19. Saor – “Forgotten Paths”

More atmospheric ethereal metal. This is Celtic tinged folk metal but there is no do-si-do plastic sword aloof nonsense here. This is haunting and disconcerting folk, desolate and dark, surrounded in heart-wrenching laments of injustice and tragedy rather than jaunty anthems of bravery on the battlefield. The sparse rawness of the folk mixes wonderfully with the minimalist Black Metal, harsh but also full of melody and pathos. There is only three proper tracks here (the fourth is a short instrumental) but they all reach the ten minutes mark in length and unfurl like epic poems. The most striking thing about the record is how much it immerses you. It washes over you and covers you of waves of sound. Absolutely stunning.