Band:	The Ruins Of Beverast
Album:	Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite
Style:	Black metal, Doom metal
Release date:	September 11, 2009
A review by:	Lucas

01. I Raised This Stone As A Ghastly Memorial
02. Alu
03. God's Ensanguined Bestiaries
04. Mount Sinai Moloch
05. Transcending Saturnine Iericho Skies
06. Kain's Countenance Fell
07. The Restless Mills
08. Theriak - Baal - Theriak
09. Blood Vaults (II - Our Despots Cleanse The Levant)
10. Arcane Pharmakon Messiah
11. (untitled) [Vinyl bonus]

He has done it again. Alexander Von Meilenwald has put out another brilliant Black metal opus. I am now fully convinced that this man is a musical genius. I know reviewers need to maintain a sense of objectivity, but we also need to recognize brilliant music whenever it slaps us in the face and have the balls to spread the word. And well, this is us fucking wreckingball.

The Ruins Of Beverast, the name of Alex' one-man-project, hit the scene already with the critically acclaimed Unlock The Shrine and the lesser (yet still impressive) Rain Upon The Impure. It has been three years since Rain..., but the new album Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite immediately shows it has been worth the wait. Opener "I Raised This Stone As A Ghastly Memorial" is a ten-minute monster of a song with everything that Ruins is known for, and more. The song contains Alex' ever-interesting, heroic yet droning, circulating riffs and epic solos, carefully crafted ambient additions, ritualistic chants, Von Meilenwald's impressive shrieks, a ghastly atmosphere and... a ton of Doom. Doom? Yes. Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite contains a ton of doomier and slower riffs that give the album a mesmerizing and haunting vibe.

"I Raised This Stone As A Ghastly Memorial" is the album's best song, which inevitably means that the rest of the album is weaker, but the 'drop' in quality is minimal. Every song is a real killer and throughout the album's whopping eighty minutes there's not even the scent of filler present. Follow-up "God's Ensanguined Bestiaries" ("Alu" is just an interlude) contains the aforementioned elements, now coated in anger and hate, showcasing the other side of the album. Throughout the album the doomier, slower parts carefully alternate with the angrier, hateful parts, topped off by impressive clean vocals, resulting in a varying, vibrant album. Oh, and if you are a bit worried about the production, you should know that Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite has a production miles away from Rain..., it's spacious and 'light' production could even be called 'inviting'.

For some, no matter how good the music, eighty minutes is simply too long. Well, my regret goes out to you, but I can to some degree understand your sentiments. I still urge you to give this album a try, listen only to half of it if really necessary. If you have a thing for Black and an itch for good ole Doom and dread, you will not be disappointed.


Ladies, gents... after Srontgorrth (Nagelfar), Unlock The Shrine and Rain Upon The Impure, he's done it again. Is this the Black metal album of the year? Quite likely so, in my opinion. Play it loud.