Year: 2019
Total Time: 38:35
Label: Avantgarde Music
Andy Marshall returns for the fourth time with his artistic chariot, SAOR, and gives us a very beautiful album, entitled “Forgotten Paths”. The style of the album does not hide surprises, it is atmospheric / melancholy epic / folk Black Metal that we know and love.
Fortunately, Andy returns to the very high standards of the first two albums and gives a much better result than “Guardians”, which is not bad, it’s just the most safe and common release of SAOR.
In “Forgotten Paths” all the elements we love are present and quite improved, in fact. Tremolo riffing to the bone, epic blast beat outbursts and melodic calm breaths. And all this is adorned with bagpipes, keys, violin and female vocals. Not that cheesy tavern style that the majority of the folk metal world likes,though. Everything is nostalgic and melancholic in a strict and sober way. Without knowing anything, I would bet Andy had a bigger budget for this record this time around. Everything is made in a more careful, richer way. The production is fantastic and all the instruments played by guest musicians. Lambert Segura took over the violin, Kevin Murphy the bagpipes on «Bròn», Sophie Rogers the vocals on «Bròn», Glorya Lyr the composition and performance of “Exile” and Carlos Vivas the drumming. Even the great cover and overall layout is the best of their discography.
As for the lyrics, they come from poems by Scottish poets of the early twentieth century. Lyrics full of passion and nostalgia for old values. Honor, dignity, heroism, respect for nature. These values are honored by SAOR in their artistic path that led them to the podium with the best bands in epic / folk Black Metal scene.
Rating: 8/10
Editor: Labros Katsakioris
Related Link: SAOR – Official Page
