When I first listened to the "From The Dead Villages' Darkness" I thought it was another 4 or 5 piece metal band, it only became clear when doing some more research into SIVYJ YAR's music that I couldn't be more wrong, rather than the typical band I'm accustomed to SIVYJ YAR is in fact just one member. The man in question being Vladimir, who I think could easily fool anyone into thinking there were more than just one member in the band as you wouldn't assume the same person can be so instrumentally talented.

Straight away an atmosphere is created with "Blackened Fields Weep Afar" with the slow short song which sounds like it could have come straight off the soundtrack of a fantasy film or video games. It's not what you would expect from a Black Metal album but when you take into account the band is Russian and likes to infuse the Russian culture and folk into the lyrics and sound you can see why Vladimir used this an opening. This fantastical atmosphere continues through SIVYJ YAR's fourth album and whilst listening I could definitely envision myself walking through a Russian forest.

When vocals are added onto the beautiful melodic guitars it becomes clear that not only is the album Pagan Metal but it is also Black Metal and the raw screeches are still there, yet it still works with the relaxing sound the album built up. For me though the vocals aren't the highlight of the album, the guitars are. In some sections the use of acoustic guitar, such as in "Distant Haze Was Arising", helped the atmosphere even more and although you wouldn't think it would fit in any metal album I think it really works.

The ending song "Silky Grasses Wilted" ties in with the opening, as it's completely instrumental and soft, and leaves you wanting to listen to the whole album over again. The album, to me, feels like it's telling a story, whether or not the song contains Vladimir's brutal vocals the guitar, bass and drums definitely take you on a Pagan Metal journey that will make you want to listen to even more of the Russian one man band.