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Time for another epic journey into the Scottish pagan lands with Saor and Andy Marshall, who has become a dependable warlock in the realm of atmospheric black/folk metal. Amidst the Ruins is his latest tribute to the traditions of his homeland, nicely fitting in with his previous material. For new listeners, Saor is something of a melting pot, with a very prominent use of folk instruments like strings, flutes and whistles not unlike Panopticon, folk melodies evoking Cân Bard, and riffs drawing on bands like Winterfylleth and Moonsorrow.

Progression has been steady throughout Saor's career. Earlier releases, while definitely promising, were a bit all over the place, with the folk instrumentation in particular being somewhat jarring and overdone in places. Later releases have been way sharper in this regard, with this particular aspect seamlessly interwoven with the overall song structures. I was a little worried when I saw that this is nearly 20 minutes longer than 2022's Origins, but those worries were quickly laid to rest after the first spin. Amidst the Ruins is epic, rife with somber and sometimes almost uplifting melodies entwined with the black metal. These swirling melodies, brought forth by whistles, pipes, flutes and strings to complement the tremolo picking and folky guitar licks, are executed to perfection on songs like "Echoes of the Ancient Land" and "Glen of Sorrow." The additional layering effects created by these instruments help Saor invoke a sense of primordial atmosphere that fits this type of music excellently.

Except for the length, there's not really much separating Amidst the Ruins from Origins. Perhaps there is a slightly heavier emphasis on clean male and female vocal duets, which adds to the magical romanticism expressed here. I also find the songs here to be more memorable. Even the calm acoustic ballad "The Sylvan Embrace" does little to disturb the momentum as it flows calmly into the blistering closer "Rebirth." This is an early contender for album of the year, especially if you're into black metal that is atmospheric with a (strong) folky touch.