Ruins of Eternity

Growth is a wickedly subjective trip to set upon the forehead of the creative type as the concept of ‘positive change’ isn’t mutually exclusive (or at all guaranteed) with the passage of time. Balancing atop the expectations of vested interest and insight gained from the distance that time’d create is precarious for the ‘brand conscious’ group of musicians. Without considering any intention so commercial or pretentious in this case, the real tug-of-war comes with capturing today or emulating the past when any great space of time divides a discography. On some level Rochester, New York based doom metal band Orodruin were never graced with an entirely secure identity to begin with beyond their intensely ‘in hindsight’ celebrated debut full-length ‘Epicurean Mass’ (2003), one of my favorite doom records of all time. Even that debut hadn’t sounded entirely like prior demos and the shift towards the psychedelic progressive rock of Blizaro beyond 2004 left Orodruin up in the air for quite some time in terms of official releases. The phenomenally psychedelic ‘In Doom’ (2012) EP was limited to death and served as the point where most fans would sort of give up on the cult heroes until something concrete materialized. So, what is the Orodruin sound in 2019? If you’re like me and you’d discovered this band off of a split with Reverend Bizarre in the early 2000’s then it might be surprising that their second full-length album moves away from the molten stoner/doom plunge of old and stretches sixteen years worth of aches into a cathartic and moody epic doom/heavy metal album, ‘Ruins of Eternity’.

Without any reasonable way to purchase or stream ‘Epicurean Mass’ it falls to the uninitiated Orodruin listener to decide upon the importance of the context a previous release provides. As an established fan who’d been recommending their first album to folks online since 2005 it isn’t any great surprise that a sixteen year gap would produce two very different pieces of a whole but it did surprise me how good the shift towards ‘epic’ doom metal on ‘Ruins of Eternity’ ended up being. Written over the course of 2016-2017 and recorded in 2018 this second Orodruin record is the first release to not feature drummer Mike Waske (Blizaro, Crucifist) and this’d provide a chance to sit in awe of what vocalist/bassist Mike Puleo pulls off as the drummer for these sessions in addition to great strides made in his usual craft. His vocals are almost entirely different than on prior releases, expressing a range that can stretch from Slough Feg to Warning in the space of ten minutes. The majority of these songs feature a more sensitive tone a la Simon Matravers era Solstice alongside the theatrical cadence of Wheel (see: ‘Icarus’) or even Magic Circle depending on the song. In fact 90’s Solstice might be the best point of reference for this 70’s heavy metal/80’s doom metal guided spin.

Don’t get me wrong, the main reason you’ll want to check this album out is its powerful treatment of ‘traditional’ and epic doom metal and in that sense the style of the album is going to be impactful enough to win many, many folks over. Plainly stated, it is one of the best. The appeal of this sort of heavy/doom metal is well proven but Orodruin are a band who write songs, their modus has never been to just plainly vibe on repetitive ideas. For an album written in the space of two years, which does include a couple of reworked songs (see: “Letter of Life’s Regret”), there is some impressive care put into the lyrics which are doubly verbose compared to those of ‘Epicurean Mass’; The result is a more personal full listen where each song matches the existential dread and dejection expressed by Puleo‘s voice. It isn’t all somber dread and the crumbling chaos of todays world but most of the full listen will feel as if it were. “War on the World” and parts of “Man of Peace” do shake out a little bit of a trad metal boogie along the way.

Choosing which songs to highlight or fawn over becomes a heated debate in my mind if only because there are songs that could be considered proper singles and others that offer different sorts of hooks and charm beyond chorus and riff. “Voice in the Dark” has a bit of everything that Orodruin do well on ‘Ruins of Eternity’ with a building network of sludgy peak Soundgarden-esque verses driving the pace of the song. I’ll be clear though, it is Puleo‘s performances that had me coming back for more listens, and primarily because there is a bit of ‘New Dark Age’ in this record that I greatly appreciate. There are clever bouts of riffcraft throughout but gone are the clunkier, heavier pillars of doom that’d distinguished ‘Epicurean Mass’. So, what stuck in the head and the heart? Well, ‘Ruins of Eternity’ is not the sort of album I’d break up into sections or separate experiences and many of these songs work so well because of their neighbors, such as the aforementioned “Voice in the Dark” which’ll have far less impact unless paired with the Icarus-ian melodrama of “Into the Light of the Sun” and before the late 80’s Candlemass brood of “Hell Frozen Over”. There is plenty of joy to be had picking the flesh from the bones of such a release but I found ‘Ruins of Eternity’ was served best whole, taken fairly serious, and with a reflective mood.

This second Orodruin album is a tall order, an imposing piece that finally gives shape and story to the drought in between cult releases, that should challenge the listeners ear for the absolute depth of detail within. If you’ve somehow survived this long as a fan of doom metal but not epic heavy metal then the tone of this album may not be entirely to your taste but I’ve always felt like an earnest vocal performance has the power to change minds, especially over time. As a fan looking beyond the nepotism of old classic releases I found myself awestruck by this album simply because it was another paradigm altogether, an unearthly shift towards greater emotional performances for a band I’d long lumped in with the ‘new wave’ of doom metal springing up as the millennium began. In terms of the over-saturated world of doom metal in 2019 there is yet plenty of space for albums of this high a quality and as such I can highly recommend ‘Ruins of Eternity’. For preview purposes I’d suggest starting with the Magic Circle-esque groove of “Man of Peace” and then the gorgeously dramatic pairing of “Into the Light of the Sun” and “Voice in the Dark”.

Attribution: https://grizzlybutts.com/2019/10/28/orodruin-ruins-of-eternity-2019-review/

Johnny Gallo may be the best active doom metal guitarist right now. I’ve been tracking the guy’s movements closely the last few years after initially being introduced to Orodruin, who are easily among my favorite bands of the ‘00s (yes, they formed in the late ‘90s, but the bulk of their material was a bit later!). Johnny is a busy guy, and every couple of years another new album comes out that he played some varying amount of instruments on. Blizaro is a drug-induced psychedelic warrior that channels his love of old Italian doom, and John Gallo is a heavier and less rocking take on the same influences- but Orodruin, until they vanished off the face of the planet around 2011, was always more suffocating and gloomy than his other bands.

Now Orodruin is back, and is jarringly less heavy. Before, the riffs carried a lot of the heft and groove of the more oppressive bands in doom metal, with heavy atmosphere via organs and riffs that split bones. Though you can still tell that it’s the same band, the heaviness is more from huge buildups and from the interplay of the instruments than from big guitar parts- Cathedral versus Judas Priest, to quote a friend.

Once I got past the difference in tone, the quality contained within Ruins of Eternity began to reveal itself. Each song is monstrously catchy and memorable, and while the songwriting is simple, the compositions are extremely effective. Bluesy licks will play against slow Iommian riffing to great effect whenever a part threatens monotony, and the guitars pick great moments to fall slightly out of touch with each other, each little detail adding another post to find and wonder at with repeated listens. The dual leads that occasionally supplant the riffs are all really, really, cool as well, perfectly bridging different verse riffs or mood swings in songs.

Vocals, drums, and bass are all performed skillfully by longtime Orodruin frontman Mike Puleo, whose approach to each is a mirror of the band’s music itself; he never gets technical or tries to stand out, but his playing and singing match the music so perfectly that I can’t imagine another performance on the album. In particular I love his vocal performance on Ruins of Eternity; Mike is emotional and earnest without sacrificing power, and his varied approach- ranging from a nasal warble to strident and powerful to sensitive in just a few minutes at a time- far surpasses anything else he’s done with Orodruin in the past. Mike’s talent for writing vocal lines plays a large part in the catchiness of the record, and it’s impossible not to leave the album with more and more lyrics stuck in your head, which is a talent more doom metal could benefit from.

Another point of interest is the album’s stellar production, which leaves everything audible without sacrificing power or charm. The song order is also extremely well picked- the relative speed and aggression of the gorgeous “War on the World” breaks up the slower pieces it’s sandwiched between, serving as the crescendo of Side A while also showing some of the band’s range. Ruins of Eternity is an intimidating forty seven minutes long, but it flows by far faster than it should, leaving plenty of room for relistening, even back to back.

Is Ruins of Eternity as good as Orodruin’s first record, Epicurean Mass? It’s just too early to say, particularly since I’ve been hailing that as the best doom metal album of the ‘00s for the last few years. But I can definitely say that I can’t stop listening to Ruins, and I hope that Orodruin doesn’t take another sixteen years for a follow-up this time. It’s great seeing them getting proper label support this time via the always-excellent Cruz Del Sur Music and I hope it’s a sign that Orodruin will finally blow up (and get some proper vinyl issues of Epicurean Mass and In Doom!) because they deserve it.

Originally written for The Highway Corsair.
https://highwaycorsair.com/2019/10/31/review-orodruin-ruins-of-eternity/

With Ruins of Eternity being Orodruin’s second full-length album and their first since 2003’s Epicurean Mass, it’s pretty understandable for there to have been some changes in that time. There’s enough somber airiness in the band’s traditional doom style to avoid any real sense of disconnect, but the keyboards and oppressive atmosphere that defined them before has largely been dropped. One can only assume that guitarist John Gallo put all his prog weirdness toward Blizaro and his other solo works.

Fortunately, the sound that remains is enjoyable and competently executed. The guitars are right in line with groups like Lord Vicar and Pale Divine, showcasing a watery tone that sustains the weighty yet melodic riffs and bluesy solos. This record also proved to be a spot for Mike Puleo to flex his talents, providing the album’s drums as well as his established bass and vocal duties. His rhythm work can be a little simple and his nasally delivery may not sit right with some listeners, but he does a pretty good job all around.

The songwriting is also solid, if a little meat and potatoes. The opening “Forsaken” sets the melancholic standard as its catchy dirge riffs and gallop-friendly climax are later echoed on “Letter of Life’s Regret” and “Into the Light of the Sun.” Beyond that, “Grave Illusion” offers psychedelic balladry, “War on the World” is the album’s closest thing to a fast number, “Voice in the Dark” hints at past ventures with its dark riff set, and the title track closes things out with more battle hardy chugs.

While Orodruin’s second album doesn’t quite have the unique edge of its 2003 predecessor, it ultimately manages to be a great doom effort in its own right. The musicianship is the album’s best asset as the vibrant performances give life to an otherwise basic template and helps make the songwriting that much more engaging. I would give Epicurean Mass a cursory listen before checking this album out, but doom fans should be able to appreciate both efforts. With any luck, Orodruin can find a way to marry the two approaches on their 2035 follow-up.

Highlights:
“Forsaken”
“Letter of Life’s Regret”
“Into the Light of the Sun”
“Voice in the Dark”
“Ruins of Eternity”

Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com