Month: December 2024

The Great Old Ones Release Third Single “Under the Sign of Koth”

THE GREAT OLD ONES have always been known to craft intriguing narrative-based concept albums based on the works of 20th century horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. While not a new concept in the metal scene – The Great Old Ones does it ever so differently, never losing the thread through their albums.

On their previous albums, THE GREAT OLD ONES explored Lovecraft’s various stories – yet never diving deep into the Dreamlands. On Kadath, the band does exactly that – the listener is thrown into the role of Randolph Carter, the main protagonist of Lovecraft’s 1943 novella: A Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.

With this latest single, Under the Sign of Koth, THE GREAT OLD ONES shed light on the next part of Carter’s journey. “Climbing the huge stone steps, seeing yellowish-red eyes, I’m running under, under the sign of Koth” Ben wails as the band tears through the fabric that dreams are made of.

Kadathis out January 24th, 2025 on Season of Mist.

⧖ Pre-save & Pre-order here: https://orcd.co/tgookadath

Praise for ‘Kadath’:

“Great stuff for metalheads who like their fiction the same way they like their metal—dark, heavy, and highly disturbing.” – Metal Temple (9/10)

Earlier this week, THE GREAT OLD ONES released Gregory Vouillat’s bass playthrough of Kadath‘s second single: “In The Mouth of Madness”.

Tracklist:1. Me, the Dreamer (10:55) [WATCH]
2. Those from Ulthar (9:10)
3. In the Mouth of Madness (7:11) [WATCH]
4. Under the Sign of Koth (8:46) [WATCH]
5. The Gathering (Interlude) (1:19)
6. Leng (Instrumental) (15:00)
7. Astral Void (End of the Dream) (8:54)
8. Second Rendez-Vous (Bonus Track, Jean-Michael Jarre Cover) (11:32)
Total runtime: 1:12:49

A name is whispered which chills the spine and quickens the pulse – THE GREAT OLD ONES. Like phantoms emerging from the fog, they have haunted the world of Lovecraftian Black Metal with their sonorous, foreboding melodies and eldritch tales. Descending once more into the abyss of H.P. Lovecraft’s enigmatic universe, they have unearthed their latest opus, Kadath – an album that promises to be a journey of both magnificent dreams and unspeakable horrors.

THE GREAT OLD ONES emerged in 2009 from the old parts of the ancient Aquitanian harbour city of Bordeaux, France, a city famed for its secrets and deep red wine. After releasing their first album, Al Azif, the reactions of critics and fans were unanimously positive.

The band followed up with their second full-length, Tekeli-li, which garnered even higher praise. As a result, THE GREAT OLD ONES played a show at the acclaimed Roadburn festival, opened for BEHEMOTH in their homeland, played at Hellfest, and supported label mates SHINING and DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT.

The third full length, EOD – A Tale of Dark Legacy, (2017) marked another big step in the band’s fast rising career. The five-piece took the road with the legendary GAAHLS WYRD and embarked on a successful European co-headline tour with AUÐN from Iceland. THE GREAT OLD ONES also appeared on the billing of respected festivals, such as Brutal Assault and Eindhoven Metal Meeting, in front of a gigantic crowd of cultists.

THE GREAT OLD ONES have been crafting sonic landscapes that echo with the cries of ancient, cosmic deities and the whispers of forgotten realms. Their discography masterfully showcasing the sheer power of atmosphere and narrative, and has guided listeners through the darkest corners of Lovecraft’s mythos, earning them a devoted following among both metal aficionados and acolytes of the macabre. With their unique blend of harrowing intensity and sombre beauty, they have captured the essence of the otherworldly, marrying it with the raw, blackened heart of metal.

Kadath marks a bold departure from the oceanic depths of the Cthulhu mythos, venturing instead into the Dreamlands. It is here that we follow the protagonist, Randolph Carter, as he seeks the fabled city that haunts his visions. The album resonates with his longing and determination, embodying the treacherous path he treads amidst the capricious gods and monstrous entities that dwell within this twilight realm. Through seven tracks, THE GREAT OLD ONES tortuously narrate Carter’s odyssey, transcending the boundaries of music to evoke a world where fantasy intertwines with terror.

Recorded under the vigilant eye of Francis Caste at Studio Sainte-Marthe, Paris, Kadath‘s production is nothing short of sorcerous. Each note and whispers are imbued with the power to transport the listener, offering an escape into an epic, immersive universe. Benjamin Guerry’s haunting vocals and guitars, alongside the mesmerizing contributions of Aurélien Edouard and Alexandre Rouleau on guitars, the deep resonance of Gregory Vouillat’s bass, and the relentless assault of Julian Deana’s drums, forge an album of unmatched emotional depth and technical prowess.

Thus, behold the latest chapter in their eldritch saga, Kadath – their unyielding quest to explore the outer margins of reality and imagination. An invitation to journey beyond the familiar, into a world of cosmic dread and awe-inspiring beauty, where the ancient gods still roam and dreams bleed into reality.
Line-up:
Benjamin Guerry – Guitars, Vocals
Aurélien Edouard – Guitars
Hugo Bernart – Guitars
Gregory Vouillat – Bass
Julian Deana – Drums

Recording Studio:
Recorded at Studio Sainte-Marthe, Paris, France

Production Credits:
Produced, Mixed & Mastered by Francis Caste at Studio Sainte-Marthe, Paris, France

Biography:
The Great Old Ones, with additions by Sébastien Gamez

Cover Art:
Jakub Rebelka

Photographer:
Daphnea Doto & Solweig Wood

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/tgookadath

Follow The Great Old Ones:
Website: https://www.thegreatoldonesband.com/
Bandcamp: https://thegreatoldones.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thegreatoldones
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreatoldonesofficial/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/thegreatoldonesband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1U6VZQrgQ4CNXbS6FpP0QC
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/4377965
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/the-great-old-ones/596465875 
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/5475055

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
CD Clamshell Box – Limited Edition w/ Exclusive Items
2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent w/ Black Marbled
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Gold w/ Black Splatter
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent Red w/ Black Marbled

London morbid metallers Necromaniac premiere the new track “Calling Forth the Shade”

Today, London morbid metallers Necromaniac premiere the new track “Calling Forth the Shade”. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s long-awaited debut album, Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable, set for international release through Invictus Productions (Europe) in conspiracy with The Ajna Offensive (North America): the CD version is scheduled for release on January 13th, 2025 to coincide with the Wolf Moon, while the LP version will be released at a later date. Hear Necromaniac‘s “Calling Forth the Shade” in its entirety here:

Forged in heretical fire while lurking in the darkest shadows of the underground for the past 13 years, this London-based (UK) band formed by Swedish, Spanish, Greek, and Polish musicians has crafted a debut album that’s guaranteed to send cold shivers down your spine. A truly sinister musical journey containing 9 forbidden rites steeped in witchcraft, necromancy, and an overall occult atmosphere, Necromaniac‘s first full-length is everything its weighty title promises…and more! 

Those who were possessed by their 2015 demo tape and 2018 7″ EP don’t need to worry, as the Necromaniac sound of old is reanimated here. Only now it’s given delirious flight on demon wings of ecstasy: blacker, more metal, more epic, more atmospheric, more “mature,” more of MORE. Joining these morbid ghouls on their devilish quest are guests A.A. Nemtheanga of Primordial, Negative Plane’s Nameless Void, and one A Corpse Without a Soul, whose signature throat should not be unknown to astute underground dwellers. The sum effect of Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable is a sonic bacchanalia informed by the ageless wisdom of Hell’s heavy metal. 

No mercy, no forgiveness, no salvation, no return…MORBID METAL TO THE DEATH!

Also hear the previously revealed “Swedenborg’s Skull” HERE at The Ajna Offensive‘s Bandcamp. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Necromaniac’s Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable
1. Caput Draconis
2. Daemonomantia
3. Grave Mound Oath
4. Calling Forth The Shade
5. Great Is The Thirst Of The Restless Dead
6. Teraphim (Skull Sorcery)
7. Conjuration Of St. Cyprian
8. Swedenborg’s Skull
9. Necromancess / Cauda Draconis

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/necromaniacUK 

www.invictusproductions.net
www.facebook.com/invictusproductions

www.theajnaoffensive.com
www.facebook.com/theajnaoffensive

MEMBARIS reveal second track from new W.T.C. album

Today, German black metallers Membaris reveal the new track “Black Plasma Armour.” The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated sixth album, Black Plasma Armour, set for international release on January 21st, 2025 via W.T.C. Productions. Hear Membaris‘ title track “Black Plasma Armour” in its entirety here:

Forming in the dark, fateful days of 1999, Membaris have long been a lingering force within Germany’s oft-overlooked black metal underground. From the band’s very first demo in 2002 onward, Membaris have kept their feet firmly rooted in black metal’s foundational second wave, but always with an eye to expand upon that noble firmament. Reverence is key, as is passion, and the seamless, unselfconscious combination of both has become a hallmark of Membaris.

In that cursed year of 2020, Membaris emerged from the shadows after eight years with Misanthrosophie. Despite the darkness of the times, founding members Obscurus and Kraal unleashed a torrent of Technicolor black metal majesty – at the time, Membaris‘ strongest full-length work to date…until now, with Black Plasma Armour.

Tellingly titled, Black Plasma Armour is a fever-dreaming screed of kaleidoscopic aggression. Membaris waste no time kicking into the album, with the title track leading off proceedings – surging, spiraling, askew – before dazzling shapes outside the mien of black metal begin to come into recognition. Always shifting, forever churning, breathlessly passionate, the six stout tracks comprising the 44-minute record go many, MANY places as themes and textures flow into and out of each other. Each one is as memorable as the last, often hanging upon a yearning / desperate hook or crest of beautiful annihilation; it’s almost as if each climax is not enough, that another is right over the brink. Membaris‘ execution – searingly tight and yet recognizably human – lifts these creations higher / deeper, penetrating body and soul with a power that’s blanching. As the slipstream of Black Plasma Armour continues, it’s almost alarmingly easy to lose sight that this is, in fact, a BLACK METAL record: no compromise, but no boundaries. And as the closer “Onwards to the Last Blink of Reason” races to its cathartic conclusion, it’s a fitting summation of the journey just experienced and the next to begin, ad infinitum.

Also hear the previously revealed “Poet of Fire” HERE, also at W.T.C.‘s official YouTube channel. Cover artwork, courtesy of Stefan at Khaos Diktator Design, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Membaris’ Black Plasma Armour
1. Black Plasma Armour [7:07]
2. Threshold of a Dystopia [5:54]
3. SIGIL II (Star Ritual) [7:33]
4. N.O.V.A. [9:20]
5. Poet of Fire [7:00]
6. Onwards to the Last Blink of Reason [6:29]

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/membarisofficial

www.w-t-c.orgwww.facebook.com/W.T.C.Productions

OBSIDIAN SCAPES set release date for DARKNESS SHALL RISE debut EP, prepare debut album

Today, Darkness Shall Rise Productions announces February 27th, 2025 as the international release date for the debut EP of Obsidian Scapes, self-titled Obsidian Scapes. This two-song 12″ will precede the band’s debut album, Death Chants Echo From Aphotic Void, which is set for release in March 2025.

From the endless fields of obsidian darkness rise eerie hymns, echoing an ancient, long-forgotten apocalypse that slices through the eternal night. Obsidian Scapes are the embodied nightmare – a deathly veil of cascading riffs, raining down like the lethal erosion of cosmic worlds. Layered with relentless, thunderous drums, and ghostly dirges, their music summons visions of a dying universe. 

Obsidian Scapes‘ sounds crawl like molten madness into the depths of the mind, painting aphotic images of shadowy, chthonic cathedrals and titanic monoliths rising against a crumbling horizon. Despair and anguish permeate every note – dirges for a world drowning in the abyss of decay, and tributes to powers lurking beyond human comprehension.

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Endless Sea of Mirrors” here:

Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Obsidian Scapes’ Obsidian Scapes

1. Endless Sea of Dead Mirrors [7:55]
2. At My Funeral [Sigh cover] [9:49]


MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562434551526

www.darknessshallrise.de
www.facebook.com/darknessshallriseproductions 
www.darknessshallriseproductions.bandcamp.com 

GENOCIDE KOMMANDO stream new OSMOSE album ahead of its release

Today, French black metallers Genocide Kommando stream their highly anticipated third album, Third World War, ahead of its release. Set for international release on December 27th via Osmose Productions, hear Genocide Kommando‘s Third World War in its entirety here:

After Black Metal Supremacy (2002) and Anthems of Mass Massacre (2022), the nihilist prophets Genocide Kommando are back with Third World War! With hatred and powerful consistency, this new opus is a new anthem devoted to anti-human themes! Don’t expect anything but the violent music and aesthetics mating of war and Satanism!

Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Genocide Kommando’s Third World War
1. 666 – Mark of the Black Beast [1:01]
2. Obliteration [2:41]
3. Raped Destiny [4:07]
4. Battle for Eradication [3:59]
5. Impious Venom [4:33]
6. Mankind-Self-Destruction [5:00]
7. Burn the Cenotaph [5:31]
8. Drowning in Acid Poison [4:46]
9. Abyssic Warfare [4:50]
10. Fallen Angel Rape [3:53]

www.osmoseproductions.com
www.facebook.com/osmoseproductions

CMPT stream new OSMOSE album – features members of ALL MY SINS+++


Today, Balkan black metallers CMPT stream the entirety of their highly anticipated second album, Na utrini. Set for international release on December 27th via Osmose Productions, hear CMPT‘s Na utrini in its entirety here:

The second in the ambitious Balkan black metal trilogy, started with the debut album Na utrini, offers a conceptual prequel set before the events of the previous album begin to unfold. Utrina comes from the local vocabulary usually meaning a neglected, uncultivated land that no one pays attention to anymore. It is a desolate piece of land at the end of villages, between fields and forests, roads and marshlands, alienated and abandoned by common folk.

While Krv i pepeo carries the symbol of bloodlust, Na utrini paves its way in symbols of land, mud, and dirt and, as such, explores the world located on the northern wing of the Danube bank in the lower part of the Pannonian basin. These wet and muddy lands at the foot of the Carpathians were, for centuries, both home and the grave for numerous empires and civilizations, many of which still have their mark in local folklore, beliefs, and toponyms. It was here that the ancestors of the southern Slavs made their last stop before definitively settling on the Balkan Peninsula.

Once again following the night and the local “demon hour” (Serbian: “gluvo doba”), Na utrini is a record about the darkness of abandoned places, old ruins, cemeteries, wastelands, and liminal spaces that time has forgotten.

 Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for CMPT’s Na utrini

1. Na utrini [9:30]
2. Oppidum Panuka [4:57]
3. Mesečina [5:37]
4. Campus de Maxond [1:59]
5. Crna voda [3:47]
6. U raljama košave [5:35]
7. Kao srp u noći [9:26]
8. Δ ΙΣΤΡΟΥ [7:27]


MORE INFO:
www.semeponoci.bandcamp.com

www.osmoseproductions.com
www.facebook.com/OsmoseProductions

TUBAL CAIN set release date for new DARKNESS SHALL RISE album

oday, Darkness Shall Rise Productions announces February 27th, 2025 as the international release date for Tubal Cain‘s highly anticipated second album, Slime Abyss, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

Husband-and-wife duo Alex and Kristine Drake forged the core of Tubal Cain from the compressed sediment of decades in metal: original and traditional metamorphic stories, enshrouded in the occult and fantasy. Echoing the heroes of early black metal, thrash, and classic metal, Tubal Cain embody their own style – the true spirit of raw-school street metal!

With Slime Abyss, Tubal Cain provide us with the perfect soundtrack for road trips on LSD or gatherings around bonfires praising the dark lord. The American band’s second album convinces with memorable songs that are addictively catchy yet unpolished and rough at the same time. Their curious brew should be checked out by anyone into well-written metal with a dark twist.

In the meantime, hear the brand-new title track “Slime Abyss” here:

Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover artwork, courtesy of Thomas Toye (Illogical Comics), and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Tubal Cain’s Slime Abyss

1. Slime Abyss
2. Tomb Of The Ancient King
3. Screams Of Crimson
4. Filth Be Damned
5. Daemon Star
6. Night Of The Hawkwitch
7. Ghost Tower
8. The Winds Of Limbo
9. Drifting To The Black Sun

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/tubalcain

www.darknessshallrise.de
www.facebook.com/darknessshallriseproductions 
www.darknessshallriseproductions.bandcamp.com 

MALACATH set release date for new ETERNAL DEATH album, reveal first track

Today, Eternal Death announces February 21st, 2025 as the international release date for Malacath‘s highly anticipated fifth album, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain, on ​CD format.

Born to recapture the mysticism found in listening to black metal in isolation, New Hampshire’s Malacath was formed in November of 2011 as the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Lykos. As a two-piece, having enlisted drummer Hiraeth for the band’s second album, No Sense in Self Worth, Malacath‘s musical composition style grew to draw inspiration from black metal’s outer corners, culminating in the impending fifth full-length, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain.

Composed around four monolithic tracks across 54 minutes, Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain brings the listener through an arduous journey of triumph and tragedy. Malacath‘s sound hasn’t so much changed over that timespan as has Lykos’ ambition; sticking to a signature style is one thing, but subtly expanding it or tastefully embellishing it is another. Indeed, Eternal Roar roars with a dreary-yet-emotive power, canvassing a large swathe of sonic terrain whilst remaining focused on a central theme: from spacious, imperial funeral doom to mossy pagan black metal, murderous surges of speed to momentous grandiosity, bittersweet melody to mystical atmosphere, everything EPIC and a seemingly stretched-out catharsis after another – truly, Thunder and Rain. And the plaintive acoustic “Eleusis” is simply the quiet-yet-assertive closer to a journey worth returning to time and again.

Forged in dedication to the old ways of black metal, the undeniable strength of Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain will ensure that the flames of Malacath burn beyond the New England underground.

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Call of the Specter”  here:

Cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Malacath’s Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain
1. Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain [16:18]
2. Call of the Specter [9:56]
3. A Hymn for the Harvest [11:08]
4. Blood of Our Fathers [13:44]
5. Eleusis [2:42]

MORE INFO:
malacath.bandcamp.com 

www.eternal-death.com
eternaldeath.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/eternaldeathUSA

Germany’s DYSANGELIUM set release date for new W.T.C. mini-album, reveal first track

Today, W.T.C. Productions sets February 12th, 2025 as the international release date for a brand-new mini-album from Germany’s Dysangelium, Exxekratus, on CD and 12″ vinyl formats.

Since their formation in 2009, Dysangelium have patiently unveiled their vision – each recording a tactical strike, a treatise building upon the last but always imparting ancient wisdoms. Indeed, the Germans’ sound throughout those many years has reinvigorated and refined the orthodox black metal idiom that took the underground by storm in the mid-2000s. But far from being blinkered to the past or some hackneyed nostalgia act, Dysangelium fortify the boundless abyss of arcane understanding central to true, classics-minded BLACK METAL.

And while they’ve been quiet on the recording front since 2019’s monumental Death Leading full-length, Dysangelium at last stir the cauldron of activity with a new mini-album titled Exxekratus. Totaling four tracks across 27 minutes, Exxekratus carries forward the plausible maturity found on that album predecessor: stark, strident, cleaner in tone but dirtier in content. With the same lineup in place, their iron-clad, surging-and-striking sound is largely unchanged, but for the increased clarity found here on Exxekratus comes an even-more-urgent aspect, their ceremonial melodicism instilling a palpitating tension that makes the three brand-new songs here especially haunting. Underlining the ties to their proud past is the muscular closer “Delirious Transcendence,” which was recorded in 2014 for Thánatos Áskesis but was cut due to that album’s vinyl length. And Exxekratus is but a mere foretaste for Dysangelium‘s forthcoming third album, which will spread its wings of doom soon enough…

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Of the Burning Throne (Manifest I)”  HERE:

Cover artwork, courtesy of Nether Temple Design, and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Dysangelium’s Exxekratus
1. Of The Burning Throne (Manifest I)
2. Trachea
3. Whispering Knives (Manifest II)
4. Delirious Transcendence

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/dysangeliumofficial 

www.w-t-c.orgwww.facebook.com/W.T.C.Productions

SAOR share “Amidst the Ruins” playthrough, announce 2025 tour dates

n the windswept grandeur of Scotland’s towering peaks and mist-laden lochs, the mythic resonances of SAOR‘s sound rise once again. Today, the band shares their masterful playthrough for their newest single, Amidst the Ruins.

Amidst the Ruins draws inspiration from a bygone era, merging black metal’s raw intensity with Celtic folk’s heartfelt melodies. As echoes of forgotten paths and crumbling relics of history unfold before your eyes, this composition serves as a solemn reminder of heritage lost amidst the modern world’s clamor.
Watch as the band eloquently intertwines guitar melodies, basslines with a heavy backdrop of iconic blast beats on Amidst the Ruins: https://youtu.be/wugVW7uwQsU

Amidst the Ruins is out February 7th, 2025 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/saoramidsttheruins

SAOR will embark on a journey across lands, sharing their majestic serenades with fans far and wide. Mark your calendars for SAOR‘s Amidst the Ruins 2025 tour:

February 8, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – Classic Grand
February 13, 2025 – Bristol, UK – The Exchange
February 14, 2025 – Birmingham, UK – The Flapper
February 15, 2025 – York, UK – Fulford Arms
March 28, 2025 – Arnhem, NL – Willemeen
March 29, 2025 – Den Haag, NL – Paard
March 30, 2025 – Kassel, DE – Goldgrube
April 17, 2025 – Weinheim, DE – Café Central
April 18, 2025 – Graz, AT – Explosiv
April 19, 2025 – Munchen, DE – Dark Easter Metal Meeting
April 20, 2025 – Aarburg, CH – Musigburg
April 21, 2025 – Praha, CZ – Futurum Music Bar
April 22, 2025 – Poznan, PL – Klub 2progi
April 23, 2025 – Leipzig, DE – Hellraiser
April 24, 2025 – Lichtenfels, DE – Ragnarök Festival
April 25, 2025 – Bochum, DE – Matrix
April 26, 2025 – Paris, FR – Petit Bain
April 27, 2025 – Lyon, FR – Le Marché Gare
May 16, 2025 – Mirow, DE – Dat Unlandfier

Tickets to any of these shows can be found on SAOR‘s website: https://www.saormusic.com/tour-dates

Tracklist:
1. Amidst the Ruins (12:41) [WATCH]
2. Echoes of the Ancient Land (11:41)
3. Glen of Sorrow (12:05)
4. The Sylvan Embrace (8:19)
5. Rebirth (14:10)
Full runtime: 58:57

Out of the mists, where lore whispers in the winds, SAOR, the heralds of Caledonia’s primeval beauty and ancient tales, rise once again to enrapture souls far and wide. Their newest offering, Amidst the Ruins, is an epic voyage set to rekindle the fires of heritage and resurrect the valor that courses through Scotland’s vast landscapes.

Since their emergence in 2013, SAOR has beckoned listeners to transcend the mortal plain, intertwining the ferocity of atmospheric black metal with the gentle, haunting melodies of Celtic fold. Andy Marshall, the sage bard and architect of SAOR‘s sound, continues his pilgrimage through the verdant glens and stark highlands, revealing sights both ethereal and eternal through his music.

Building upon the chronicles of old, the forthcoming album Amidst the Ruins stands proud, a timeless sentinel amidst the sands of time. For in this work, Marshall, the visionary, has deftly woven strands of modern-life dissonance into the rich tapestry of Scottish lore, enshrining the enigmatic contrast between the remnants of a glorious yore and the often-elusive grasp of the present day. This auditory saga resounds with the resonance of ruined structures and forgotten paths, its melodies steeped in the reverence for sacred ground and a lament for the disconnect wrought by modernity.

Delve deep and you shall find Echoes of the Ancient Land, a heartfelt tribute to Scotland’s timeless landscapes and their profound ancestral connections. Through The Sylvan Embrace, SAOR imparts a harmonious sanctuary, a sylvan retreat where solace is found, and spirits are soothed. With Rebirth, the cycle is complete, weaving an intricate spell of transformation and new dawns.

The band’s odyssey upon the stage is nothing less than transcendental, as audiences bear witness to the heart of their aural fables brought vividly to life. These live performances stand as sacred rituals, bridging the veil between epochs, inviting all to partake in the shared legacy of the Scottish Highlands.

In Amidst the Ruins, the warriors of SAOR cast a clarion call to awaken from the lethargy of modern existence, to reclaim the essence of a heritage laid asunder. From the vibrant resonance of ancient battles to the hushed despair of Glencoe’s betrayed souls, every note spills forth like blood of the fallen seeping into the heathered earth.

As we stand on the cusp of this new era, Amidst the Ruins, the latest chronicle unfolds. SAOR‘s watchful eye turns to the horizon, the whispering woods, the twilight skies, and the sleeping stones bearing seers’ dreams, evoking the indomitable spirit of the realm. In their hands, the past is resurrected; its tales to be retold for those who would heed the call—SAOR, remain the ceaseless bards of Caledonia unbroken.

Line-up:
Andy Marshall – All Composition, Writing & Instrumentation

Live Line-up:
Andy Marshall – Vocals, Bass
Nicolas Bise – Guitar
Martin Rennie – Guitar
Ella Zlotos – Tin whistle, Low whistle, Uilleann pipes, Vocals
Carlos Vivas – Drums

Guest Musicians:
Ella Zlotos – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles, Uilleann Pipes
Carlos Vivas – Drums
Jo Quail – Cello & FX on “The Sylvan Embrace”
Àngela Moya Serrat – Violin on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth” Miguel Izquierdo – Viola on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth”
Samuel C. Ledesma – Cello on “Amidst the Ruins”, “Echoes of the Ancient Land” & “Rebirth
Miguel Izquierdo – Viola on “Amidst the Ruins”

Recording:
Andy Marshall – Vocals, Guitars, Bass recorded at Fortriu Studios, Scotland
Nikolaus Jira – Female Vocals, Tin Whistles, Low Whistles and Uilleann Pipes recorded at NikolausRecordings Studio, Germany
Jose Garrido and Daniel Sabugal – Drums recorded at NewLife Studios, Spain
Mattias Eklund – Violin, Viola and Cello recorded at Farkosten Studios, Spain
Chris Fielding – Mixing and Guitar reamping at Penylan Studio, Wales
Tony Lindgren – Mastering at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden

Biography:
Saor
Edits by Sébastien Gamez

Cover Art:
Julian Bauer (@julianb_art)
Website: https://julianbauer.com/
Layout by Adrien Bousson

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/saoramidsttheruins

Follow Saor:
Official Website: https://www.saormusic.com
Official Store: https://store.saormusic.com
Bandcamp: https://saor.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saorofficial
YouTube: https://youtube.com/saormusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saormusic
Bandsintown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/4099241-saor
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rHMzJ1RKUMtid1K2QEYbr
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/saor/879243889
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/6768301
TIDAL:https://tidal.com/browse/artist/5653569

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear & Black Marbled
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Green, White & Black Marbled
2×12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear, Red & Blue Marbled