You know that feeling when you hear an album that is simply gushing? Passionate? Like the artist put their whole heart on display? That’s the new Obiymy Doschu album. It’s called Vidrada (meaning joy, refuge, solace), and it released back on May 30th.
Obiymy Doschu comes to us from war torn Ukraine, and this album is a testament to that country’s resilience in the face of tyranny. The band includes Volodymyr Agafonkin on vocals and acoustic guitar, Mykola Kryvonos on bass, Yaroslav Gladilin on drums, Olena Nesterovska on viola, Yevhenii Dubovyk on piano and keys, and Oleksii Perevodchyk on guitars. The album was mixed by Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief and includes a small army of guest musicians that bring violins, cello, backing vocals, and harsh vox (one track).
I want to start by simply stating how much this album has touched my heart. The band plays progressive rock with orchestrations, so you’ll hear bits and pieces from other genres, such as neoclassical, post-rock, folk, and pop. The lyrics are sung in Ukrainian, so I don’t understand the words; but I do, without a doubt, recognize the full scale of emotions on display. Volodymyr’s vocals are truly beautiful and personal, leading the excellent guitars, intricate rhythm section, and spellbinding keys and orchestrations with authority and authentic power.
This work is incredibly potent, feeling rather compelling and vulnerable. The album, however, is not doom and gloom, but is instead a call for hope, resilience, and even joy in the midst of travail. And it’s not just about the war; the album covers themes of childhood memories, connecting with the Earth, the passing of time, and more. It is meant to give listeners hope no matter where they find themselves, no matter what darkness might wait upon their doorsteps.
The album has eight songs, and for the sake of clarity, I’ll refer to them by their English names. Each track is a magical and melodic window into the band’s soul. I will also say that this is one of those albums that simply gets better as it progresses, and with each listen, too. So, the second half is probably the stronger of the two, but that isn’t a knock against the opening tracks. It’s just a testament to how good the album is as a whole.
In the first half, we get the opener “Children”, a golden and gorgeous song that takes a few minutes of emoting to get going, but the band times the transition perfectly and it becomes a sparkling and nostalgic wonder. “At Distance” feels meaningful immediately, surging into a final few minutes of ominous emotions and subtle warnings with precision. “Hurricane” is wistful and reserved, and it sets up a grand guitar solo near the end that lands immaculately. The first half ends with one of my favorites, “Refuge”, a delicate and piano-led piece that ends up feeling extremely comforting; though I don’t know the words, I find myself singing along because the chorus is so memorable and heartfelt.
The second half is absolutely spotless. “After the War” is a moving and striking piece with a sweeping chorus and hope in its veins. It’s like thinking forward to the better days to come. “Time” is a rhythmic song with such character that I loved it immediately; I love the fast-paced violins in the second part that imbue cinematic character. “Truths” comes next, and this piece has light and darkness within it; the song is honest and quite beautiful as it rises slowly to become heavy and shadowy. Harsh vox punctuate the closing minutes, which feels deeply appropriate.
The closer is my favorite; it’s called “Don’t Give Up”, and it makes me cry every single time. This enlightening and rapturous piece features breathtaking violins, an incredibly catchy and powerful chorus, and a galloping instrumental that all work together to inject hope into our hearts. Everything, from the angular guitar solo to the repetition of “never giving up” to the cautious ending, makes this easily one of my favorite songs of the year. There is no doubt what it means and how it makes me feel.
Obiymy Doschu has created a worthy tapestry of light, beauty, and hope. There are plenty of feelings to contrast those, as well, and so the album most certainly feels like a wholehearted, human effort. The songs may be in a language foreign to my ears, but there is no mistaking the gripping emotions or the masterful melodies.
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Find Obiymy Doschu online:
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The PROG Mind 
Very beautiful. Thanks.
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