Review by Nekrist on December 28, 2025.

Black metal has always been characterized as one of the most romantic (in the nostalgic sense of the word) and passionate extreme musical styles in existence. Every time I encounter new young bands in this genre, I listen to them with attention and curiosity, hoping to find out what path they've chosen to take within the many variations of the style.

Some choose to play elaborate, avant-garde, and complex soundscapes, pushing all the genre's characteristics to the limit; others embark on melodic and neoclassical paths. However, some choose to remain faithful to the old formulas that characterized and cemented the foundations of everything we now know as black metal. Draugaskógur is a project that decided to take the latter path.

I don't have many references for Serbian black metal, as it's never been a country on my radar for musical exploration, so I honestly didn't know what to expect without clear points of reference to write an objective and honest review. The only band I'd previously heard of from that distant Balkan country is the Dissection-influenced band known simply as Bane, a really good band by the way.

I did some research on the available material to listen to previous releases (if any) to get a better idea of ​​what I was going to encounter. To my surprise, this EP, entitled (very aptly) Fullmoon Hynotic Ritual, turns out to be the debut album from this mysterious one-man band.

The band's name caught my attention, as in Old Norse it can be translated as "Draugr's Forest" or something like that, with Draugrs being mythological creatures comparable to zombies in Norse mythology. Once I analyzed all these aspects, I started listening to this EP, and I truly wasn't disappointed.

Fullmoon Hypnotic Ritual presents an old-school black metal sound strongly reminiscent (at least to me) of classic releases by Finnish bands like Sargeist and Horna in their most ethereal and contemplative moments. The synthesizer use is majestic and elegant, adding a subtle but very important sonic layer to the overall composition. The riffs carry and transmit nostalgic and memorable melodies that transport us back to the mid-'90s and recall the former glories of Emperor and Satyricon. The drums remain in the background, providing stability to the atmosphere woven by the keyboards and guitars. Meanwhile, the vocals seem like ghostly, distant howls lost in the middle of a wintry forest.

Draugaskógur features four songs (the last being an instrumental closer) that evoke feelings from a distant past and continue to keep alive a legacy that's more present than ever. You won't find anything new or experimental here; you'll just find sincere black metal with all the elements that made this style majestic.

Rating: 9 out of 10