Saor - Roots

Black 12" double vinyl (33rpm) in gatefold sleeve, with lyrics, credits, and landscape photography.

Includes bonus tracks "Pictish Pride" (Ainshval cover)
and "Yearning" (unreleased demo track) and
printed inner sleeves and A2 size poster.
(This) is first pressing 450 copies worldwide.

Roots is as triumphant as it is absolutely beautiful, all whilst retaining grace. It has been such a long time since folk metal has sounded fresh; but Àrsaidh nailed it effortlessly in a soul-stirring display of grandiose black metal pieces with beautiful yet subtle folk instrumentation. It breezes by so effortlessly and gives life to an arguably outdated formula with moving opus after moving opus, never losing focus on what makes music like this so brilliant. Absolutely nothing is used as a crutch or gimmick and everything sounds as if it was made to be an integral entity. Every track is filled to the brim with excellent riffs, wonderful folk interludes, emotionally powerful climaxes and builds and such an alluring, airy atmosphere. A truly superb debut from the humblest imaginable beginnings, and a true album of the year contender if ever there was one.