Review by SzejkElRopa on January 19, 2026.

I remember back in February of 2025 when I first discovered Saor. I listened to one song (not sure which one), and then I tried listening to the entire album. I remember that I turned it off after half an hour, asking myself, "What on earth is this?" Since then, I found myself not liking any black metal that is not guitar-driven. The mixture of some pipes plucking, some guitar work, and occasional black metal rasps didn't appeal to me at all. I forgot about that album until I found out about Andy Marshall's second project - Fuath. I decided to give Saor a second chance. And I don't regret it at all.

Contrary to my previous belief, this aforementioned mixture works surprisingly well. There are no overly aggressive elements, and everything is balanced. For instance, the opening track starts with brutal drumming as well as a cello dictating the music. It is simultaneously brutal, mesmerizing, and moving. This track is one of the most beautiful I have heard in my short period of listening to black metal. Moreover, the songs are structured really well. Apart from one song, on which I will elaborate more later, even though 4 out of 5 of them are longer than 10 minutes, they aren't boring at all. This requires much skill, because not everybody can make such gripping compositions from start to finish. As for these songs, they sometimes start relentlessly, with rasping as well as fast-paced guitars and drums, and at times quietly, slowly building tension that erupts later. The latter is the case with 'Glen Of Sorrow', and I must admit that the opening to this song is by far my favorite moment. It is so epic and remarkable that it transports the listener to a different world with its pipe-led, rhythmic, glorious section. The rest of the album doesn't stay far behind, namely, the ending section of this very song sounds glorious, even I would say "warlike" with Andy screaming "Arise!". As for the atmospheric sections, they differ so much that each of them makes this album better and better. There are female vocals, some whistles, pipes, and other instruments I cannot name without looking to the "Guest/session musicians" section on Metal Archives. The musical variety is so big and rich that despite its length, "Amidst The Ruins" shouldn't be boring for anyone.

While the album is mostly focused on instruments other than the guitar, it still plays a significant role in this album. No matter if it is a rhythmic section or a moment when a tremolo or harmonic riff can be heard, it definitely enriches the album's content. Although the riffs don't sound as sinister and dark as in Andy Marshall’s other project - Fuath, they are earworms, namely the harmonic, galloping one in 'Echoes Of The Ancient Land'. Clean guitar also sometimes appears in the atmospheric breaks; however, it only plays a minor role, because it is hidden behind other instruments. Also, the vocals are quite significant in regard to the whole album. While Andy's harsh vocals aren’t particularly unique within the genre, the female clean vocals equal the harshness and epicness. My favorite moment of Ella Zlotos singing was at the end of the opening track, because it was mesmerizing and ended the almost twelve-minute-long composition perfectly. The drumwork isn't groundbreaking; however, Carlos Vivas showed that he can play his instrument very well, making a good fill once in a while.

The whole album is insanely mesmerizing and bursts with epicness, which is shown on almost the entirety of the album. However, it has one flaw, namely, the song 'The Sylvan Embrace' doesn't need the whole eight minutes. It could have been easily shortened to four or even two or three minutes without any harm to the album. Contrarily, it would have made it better. With that situation, the listener needs to wait a little bit too long for the closing song - 'Rebirth', which is another masterpiece by Saor, that, with its epic sound, is an almost perfect ending for "Amidst The Ruins". With that minor flaw that I have just mentioned, I give this album 9.5 - it was an unforgettable experience through Scottish lands. And that's why it is important to give second chances.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Jeger on January 14, 2025.

There is one particular black metal project out there on the international circuit that is rightfully renowned for all that Shire-visualizing, weed-smoking ethereal magick o'er the hills type fantasy stuff, and that project is most definitely Scotland's Saor. It's upon the frigid winds of mountains capped in white that gale through the pine-topped canopy below; creating mists of the morning in places so far from here that Saor's song can be heard as it resonates through the wild, across the Ville and into our hearts. We all knew black metal would go this route. Don't get your spikes in a bunch…

What I've always admired most about black metal, other than the fact that it is more of a way of life rather than a genre of music, is its capacity for beauty. The essence of strife - yearning souls lost to aeons of history - legends of the Great Olde Ones. Our heretical lineage traced back through time; linked directly to their traditions, their magick and to their un-severable connection to the living world - stuff that far predates Christendom and has more than likely been recorded in a basement by dudes who only know how to pose with Medieval weaponry, as opposed to actually being able to wield it… What a versatile style of music is BM and what a powerful entity is Saor. On February 7, Saor will release Amidst The Ruins via Season of Mist.

A little more atmospheric and a bit on the lighter side of things is where you'll find Amidst The Ruins but with all those familiar Willow Ufgood vibes. Transcending through darkness' cloud breakers and into the cinematic beyond upon grande scaling melodies, intrepid riffs, epic rhythms and just the overall elevation of it all when compared to Saor's previous 2022 Origins LP is like a drift: swift, lofty and taking you to never-before-imagined vantages. Gazing below at it all now as the lengthy 12:41 opening title track plays. Such a smooth ride; an easy listen without much at all in the way of compositional entanglements or overt aggression. Just pipes, acoustics, angelic cleans and more pipes; all set to a gliding mid-tempo and tranquil enough at times to soothe you into a state of forgetting about it all.

Not a trace of grime or grit. Even the quickest tempo'd moments of the album, like the intro to "Echoes Of The Ancient Land", unfold to foundational cadences and cushioned guitar parts. For the homaging of what was a greater time for our world is Amidst The Ruins. These types of black metal records are released all the time, but only a small percentage of them are done with as much class as this one. Gloriously engineered and a modern production specimen. The atmosphere is so vast and wide open, and it's like all phases just osmose into our sonic environment so effortlessly. It's one of those melodic yet not catchy black metal albums that everyone seems to be trying to throw together lately, but the differentiation here lies in captivation. Assuredly are we anticipating each passage and with much zeal do we take to every one of them. "Amidst the Ruins" is one for either the personal or for the background experience. All the characteristics of what constitutes a good black metal record and with such a stunning, fantastical ambience.

There's a bit of everything here: epic, grandeur, folk, atmosphere and cinema. A commitment indeed, but due to wise track arrangement, an untaxing one. I'm a sucker for female cleans and within Amidst The Ruins, you'll experience the divine warmth of Brigid as Nikolaus Jira's romantic siren song permeates through some of the albums make-you-forget-you're-listening-to-black metal parts. To transcend the norm while at the same time remaining soaked in tradition and rooted in the magick of ancient days is the idea here. And I'd say that Saor visionary, Andy Marshall, has fulfilled a grande vision for black metal with Amidst The Ruins. Masterpiece material? Only if you're new to black metal, but nonetheless a fine addition to a proud discography and a testament to BM's unshakable propensity for representing what is beautiful and for delivering what is downright fucking epic.

Rating: 8 out of 10