as a poetic depiction of a relationship where love and pain intertwine like a witch's spell. The lyrical hero is trapped in feelings that are simultaneously alluring and destructive. The beloved's touch is compared to the "black plague," and meetings to a "witch's curse," highlighting the destructive power of this bond. However, despite the suffering, the pain seems sweet, like flower pollen, and embraces are viscous, like resin holding one in its nets. The final lines emphasize the inevitability of the end: the pain that once seemed sweet now takes on a bitter hue, and the embraces become the last. The image of "petals of bonfires" carrying the hero into "heights and eternity" can be interpreted as liberation through destruction. It's a story about a love that burns but leaves behind ashes full of contradictions and pain. Overall, "By Petals of Bonfires" is a story about the struggle with overwhelming passion and its fatal consequences. The song balances between magical imagination and internal conflict, where temptation, fear, and liberation intertwine in a single, almost witch-like dance.
• The song "Tyomnyy den'" (Dark Day) immerses the listener in a gloomy, almost mystical atmosphere where images of nature, pain, and fatalistic doom intertwine. The "dark day" sung about is not just a time of day but a metaphor for an internal state. The composition plunges the listener into a world where the hero, devoid of soul and warmth, moves through swamps and darkness, symbolizing a struggle with one's own fate. Simultaneously, the song speaks of the inseparable connection of man with the earth and nature, suggesting that no matter how one tries to escape their destiny, they are still bound to their origins, their roots. This piece leaves a vivid, albeit heavy, impression on the imagination: it attracts with its mystery, dark poetry, and atmosphere of fateful inevitability. "Dark Day" can be perceived as an allegory for life's trials, a metaphor for war, or a story about the arrival of death and all-consuming darkness. In any case, the song prompts reflection on the transience of human life, the cyclical nature of time, and the inner darkness that can overtake anyone.
• "Oy, ty spi v lesakh" (Oh, You Sleep in the Forests) is a composition filled with melancholy, nostalgia, and philosophical reflections on memory, oblivion, and the eternal cycle of life and death. The song sounds like an elegy dedicated to those forgotten by time, whose lives and sufferings remain only as "black dust" along the roads of history. The repeating refrain "Oh, you sleep in the forests..." sounds like an incantation or a lullaby for lost souls, lost among swamps and dark thickets. These images create a sense of mystical sleep, but behind the external silence and peace lies unceasing sorrow and helplessness before the unchangeable. The main meaning of the song lies in the theme of oblivion and restless souls whose suffering continues because the world has forgotten them. Lyrical characters addressing us from the past seem to become ghosts – they "see, weep, and mourn," finding no peace or place in today's memory. Dust along the roads, black ice, swamp mire – all these details point to the transience and fragility of human life. On the day "we were forgotten," souls become dust, dissolve into history, and only remind us of themselves as echoes through the silence of centuries. The composition is a dark ballad about the tragedy of past generations and how memory can conceal entire layers of stories, fates, and sufferings. It speaks of the cyclical nature of time: the past may be forgotten, but it doesn't disappear without a trace, leaving scars and warnings for the future. The musical and poetic structure conveys a sense of irreversible loss – yet simultaneously reminds the listener of the importance of remembering, so as not to repeat past mistakes and lose connection with those who were once left "sleeping in the forests."
• "V bezmolvnoy pechali" (In Silent Sorrow) presents a poetic canvas permeated with motifs of nature, cyclicality, and deep inner sorrow, where every image – be it water, forest, ice, or crimson foliage – reveals the essence of the eternal cycle of life and the inevitability of change. Sadness reigns in the song, but it's not hopeless despair, rather a quiet, deep sorrow of contemplating nature and one's own place within it. There's a sense of a call to accept life in all its manifestations – beauty and ugliness, joy and bitterness. The author speaks of "our earthly memory," grieving in spring and "eternally dead in winter." This reflects a philosophical view that memory, like the changing seasons, never completely disappears: it slips into every new beginning and every dying day. This song is a philosophical statement about man's place in the world. It reminds us that we are part of nature, and our lives, despite their brevity, are woven into the eternal cycle of being. The song seems to remind us that by going through trials, we will find new birth, and our connection with the world, even after departure, will not disappear but only transform. This work can be seen as a call to mindfulness, to appreciate every moment and see beauty even in sorrow.
• The album closer, "Skvoz' sneg i mglu" (Through Snow and Haze), weaves together motifs of icy inaccessibility and hope. From the first lines, cold and blizzard are felt, in which the storm "tenderly howls like a wolf." Spacious guitar passages create the image of a lonely traveler searching for home beyond the snow and mists. This work is a powerful artistic statement about human resilience, the search for meaning in chaos, and the belief that even in the harshest conditions, a path to light can be found. The song leaves behind a feeling of sadness, but also a firm conviction that the struggle and search are not in vain. "Through Snow and Haze" is a poetic reflection on life, death, loss, and hope that resonates within the listener's soul.
Musical Features and Band Development:
Compared to the previous work, "Zhаtva", significant changes have occurred in the release "Songs of Eternal Winds". Firstly, dynamic variability has increased: rhythmics have become more flexible, instrumental parts have gained multifacetedness, and transitions between aggressive and lyrical fragments have become even more natural and smooth.
Furthermore, the black metal component has noticeably decreased in the album, giving way to more complex and melodic structures, highlighting the evolution of the band's sound. The main focus has shifted towards progressive folk: melodies are less saturated with black metal elements, and the sound has acquired a progressive character with a clear core around which the entire composition is built. This has given the music greater depth and integrity, demonstrating a new stage in the collective's creative development.
Conclusion:
"Songs of Eternal Winds" is an album that equally captivates fans of extreme music and lovers of authentic folk components. Strong lyrics and impressive emotional expressiveness make this work truly significant in the context of the contemporary Russian-language metal scene.
The album sounds cohesive and monumental, and each composition holds its own story, filled with ancient mysteries and the spirit of the pagan forest. For anyone who appreciates a strong atmosphere, conceptual depth, and the skill of intertwining folk elements, "Songs of Eternal Winds" will be a real discovery.
Rating: 10/10
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