North From Here wrote:
Well, I've listened to this album about 15 times in the past week, and I do think 75 is on the low end for a score range of this album. But certainly, we do agree in a few places.
I've heard some other reviewers praise the vocals endlessly, but often I just find them annoying, especially the distorted ones as the demon in the story. The lyrics themselves are at times fascinating, and no doubt Meilenwald is talented vocalist, but his black metal or clean vocals are used too sparingly in favor of the death/doom growl or the demon distortion.
We also agree on the standout track of the album, Spires, The Wailing City. Not only do the lyrics describe the climatic incident of the story, but here everything actually works, the hanging chords and demonic narration actually sets the scene well, and that this riff at 4:30 comes in which seemed straight out of Anathema's Serenades, except far creepier. The Skepticism meets Crown of Sympathy organ and riff close completes the most impactful track I've heard this year.
And Monument is too much of a slow dirge for the big closer to the album, I do think to some extent this album looked at pacing the story above pacing the music for listenability.
We disagree on A Failed Exorcism: I think the repeated clean riff and resultant heavier parts resemble some of the better moments of older Forgotten Tomb, and the fast section at 6 minutes was a rescue of dynamics. And the drumming was really good! The production was finally good on a Ruins of Beverast album too!
Trial and Ordeal, the short tracks, might be another case of lyrics over music, but I felt their startling contrast served the lyrics/story well enough. And Ordeal is hilarious to speculate as a single: imagine the poor soul that heard this track on a Nuclear Blast sampler and got very confused about what this band is about.
I understand some of your frustrations for this album Zad, and the praise I've seen in a few places is already nauseating, but Meilenwald never ceases to tease with his ambition. Much like Negura Bunget was like before releasing Om, one day his execution on The Ruins of Beverast will catch up to his ambition and he'll release that album where it all comes together. The concept here was remarkable, and perhaps the album falters somewhat under the weight of it, but it still struck me as something more commendable than say, the latest Deafheaven album.
Thanks for taking a lot of time to consider this release.
85/100 from me.
I can see my score increasing for this with time, but every listen I gave it the faults stood out very clearly. Do agree re the growling vocals, too, that was tiresome, and do think ultimately it's a good album, just not as good as people are saying thanks to the faults. Will give it more listens though, your last point about execution catching up to ambition is right, he's not far off.
