Saor - Amidst The Ruins - review
Saor - Amidst The Ruins - review
Tracklist
01. Amidst The Ruins02. Echoes Of The Ancient Land
03. Glen Of Sorrow
04. The Sylvan Embrace [feat. Joanna Quail]
05. Rebirth
A review by
AndyMetalFreak February 10, 2025
Saor (formerly known as Àrsaidh) are without a doubt one of the biggest names in the UK atmospheric black metal scene. The Glasgow-based band, masterminded by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Andy Marshall, have developed a discography of remarkable consistency since their establishment back in 2013. Their trademark style, which combines traditional Celtic folk with atmospheric black metal, is renowned for capturing the soundscapes of the wonderfully majestic Scottish Highlands, while delving into themes mostly inspired by its nature and ancient folklore.
Saor now introduce their sixth full-length offering Amidst The Ruins, on which once again Andy Marshall is joined by a variety of talented guest musicians. Amongst this group is long-standing session drummer Carlos Vivas, vocalist and woodwind player Elisabeth Zlotos, and prolific cellist Jo Quail. Much like previous albums, their trademark style of traditional Celtic folk and ferocious atmospheric black metal honours the ancestral spirits and stunning landscapes of the band's motherland. The album's 5 lengthy tracks each contain their own immersive atmosphere; songs such as "Echoes Of The Ancient Land" create an aura of wandering through the Highlands' great boggy valleys and misty glens, while historical events are also covered, such as on "Glen Of Sorrow", which recaptures the devastation, loss, and betrayal suffered at the Massacre of Glencoe.
The opening song "Amidst The Ruins" begins in the band's signature style of ferocious blackened tremolos brimming with epic folk melodies and mesmerizing soaring leads, powerfully driven by rapid blast beats and thundering drum rolls. As the song continues, it's clear that the band has ventured into a more diverse songwriting approach than on previous records, with the structure being noticeably more layered and less repetitive. Traditional folk instruments, such as various wind instruments and cello, are a more common feature, as are slower acoustic sections. Additionally, the song features greater use of both female and male ethereal clean singing, which are a more than welcome addition to accompany Andy's passionate growls.
The second song, "Echoes Of The Ancient Land", lives up to its title, as the soaring blackened folk instrumentation conjures breathtaking soundscapes that will inspire feelings of trekking across ancient landscapes. The aforementioned "Glen Of Sorrow" is a real album highlight, and one of the best written and performed songs in the band's entire discography. It is a sorrowful tribute to a tragic event in Scottish history; the beautiful wind instruments and passionate vocals collide with the tribal rhythm patterns and ferocious tremolos to create a powerful and dramatic soundscape with which to remember those 30 of Clan MacDonald who met their demise at the hands of Scottish government forces.
The atmospherically brilliant "The Sylvan Embrace" follows. This song is noticeably different to the rest by mostly sticking to slower tempos, but it is memorably haunting thanks to guest vocalist Zlotos, who pulls off an spine-chilling performance through her mesmerizing singing. The album closes with "Rebirth", which at 14 minutes in length is perhaps even too lengthy for some listeners. This for me is the least memorable song on the album, but even by the standards of modern atmospheric black metal, it's a great epic closer.
By now, I'm convinced Andy Marshall is unable to create an album that's anything short of a high standard, and Amidst The Ruins proves this to me yet again. Would I say this Saor's best effort to date? Well, it's certainly in contention to be, at least alongside the mighty Aura. There are some magical moments in Aura that still haunt me to this day, and I never once thought this band would match such quality, but this is an album that contains an equal amount of shining moments. Performance-wise, I believe Andy (with the help of his guest contributors) may well have outshone himself here, and this could easily be not only one of the highlights in folk/atmospheric black metal in 2025, but a landmark release for the UK scene for years to come.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 10.02.2025 by
Written on 10.02.2025 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
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Good reviev man, your best from this year so far, are you sure you're my AndyMcMetalOFreak?
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 6663 Written by Bad English on 10.02.2025 at 19:56 Thanks man! That actually sounds like a pretty cool username 
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Posts: 64434 Written by AndyMetalFreak on 10.02.2025 at 20:00 Write your next review on Gurdie or middle English.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 6663 Written by tintinb on 22.02.2025 at 06:11 Now you've given the secret away!  But in all fairness I envy for his talent.
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