Saor - Amidst the Ruins (2025)^{Release ID: 57599}

At the moment of writing this, I am sitting at my back window, staring out into the public park behind my home, enthralled by the sight of anywhere between 15-20 cm of snow, perfectly still, almost foreboding in a way. Suffice to say that I was in the perfect conditions to listen to the new Saor album. When I discovered Andy Marshall's Celtic/black metal band in 2016, it came at a wonderful time. I had just completed my undergrad and had spent the better part of two years not listening to any metal. That's when Guardians arrived and I was taken away to the plains of Caledonia and its atmospheric beauty, complimented by a monstrous album.

I understood many of the detractors on Saor's previous album, Origins. It was less so a black metal album and dug its feet in with its Celtic folk roots. And while I never saw that as a bad thing, the songwriting did take a noticeable downgrade. And the first thing I noticed when turning on "Amidst the Ruins" for the first time was how well the folk roots blended with the revived black metal framework; it's even better than before! The hook on the title track is not only vibrant, but also carries a lot of weight through the entire thirteen minutes. Carrying into "Echoes of the Ancient Land", the grandeur picks up with lots of countermelodies flowing through the track. The harsh/clean vocal combo sounds wonderful and not indulgent in the slightest.

The one true issue I have is the interlude "The Sylvan Embrace" although calling it an interlude might be a misnomer. This track is over eight minutes long and, while beautiful, does not need that much time to simmer. This is Andy Marshall's longest album since Guardians so I understand the need for a reprieve. But Saor have never been of the brutal style of black metal that you might expect from Watain or Spectral Wound. For something as melodic and pleasant as this, I don't really see the need for extended breaks like this one. By comparison, "Exile" on Forgotten Paths would have made for a more acceptable length of break here.

"Rebith" lives up to its title by channeling a similar energy to "Monadh" from Forgotten Paths as well. It's pretty much two songs in one and both halves are given love and care. The first half brings back the black metal weight that was missing following "The Sylvan Embrace" and might be the most intense song that Saor have ever produced. The second half is this simple melodic motif that gradually swells over time and transforms into an epic conclusion. I will say that I think "Rebirth" ends a bit abruptly? I know, it just feel like with Parasomnia, this album should release its epic conclusion onto us in those final five minutes, but it leaves a bit more modest than I would like. Saor should leave the listener with a sense of wonder instead of wondering. 

I will admit, like with Origins, I don't think this album is bad. In fact, I would say that Amidst the Ruins is the proper comeback that fans of Andy Marshall deserve; a more revived focus on the atmospheric black metal, with a newly invigorated take on Celtic folk music. And each song has its truly epic moments in them. But as a whole? Amidst the Ruins loses steam in its final two songs. I'm still gonna bite the bullet and buy this record on vinyl and give it a high score, claiming it as one of 2025's first essential listens, but if I'm in the mood for Saor, I might go back to older albums like Guardians and Aura first.

Best Songs: Amidst the Ruins, Echoes of the Ancient Land, Glen of Sorrow, Rebirth