Ooh.

Goddamn I want this

Huh, the more you know! We'll see how it turns out.

Her voice on the new track is beyond lovely. Like being drowned in autumn leaves. A really nice song too. Granted it's lacking the abrasiveness of what I've come to expect of the band but I suspect some of the rest of the album will pick up that slack. Even it doesn't I'd still be happy with an album of this sort of neo-folkish material.

It was a very calm a nice song indeed. Amazing vocals.

Damn, there are more feels going on in this album than a paedophile in an orphanage for blind children.

Wow, what a comparison...

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.10.2014 at 12:59

Damn, there are more feels going on in this album than a paedophile in an orphanage for blind children.

I...ok but.....um....yes. I really love this album btw

Written by Alex F on 16.10.2014 at 15:59

I...ok but.....um....yes. I really love this album btw

I feel you, dude.

This is easily my second favorite Menace Ruine release (after The Die Is Cast)

Ooh yeah, awesome shit. Perhaps more even and memorable than Alight In Ashes, but I don't think the band has ever mis-stepped in this drony neofolk style (I have no real opinion on the debut). Red Sulphur is such a catchy tune. Not quite AotY material but certainly a keeper.

Written by [user id=4365] on 27.08.2014 at 20:36

Like being drowned in autumn leaves.

TOTALLY.

I am in love with the cover art. It's so elegant yet odd in a darkly creepy way. Can't put my finger on why. A perfect complement to the music.

I don't listen to much drone but if this is what I'm missing them I need to change that.

Written by Susan on 15.11.2014 at 04:28

TOTALLY.

I am in love with the cover art. It's so elegant yet odd in a darkly creepy way. Can't put my finger on why. A perfect complement to the music.

I don't listen to much drone but if this is what I'm missing them I need to change that.

Menace Ruine definitely inhabit the "nicer" side of drone, but it's not like they come across as making obvious compromises. They're definitely their own entity which is oddly dark, or challenging, in its own way. And I agree their album artworks are also always something special too. Their artwork seems to follow a style where one element is often partitioned off to to one side, usually at the bottom, with the other at the top, like here, and also here. I assume that's not a coincidence. A good representation of their music perhaps.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.11.2014 at 07:35

Written by Susan on 15.11.2014 at 04:28

TOTALLY.

I am in love with the cover art. It's so elegant yet odd in a darkly creepy way. Can't put my finger on why. A perfect complement to the music.

I don't listen to much drone but if this is what I'm missing them I need to change that.

Menace Ruine definitely inhabit the "nicer" side of drone, but it's not like they come across as making obvious compromises. They're definitely their own entity which is oddly dark, or challenging, in its own way. And I agree their album artworks are also always something special too. Their artwork seems to follow a style where one element is often partitioned off to to one side, usually at the bottom, with the other at the top, like here, and also here. I assume that's not a coincidence. A good representation of their music perhaps.

Good info, and great point about the other covers. 'The Die Is Cast" artwork definitely speaks to me as well. I'll try that album next.

Written by Susan on 15.11.2014 at 08:26


Good info, and great point about the other covers. 'The Die Is Cast" artwork definitely speaks to me as well. I'll try that album next.

The Die Is Cast seems to be the biggest drawing point on this album so I'm pretty sure you'd like that too. The two albums in between are a little more abrasive, Union of Irreconcilables especially, so expectations might need to be adjusted if you want look into those =P

Alight in Ashes is pretty much in the same style as The Die Is Cast and this one, IMO. It even has the short, folky second track (Salamandra) correponding to Red Sulphur, also a highlight of its album. I definitely recommend all three albums.

Sadly there's nothing quite like Menace Ruine out there. They have many traditional elements but the combination is unique. On the drone side, though, I'd recommend early Jesu and Nadja, as similarly melancholy and beautiful. The Angelic Process are more intense, emotionally, but absolutely worth a listen too.

Written by IronAngel on 24.11.2014 at 17:25

Alight in Ashes is pretty much in the same style as The Die Is Cast and this one.

Perhaps the same, or similar, style, but I find it tonally quite different. I wouldn't say that someone who enjoyed the new one and The Die Is Cast would necessarily find enjoyment in Alight In Ashes as it heavily foregrounds some of the noisier aspects of their sound.

Written by [user id=4365] on 24.11.2014 at 17:28

Perhaps the same, or similar, style, but I find it tonally quite different. I wouldn't say that someone who enjoyed the new one and The Die Is Cast would necessarily find enjoyment in Alight In Ashes as it heavily foregrounds some of the noisier aspects of their sound.

It is true that the drone is a little harsher/sharper compared to the more subdued sound of TDIC and especially this new one. But at least to my ears, it is a fairly small difference that doesn't really alter the overall mood (which is so dominated by the excellent vocals and the "medieval" folkiness). The ratio of drone to the more musical aspects is more or less the same.

But yeah, tonally the AiA is harsher than TDIC is harsher than VA, though not by much to my ears.

Written by [user id=4365] on 24.11.2014 at 17:28

Perhaps the same, or similar, style, but I find it tonally quite different. I wouldn't say that someone who enjoyed the new one and The Die Is Cast would necessarily find enjoyment in Alight In Ashes as it heavily foregrounds some of the noisier aspects of their sound.

Yeah, this is a lot more airy and bright, Alight In Ashes seemed like more of a subtle tribute to the band's BM roots because the production is really hazy and gritty. I'm tempted to say this is my favorite Menace Ruine release yet, just because of how much the production really lends itself to the neofolk side of the band's personality, it almost sounds like neoclassical drone.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 29.11.2014 at 02:58

Yeah, this is a lot more airy and bright, Alight In Ashes seemed like more of a subtle tribute to the band's BM roots because the production is really hazy and gritty. I'm tempted to say this is my favorite Menace Ruine release yet, just because of how much the production really lends itself to the neofolk side of the band's personality, it almost sounds like neoclassical drone.

Yeah I'm torn between this and The Die Is Cast. I appreciate the others for what they are (though I've not really paid much mind to the debut) but I suppose I like them best at their most subtle and ethereal.

Seriously, though, what is the stylistic difference between these tracks (in terms of the drone-folk ratio):





The latter has a little louder, slightly harsher drone on the background. But really, unless you listen to them side by side, it's not really a noticeable difference of mood. To say the the latter is a subtle tribue to BM, or "really hazy and gritty", is just exaggerating a subtle difference of production. I'm not saying the difference isn't there, but I wonder if your overall impression is really justified. In terms of songwriting, I'd say The Die is Cast is the droniest and least folky of the three (I haven't heard Union of Irreconcilables), though the production is a little softer than Alight in Ashes.

Subjective experiences of how an album "feels" may be a little pointless to debate, I guess. But I am sitting here for the second time, jumping between tracks of the three albums trying to find differences, and all I hear especially between The Die is Cast and Alight in Ashes is a slight readjustment of production. The songs are pretty much interchangeable between albums and you wouldn't notice a difference.

Well Red Sulphur sounds a little more harmonious than Salamandra does, probably because it's supported by a more natural sounding bassline, whereas Salamandra seems to lack that and comes across as more discordant and sharp. That and the different production focus amount to at least a different mood, if not style, to me. Production is a big factor in mood anyway. You could alter the levels on any album and potentially get something quite different sounding. Venus Armata foregrounds the vocals, whereas it's difficult not to focus on the angular, noisy drones of Alight In Ashes. They draw the attention in different ways I find, and elicit different responses. I can't say either reminds me of black metal though.

I can't get over the fact of how perfect the vocals are on Red Sulphur. Well... She's always good but on that particular track I just... Argh. Feel all warm and fuzzy.

Very interesting. Sounds like it was recorded in the 70's. Vocals remind me of Jefferson Airplane.

Written by flightoficarus on 03.02.2015 at 18:34

Very interesting. Sounds like it was recorded in the 70's. Vocals remind me of Jefferson Airplane.

Some more drone you've found to be to your liking, I see

More album plx

Yeah, they used to release one each 2 years. It's been 3 already.
I demand an album and half

Written by Karlabos on 22.01.2017 at 00:53

Yeah, they used to release one each 2 years. It's been 3 already.
I demand an album and half

Their fb suggests its on its way Nothing says it will be this year though.

Edit: solo debut from Geneviève this fall, no MR album then

Not sure what's different but I like it, the 2023 rerelease got me to hear how good this album is. It always was a quite monotonous album in a neutral way, but I am hearing more good nuances now, best MR? This might actually be a 10.