Saor - Caledonia (2026)

Hailing from Scotland, Saor has carved a very unique path delivering some impressive Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal releases over the years. With “Caledonia”, the band revisits its first three albums with re-recorded songs from them. Bringing some of their earlier works into their more refined and cohesive sound of today, allows mastermind Andy Marshall to make them sound better than ever while keeping their original naivete alongside his current experience and polish.

Opening with “Aura”, this release sets a pummeling pace thanks to its ravishing guitars and dreamy wind instruments. Setting a super high bar with this opener, it is clear that this release will be more than just some extra flowers on the same songs. “The Awakening” and “Carved in Stone” are next, delivering more waves of blistering drumming and the lush violins and atmospheric clean vocals, alongside their bright folky vibes. The arrangement of how the songs are ordered in this release makes them flow naturally and very effectively.

For those with more Folk Metal tendencies, “Hearth” is masterfully revisited with its lush instrumentation and lavish vocal arrangements. We particularly enjoy how the song allows for melody alongside its heavier onslaughts, creating a very powerful duality. Headbanging at a furious pace, “Tears of A Nation” closes this release with its powerful melodic guitars and intricate leads, interweaving traditional instruments with the band’s harsh vocals and distorted guitars, in very cathartic ways.

As a whole, “Caledonia” is more than your average re-release, it actually brings the band’s roots into their current status quo. Andy Marshall has grown as a musician and songwriter over the years and this release masterfully reflects that. While some might enjoy the original recordings for what they meant at the time they came out, these re-recordings are just here to amplify the Saor experience, keeping the fans satisfied and the lurkers at bay.

Rating: 95/100