COR SCORPII – Ruins

 
Label: Dark Essence Records
Release: June 15, 2018
By: Stormlord
Rating: 9/10
Time: 53:50
Style: Black Metal
URL: Cor Scorpii
 

A decade has passed since the first stroke of genius called Monument, but COR SCORPII have not forgotten anything in these 10 years. Ruins captivates and engrosses in its multi-layered, atmospheric nature from the very beginning.
In the opener Svart Blod (Hovmod Star For Fall) you find yourself in a wonderfully opulent world of sound. Elegiac riffs, rapidly attacking black metal, enigmatic melodies, beautiful harmonies to die for, varied vocals (intensive screeching, choral singing, clear female voice), enriching keyboards and dynamic tempo variations let the nine minutes of the epic piece pass by as if in a glimpse. 
Even in a more direct and aggressive way, the sextet makes an excellent figure at Hjarteorm, because bold rocking passages and discreet symphonic additions are integrated into the driving basic rhythms. The unbelievably sensitive feeling for the combination of aggressive metal and heroic chants shows itself even better in the wider pieces like Skuggevandrar; here a wonderfully sparkling piano motif appears and lets the sun rise. Sometimes the musicians also go to work very gently and quietly, in order to let a mighty thundering part off the leash after the rest phase or to strike off surprisingly hard. 
Sublime, sometimes sad leads constantly run through the lovingly detailed compositions, along with stomping parts that grip you irresistibly by the neck during Fotefar, before the listener is awe-struck a little later again because of the wonderful guitars. If Thyrfing or Moonsorrow is one of your favorites, these hearty pieces will take your heart by storm!
This feeling of standing on a mountain and letting your gaze wander over a fjord very often comes up when listening to these ice-cold and at the same time epically sweeping songs. Slowly the goose bumps trickle down your back when keyboard swabs flash through frosty blastbeats or long-drawn leads break the inferno. Furious strings enrich the rapid and truly intoxicating Ærelaus towards the end, before the concluding Siste Dans asks for the last dance. For ten minutes the band pulls out all the stops of their really extraordinary talent. An accordion is also used here, but there are no funny humppa platitudes. Delicate female vocals meet fast passages, brisk speed duels with heroic keyboards, intuitive leads provide a pinch of melancholy. From a restrained part rises a damn detailed final, which in all dignity but by no means false modesty brings a touching, multi-layered album to a successful conclusion. 
Authentic and by no means drifting towards kitsch, COR SCORPII serve us on Ruins eight Nordic hymns, which evoke both wistful emotions and combative aggressiveness. This is how first-class Folk-Black-Metal sounds like!