SAOR - Origins · BLACK LP

Black vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

More about 'Origins'

Damn, this is what happens when Scottish folk meets black metal fury and just absolutely nails it!Saor's fifth album "Origins" comes across as a more raging, black metal-infused effort, copiously evocative in its imagery and even melancholic in places, but decisively strong and abrasive at the same time.Origins is a concept record about the Picts, an ancient people who lived in Northern and Eastern Scotland until about the 10th century."Since I grew up around traditional Scottish music and was a huge fan of film soundtracks, I used those influences and tried to merge them with atmospheric black metal, folk metal and other sounds," says Marshall.The first, most noticeable thing that sets Origins apart from other Saor releases is the distinct lack of vocals. Not that there aren't any, but "Aurora" stands out as the only song on the album that contains more passages with vocals than not, which is unconventional for an album that has a central theme and stories to tell. On Origins, Marshall lets the music speak for itself and tell its own story, and in that it succeeds beyond any shadow of doubt.Inspired by the main theme of the Picts, Origins evokes wild imagery, tough and ruthless times, and all under the auspices of the most guitar heavy album that Andy Marshall has made in his decade under the Saor banner.This album's increased velocity allows Saor to add urgency to opener "Call of the Carnyx" without losing its sense of scope and heritage. Marshall's agile guitar leads and Watson's speedy double kick drum work splendidly alongside horns and pipes, as baritone vocal harmonies and barrel-chested growls sparsely populated this exercise in dynamics.

For fans of: Winterfylleth, Ruadh, Sojourner, Wolves In The Throne Room, Bathory, and Eluveitie

Track listing

A1. Call Of The Carnyx
A2. Fallen
A3. The Ancient Ones
B1. Aurora
B2. Beyond The Wall
B3. Origins

Manufacturer: Sasu Soundworks Sarl, 126 Boulevard Bara, Heliopolis 2, Lot B4, 13013 Marseille, France, Contact: www.season-of-mist.com