"I lose consciousness, walking along the paths, along the endless paths bound by pain…" ('Opulent Mirage')

Continuing our tradition of yearly retrospectives, we kick-off the 2024 series with "Celestial Shrine", the unique debut album from Ukrainian Progressive Folk Black Metal band WAIDELOTTE. Released in March, the record is a distinctive blend of diverse Metal genres and Ukrainian Folk influences, woven together with a compelling narrative, as composer and bassist Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel explains:

"WAIDELOTTE tells the story of reaching light by walking through darkness. You will need to pass inner hell with all its darkest corners. There is nothing more intense and destructive than the struggle that takes place in one's mind and pushes one to self-demise, the soul-eater that breeds despair."

The nine haunting tracks make for a captivating and truly intense journey: violent riffing, driving rhythms, fluid basslines and raging vocals with a poignant sense of melancholy via plaintive, exultant rural harmonies and the use of native instruments including the duduk, bandura, tsymbaly and hurdy-gurdy.

"Everything is burned, I burned it to the ground,
It devoured and killed, mixed, and flooded.
An eternal nightmare emerges from the ruins…" ('The Mortality Archway')

Listen to the record below, on our YouTube page and on all streaming platforms:

Bassist Zlatoyar (SOEN) and vocalist Andrii (formerly of WHITE WARD) also shared their personally significant albums of 2024 with us – prepare yourself for a few stylistic surprises!

Zlatoyar:

"Through my session musician career, I have tried to explore as many genres of music as possible. It worked out pretty well, but it also changed and taught me a lot as a composer. Geddy Lee once said: "The more music you expose yourself to, the more colours you have to paint with. You can't grow as a musician if you stay in one little corner of the musical world. It's about finding your voice through everything you experience."

With that in mind, here is my list of favourite albums of 2024 (this is not a ranking "from worst to best"; every work of Art is unique in its own way):"

JOB FOR A COWBOY "Moon Healer" (Death Metal)
SELBST "Despondency Chord Progressions" (Black Metal)
JACOB COLLIER "Djesse Vol. 4" (Fusion Music)
ULCERATE "Cutting the Throat of God" (Death Metal)
KNOCKED LOOSE "You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To" (Hardcore)
IOTUNN "Kinship" (Progressive Metal)
JORDAN RAKEI "The Loop" (R&B, Soul)

My top 3:

HIATUS KAIYOTE "Love Heart Cheat Code" (Neosoul)
The insanity of diverse rhythms, melodies, complex lines, grooves, and an avant-garde approach ensures this band is never boring!

WARDRUNA "Birna" (Folk)
I am always charmed by meditative tunes in Ethnic and Folk music, especially those with a Nordic vibe. Truly captivating!

OPETH "The Last Will And Testament" (Progressive Metal)
Masters of blending genres, this band is not only musically fascinating but also emotionally powerful. This album combines late-stage art-rock (a hallmark of the band's style in recent years) with Progressive Metal, enriched by Death and Black Metal elements.

Andrii:

"Ever since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I have felt as if my ability to truly enjoy music has slipped away. Still, a few albums have managed to hold my attention this year:"

OLEKSII PODAT "To Commit, To Let Go":
A magnificent wall of melodic noise that envelops you like the warm summer waters of the Black Sea. Give it a try; if it resonates with you, you’ll feel as if you’re gently drowning.

THE DEATH OF MONEY "Error After Era":
A towering monolith of blended genres, forming a relentless wall of sound that is both repetitive and meditative. It’s as powerful and elemental as a primordial landscape being shaped by ancient forces.

KOJOOHAR "Unehõlma":
Just a single track, yet it carries the weight of thousands of albums. A lullaby that cradles you on the edge of existence, lulling you into a gentle surrender.

Amid the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, WAIDELOTTE remains unable to perform their art live. Despite their challenging circumstances, both artists convey a message of quiet hope:

Zlatoyar:

"This year marked our debut, and we're thrilled to have started this journey! Unfortunately, due to the terrorist politics of Ruzzia, we are unable to perform live. Many of our members are in Ukraine, and some are serving in the military. Despite these challenges, we have been working hard, and 2025 promises to be filled with new releases — some of which will come out early in the year. New members, new music, new messages!"

Andrii:

"I have no expectations for tomorrow, let alone any distant future. When your country is at war, you learn to bury all assumptions and plans. Overwhelming forces, far beyond any one person's control, can upend everything in seconds. So, no expectations remain — only the act of living for today, guided by a few long-term hopes without a defined endpoint."