Review: “Always Heading East” by Old Ruins

“The lyrics refer lyrically to the Videogame classic Diablo from Blizzard. The dark atmosphere of the game has always fascinated the band members. It’s hard to say whether the tragic story without a happy ending, or the desolate landscapes on “Always Heading East” were the main inspiration, but when you close your eyes and put the record on, you really dive into the story of the dark wanderer. Those who are not versed in the history of the video game can still immerse themselves in the dark musical world of the album and enjoy the atmospheric Black Metal sound” ~ Old Ruins

Originally formed as a Black Metal studio project in Gelsenkirchen Germany by vocalist and guitarist Christian Krajewski and drummer Alexander Czernik circa 2019 before evolving into a dark force to be reckoned with as their ideas took to flight, Old Ruins line up was fleshed out by guitarist Ersin Kara and bassist Oliver Krajewski as they completed their self titled debut EP in August 2020. For that record the band created a dark, very atmospheric sound which while rooted in Black Metal also has influences from Heavy, Doom and Melodic Metal and three years on they return with an album mixed and mastered by Michael Streckbein (Lastry, Acacia Grove, Past And Secrets) at Vyrah Studios…

There can be no doubt as it to the reference material offering plenty of rich minerals to be mined and with “Always Heading East” the band face Mephisto, the Lord of Hate, Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto and Queen of the Succubi, Tathamet, a seven-headed dragon and Baal the Lord of Destruction during their epic creations. The beauty of the record however is that you don’t have to know the realm of Diablo to be able to enjoy it. A 60 seconds or so of spoken word introduces “The Dark Wanderer“, title refences the Prince Aidan of Khanduras and introduces him as character in this story in masterful fashion as if written by Blizzard themselves. The band bring ethnic tinged riffage that feels more in the realms of Doom tinged Traditional Heavy Metal rather than Black Metal with Christian Krajewski’s scorching vocals the heaviest single element of the soundscape, the rich melodies giving the track the warmth of the early morning sun over the barren desert. It has to be said for this cut the lyrical narrative and the way its constructed gives it an air of Power Metal, something that continues into “Tristram“, a tale of a small town now in ruins and the violence that occurred there. Despite being shrouded in a cloak of darker atmospheres there is a real sense of epic majesty on cuts like “The Desert Sands” which has a tasteful solo at its beating black heart and it’s not until the fourth track “Risen From The Grave” that any blast beats rise to the surface. They’re fleeting and reserved during an seven minute magnum opus that has a scream-a-long chorus and another masterfully executed melodic solo as its grand finale. Sorter and tighter than the original rendition, the clean and crisp drum sound gives it more edge.

A dark melancholia gives “The Fallen Temple” a different dynamic while a couple of slick transitions and some deeper, darker backing vocals add a weight to the track that isn’t present on the earlier ones. It almost feels like there is a hidden meaning underneath the surface of Christian Krajewski’s vocals with a fresh emotive quality rising to the surface from the black depths, something which works very well. While it takes a little time to warm up, the grand finale of “Mephisto” is well worth the wait as expansive instrumental passages culminate in a symphony of destruction. There are a few places where the guitar work could be bolstered by synths if the band wanted to go down a symphonic route in future works, the bands dynamic certainly lending itself to that. The beast roars upon “Lord Of Hell” with the band becoming more of a force of nature in the powerful first half, a melodic break then making way for a ripper of a solo accompanied by jackhammer footwork. Conjuring something that befitting of the title of the track and the lore on which its based, this one is the band at their heaviest and rightly so. Evil laughter and melodic piano bring “Sescheron” to a close, closing the chapter on this tale of war between Humans and Demons lead by Diablo himself with a theatrical moment that isn’t to be found elsewhere… [7/10]

Track Listing

1. The Dark Wanderer
2. Tristram
3. The Desert Sands
4. Risen From The Grave
5. The Fallen Temple
6. Mephisto
7. Lord Of Hell
8. Sescheron

“Always Heading East” by Old Ruins is out 15th September 2023 via Doc Gator Records and maybe available over at bandcamp.