Drudkh, a Ukrainian black metal band from Kharkiv, was formed in 2002 and consisted of Roman Sayenko, Roman "Thurios" Blahykh, Cretaceous, and Vladislav "Vlad" Petrov. Their music was characterized by its dense atmospheric sound and minimalistic instrumentation, often compared to Burzum. Drudkh's debut album Forgotten Legends was released in 2003. The band quickly gained attention for their atmospheric compositions and romantic, naturalistic lyrics inspired by Slavic mythology and Ukrainian folklore. In 2004, the band released Autumn Aurora (2004), followed by notable albums such as The Swan Road (2005), Microcosmos (2009), and Handful of Stars (2010).