Arkona – Mantra (Intro) / Shtorm

Setting the Stage at Red Club

Recorded at Moscow’s Red Club on March 24, 2018, the “Khram” release show captured Arkona in an elemental state, unveiling new material while reaffirming the enduring force of their catalog. The pairing of “Mantra (Intro)” with “Shtorm” framed the night’s narrative with intent: ritual and invocation followed by a surge of storm-tossed energy. It was a fitting introduction to the aesthetic of Khram (Temple), an album steeped in spiritual gravitas, nature imagery, and a darker, more immersive approach to pagan and folk metal.

From Invocation to Impact

“Mantra (Intro)” functions as a threshold. Rather than a simple cue for the band’s entrance, it casts the room in a sustained atmosphere, signaling the ritual character that runs through Arkona’s work. The piece leans on texture and breath, inviting the audience to listen inward before the first downbeat. As it dissolves into “Shtorm,” the set’s arc becomes clear: contemplation gives way to motion. “Shtorm” remains one of Arkona’s most reliable surges in a live setting, pushing from tightly locked riffs into sweeping folk phrases that catch the ear and lift the floor energy in an instant.

Instrumentation and Arrangements

Arkona’s hybrid vocabulary is central to the impact of these two pieces. The ensemble’s heavy foundation is colored by timbres rarely heard in extreme metal, and the opening sequence showcases that palette with focus.

Vladimir “Volk” moves between gaita gallega, blockflute, tin and low whistles, and the Ukrainian sopilka, layering drones, keening melodies, and birdlike flutters. These lines are not ornamental. They provide modal signposts and rhythmic hooks that the guitars and drums either mirror or grind against. The gaita’s sustained tones, in particular, lend “Mantra (Intro)” its ceremonial weight, while the brighter whistle passages in “Shtorm” slice through distortion with an insistent, almost percussive attack.

Sergei “Lazar” centers the metal framework with riffs that shift between taut, palm-muted patterns and open-chord surges. He crafts a bed where melody and abrasion can coexist, so that when folk instruments push forward, they feel embedded rather than pasted on. The interplay is brisk and purposeful, locking into the drums to drive “Shtorm” toward its climactic churn.

Vocals and Lyrical Mood

Masha “Scream” remains the band’s focal point. Her delivery pivots between harsh vocal incantations and commanding midrange cries, emphasizing Arkona’s balance of ferocity and ceremony. In the context of “Mantra (Intro)” she functions as a guide, steering the transition from introspection to action. On “Shtorm,” the phrasing tightens and the attack becomes more percussive, mirroring the song’s title with clipped consonants and surging cadences. Even for listeners unfamiliar with the Russian lyrics, the emotional cues are unambiguous: a call to brace and to move.

Rhythm Section and Guitar Dynamics

Andrei Ischenko’s drumming frames the set’s dynamics with clarity. In the intro, restraint rules: cymbal wash and tom figures suggest depth without crowding the air. When “Shtorm” breaks, the kit’s energy rises into double-kick runs and emphatic snare accents, giving the guitars a firm grid to grind against. Ruslan “Kniaz” anchors the low end with lines that stay close to the root during the hardest-hitting passages, then open into more melodic shapes as the folk motifs reappear. Together with Lazar’s guitar, the rhythm section toggles convincingly between near-blackened intensity and the rolling, dance-like pulse that marks Arkona’s folk metal core.

Production and Presentation

The capture from Red Club is direct and muscular. Folk instruments cut through the mix cleanly without losing their organic edge, and the guitar tone sits dense and mid-forward, keeping articulation intact during faster passages. Vocals remain centered with enough space for dynamic swells. The overall presentation supports the material’s contrasts, allowing the reflective air of “Mantra (Intro)” to bloom before the room tilts into the drive of “Shtorm.” The lighting design favors clarity over distraction, cueing shifts in mood and density as the set moves from invocation to impact.

Context within Arkona’s Aesthetic

The “Khram” era underscores Arkona’s longstanding dedication to scale and atmosphere. “Mantra (Intro)” and “Shtorm” together distill that approach: the former emphasizes the group’s ritualist bent, the latter reasserts the raw kinetic pull that made their live shows a point of communion for fans of pagan and folk metal. It is a concise statement of purpose, placing traditional instruments and Slavic melodic language squarely inside a modern extreme metal chassis. In this performance, the band’s dual identity is not a contrast to be resolved, but a current to be ridden.

Lineup

Masha “Scream” – vocals
Sergei “Lazar” – guitars
Ruslan “Kniaz” – bass
Vladimir “Volk” – gaita gallega, blockflute, tin whistle, low whistle, sopilka
Andrei Ischenko – drums

Recording Credits

Recorded at Red Club, Moscow, 24.03.2018
Event: “Khram” release show
Recording: Kapitanuk Sergey (LiveMusicVideo)
Sound engineer: Anton Dobrovolskiy
Light engineer: Ringo Muhhin