The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite

October 8, 2009

Reviewer: Matt

Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite is the third album from The Ruins of Beverast, the project of Alexander von Meilenwald, who previously drummed in a few German bands, most notably Nagelfar.  Though a daunting, marathon listen due to its slow pacing and eighty minute runtime, Foulest Semen… is an always enjoyable and occasionally captivating release.

The Ruins of Beverast is a fairly obscure act, but the first two albums garnered nearly universal praise from their few listeners.  Foulest Semen… sheds some of the less appealing aspects of their previous releases, namely poor production and an aesthetic too encroaching on Xasthur territory.  It also displays marked improvement in songwriting: while the prior albums (particularly the debut) employed too small an arsenal of composition ideas for such long albums, Foulest Semen… displays a wealth and diversity of techniques that make the outrageous runtime worth every grueling second.  And while I strongly disagree with those in the online communities calling Foulest Semen… the album of year, any metal fan, particularly one exhausted with redundancy in black metal, should find it an engaging and refreshing listen.

The album’s greatest attribute is its expert manipulation of atmosphere, its metal base augmented with controlled use of choirs, symphonic and ambient keyboards, guitar effects, and samples.  The atmospherics deftly vary mood and elicit emotion in a thoughtful, subtle manner, and even spoken word samples are implemented without devolving into gimmick.  Foulest Semen… culls from impressive pedigree: early material of Samael and Root, particularly the latter’s flair for the dramatic, trading the traditional heavy metal melody of those acts for the ominous dissonance of contemporary depressive black metal.  The gruff vocals, crushing riffs, and epic composition invoke classic death doom.  This is not, however, a pastiche of various imitations.  Rather, The Ruins of Beverast have forged a distinctive, unique voice, coming forward as one of the few true innovators in black metal today.  The vocals deserve specific praise.  Where layered, cavernous black metal screeching on the prior albums was grating, here The Ruins of Beverast employ predominantly clean vocals, similar to the operatic hymns of Urfaust, with only occasional forays into gruff death vocals.  The haunting clean vocal melodies are the most memorable aspect of this album and for them alone this album is worth purchase.

Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite is a highlight in an otherwise bland year for black metal, a deep, majestic work by a talented and authentic artist.  If you’ve enjoyed the prior albums, this album will blow your mind, but it is also an album that may convince detractors to hold this project in high esteem.

TRACK LISTING

1.  I Raised this Stone as
     a Ghastly Memorial
2.  Alu
3.  God's Ensanguined Bestiaries
4.  Mount Sinai Moloch
5.  Transcending Saturnine
      Iericho Skies
6.  Kain's Countenance Fell
7.  The Restless Mills
8.  Theriak - Baal - Theriak
9.  Blood Vaults (II - Our Despots
     Cleanse the Levant)
10.  Arcane Pharmakon Messiah

Total playing time: 01:19:52

FAN PAGE

Release Date: September 11, 2009
Label: Ván Records

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