SAOR – ADMIST THE RUINS – CD REVIEW

17th December 2024 0 By Oli Gonazlez

Who are Saor, and what is Caledonian metal? The answer to both questions; is the passion project of Scotland’s Andy Marshall as he brings a unique atmospheric spin on black metal, inspired by the stunning landscapes and picturesque scenes of his homeland. The band has been around for over a decade, having toured extensively across the UK, Europe, and further afield, becoming a permanent fixture on the more niche metal festival lineups in these parts. Having been in attendance for the Manchester leg of the recent “Aura” 10 year anniversary tour this summer (2024), let me attest to what a sheer force and spectacle the band are in a live setting! Hence my eagerness to get my grubby hands on their latest record, “Amidst The Ruins”.

Albums today typically have 8-12 tracks, with each following more canonical verse-chorus style song structures, making it easier to rank and select favorites from said album. Saor is not one for convention though. Instead, all but one song on “Amidst The Ruins” sits north of the 10-minute mark and employs complex compositional structures, consisting of multiple arrangements. This means “Amidst The Ruins” is one to be enjoyed in full, with a good old-fashioned deep listen, though admittedly this could be a big ask in today’s digital era where attention spans are becoming shorter with the need for instant gratification becoming greater. Can this album (or Saor in general) offer this gratification, instant or otherwise? In my humble opinion, yes!

Currently available to the public, the album starts off with its title track…and what a scorcher this is! An empathetic reminder that whilst it has been several years since the last album, Saor certainly hasn’t been hiding away in the wilderness of the Grampian mountains nor have they rested on their laurels.

Relatively new to the band, Ella has offered so much to the band in a live setting and now in the studio! Utilizing the traditional pipes and woodwind instruments throughout the album and having them recorded acoustically is so much more authentic and wholesome than the digital equivalent. Keep your headphones on and your eyes closed, and you can easily find yourself in visions of the Scottish landscapes that your mind’s eye will conjure up as a result of this authenticity and atmosphere. Vocally, she offers a more ethereal and gentle voice, juxtaposed wonderfully with Andy’s trademark fierce growls! It’s a shame that sometimes these harsher vocals sit too low in the mix to appreciate them, however truly.

If you’re looking for something more direct, ‘Echoes Of The Ancient Land’ may be for you. Consisting of blistering blast beats and rhythms that will make you want to aggressively headbang along, this just screams of a melodic death metal ferocity scarcely used throughout Saor’s back catalog but when carefully rationed can be deployed for maximal impact.

Guitarist Nicolas has been pulling double duty for Saor and Swiss black metal act Can Bardd in recent times. He has seemingly brought the folk metal influence of the latter into Saor’s sound, with this being most apparent in ‘Rebirth’. This is achieved with the emergence of medieval-style folk instruments and soundscapes, adding more variety to the band’s ever-complex sound.

Overall, “Amidst The Ruins” represents maturity and evolution in the sound of one of the island’s most prized assets in the genre. Whilst this may be classed as a ‘specialist’ listen with longer songs deterring casual listeners, this is certainly a fine introduction to the band and for anybody seeking atmospheric black metal with a unique, Caledonian twist.

Score: 9/10