Back in 2003, a raw demo announced solo project The Ruins of Beverast. Since that seminal recording, German iconoclast Alexander von Meilenwald has unleashed furious waves of damnation for nearly two decades. Inspired by the bridge linking Midgard and Asgard, The Ruins of Beverast represent a crumbling bridge between blackened bleakness and dark-skied doom. After a few split releases, a formal successor to 2017’s Exuvia has arrived. The Thule Grimoires marks the band’s sixth LP offering. It also reveals the most emotive and intricately textured compositions of their revered discography. Decibel Magazine is ready to block the sun with this exclusive premiere of The Thule Grimoires. Listen now before Ván Records releases it on February 5th.
From the entrancing opening of “Ropes into Eden,” The Ruins of Beverast create living nightmares that creep with mystery and majesty. Snarls emerge from the mist before von Meilenwald’s sullen croon clears the fog. The icy shimmer of “The Tundra Shines” features some of the album’s most bewitching melodies while dissonance claws at the song’s subtle beauty. As “Kromlec’h Knell” unfolds it invokes the sun-speckled autumnal gloom of Type O Negative’s October Rust. “Polar Hiss Hysteria” feels like it was born in pitch-black soil and sprouted colorful blossoms. While most of the album has an organic earthiness, mechanical ambient elements populate the record. Imagine a soundtrack for a time-lapse of Eraserhead‘s rotting metropolis being reclaimed by nature. That push-and-pull of disparate sounds highlights an amazing performance by engineer Michael Zech, who also produced 2017’s Exuvia. The journey culminates in the 14 minute closer “Deserts to Bind and Defeat.” Despite its length, the song seems to stop time with its tender balance of minimalist goth and raven-black doom.
Listen to The Ruins of Beverast’s The Thule Grimoires now and meet yourself in the abyss.
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