Defunct Ukrainian black metallers HATE FOREST — who formed in 1995 and split up in 2004 — have inked a deal with Osmose Productions for the re-release of the band's back catalog — a total of six records which will be made available between October 2009 and March 2010. The "carefully remastered" reissues will come in special digisleeves limited to 1,000 copies each, with "much-improved" booklets.

According to a press release, HATE FOREST's music can be described as "grim, aggressive and straightforward mix of black and death metal with distorted low vocal and ambient elements. The band's lyrics are influenced by Indo-European mythology and legends, H.P. Lovecraft mythology and philosophy of F. Nietzsche, conservatism. HATE FOREST were always far from politics, religion, denied any modern world values and ideals. The band never gave interviews, never made photos and always hold the distance from the whole black metal scene."

Season of Mist's Underground Activists division has set a July 14 release date for the fifth album from Ukrainian folk/black metallers DRUDKH, entitled "Microcosmos".

The track listing is as follows:

01. Days That Passed
02. Distant Cries Of Cranes
03. Decadence
04. Ars Poetica
05. Everything Unsaid Before
06. Widow's Grief

According to the label, "The fans will notice that the nocturnal landscapes as well as colours of the layout are a bit unusual for the band, but perfectly fit with the aura of the album.

Watch out for the exclusive box set, strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide, and available soon for pre-order on Season of Mist's e-shop.

DRUDKH is:

Roman Saenko: guitar
Thurios: vocals, guita
Krechet: bass
Vlad: drums