Recommended bands from Ukraine. Popular bands overseas.

Істина （Verity）Nokturnal Mortum

Nokturnal Mortum – Істина | Verity (Full Album)

A Ukrainian black metal band formed in 1994.

The vocalist and guitarist, Knjaz Varggoth, is very well-known, having participated in various RAC and black metal bands in both Russia and Ukraine.

A nationalist band, they play symphonic black metal with dazzling keyboard arrangements and many songs featuring Ukrainian folk music.

They are also an NSBM band associated with neo-Nazi ideology.

BabyDakhaBrakha

DakhaBrakha – Baby

With their uniquely distinctive setup, DakhaBrakha is a women’s group originally formed by the artistic directors of the Ukrainian avant‑garde theater Dakh.

They are well known for music that blends numerous forms of folk traditions into diverse styles, and in 2014 Rolling Stone called them “the best discovery of Bonnaroo 2014.”

Меч Арея (Mech Areya)Тінь Сонця (Tin’ Sontsya) –

Тінь Сонця (Tin’ Sontsya) – Меч Арея (Mech Areya)

Tin Sontsya is a band with a slightly old-school sound that, in its harmony and balance of music and lyrics, brings to mind artists like Bob Dylan—despite appearances, it’s actually folk metal.

It’s acoustic and feels more like listenable rock than metal.

The vocals really draw you into the lyrics… If you’re looking for a gift for someone familiar with or studying Eastern European languages, a Tin Sontsya CD could be a great choice.

ColdAftermoon

Aftermoon – Cold

This is sudden, but are you familiar with the genre called modern metal? Also known as modern heaviness, it’s a style that develops traditional heavy metal and, as the name suggests, features a distinctly modern musical character.

Representing this modern metal is the Ukrainian band Afternoon.

They’re a female-fronted modern metal band whose unique sound blends the sharp precision of thrash metal with a heavy, impactful metal sound.

Stain of RestBichkraft

Bichkraft “Stain of Rest” (Official Video)

A band that continues to be active in Ukraine.

Their sound varies quite a bit from track to track and is currently attracting attention around the world.

They even released an album in 2016 on an indie label in Brooklyn.

First off, they’ve never put out a dud.

They’re on a roll!

Incantation of He Who SleepsBlood of Kingu

Incantation Of He Who Sleeps

Extremely noisy with an overly heavy build.

And because it’s a low-end, spit-out vocal, the voice that seems like it would almost get swallowed by the sound gradually emerges like a ghost rising from underground—such is the impression of this track.

In fact, personally, I’d recommend this one for Halloween.

FormalinFLЁUR

Fleur – Formalin

FLOOR is a Ukrainian trad-pop-style band.

Using classical instruments like piano, flute, and strings, they create a distinctly Eastern European vibe that’s different from the Nordic scene, offering a charm you won’t find there—yet it’s still pop.

Their expressiveness is strong, giving the feel of a light, symphonic-leaning pop band.

If you want something stylish and you like Nordic acts too, choose this without hesitation.

They’re the kind of band that could make a Sunday brunch feel chic.