01. MDCCCXVI
02. Eighteen Hundred And Froze To Death
03. Lost Amidst The Unfathomable Abyss
04. Moonlit Requiem
05. Whispered Curses, Woe Unleashed
06. Crimson Seas Of Courage
07. Great Drowning Of Men
08. Fanfares
There’s no empty void under these ruins, just one of the highest quality epic heavy metal releases you’ll hear in 2025.
Formed in 2023 by members of Them and Lanfear, German group Under Ruins have now unleashed their full-length debut, Age Of The Void. Under Ruins has a style that borders between traditional heavy and power metal that’s in every sense of the word epic, similar to acts such as Warrior Path, Triumpher, Megaton Sword, Lord Goblin, and Sacred Outcry that have all recently lit up the scene. If you’re familiar with the groups mentioned, and would go as far to call yourself a fan of their styles, then I promise you’ll be in for a treat here, as Age Of The Void is not only one of the finest debut efforts of 2025 thus far, but one of the most memorable, well crafted, and well performed albums to emerge from this scene in recent years.
Over Age Of The Void‘s reasonable 45-minute duration, you can expect nothing entirely new, but it’s brimming with exciting and memorable moments nonetheless. Twin guitarists Achim Rauscher and Markus “Ulle” Ullrich provide no shortage of hooky traditional heavy guitar riffs and epically melodic solos, and once drummer Sascha de Lima Beul and bassist Alexander Palma get their hold on you that’s it, your head will start nodding away irresistibly to the blood-rushing catchy rhythm. The synths also help bring imaginative soundscapes to life. However, the real star performer is vocalist Nuno Miguel de Barros Fernandes, whose powerful, soaring, emotionally charged vocals are reminiscent of Tobias Sammet and Kai Hansen. There are several occasions in which I hear potential for him to become one of the standout vocalists in this niche, but he holds back just when you’d expect him to wail out in a passionate war-crying manner, which I know he’s certainly capable of.
This grand journey begins with a short symphonic-based cinematic intro titled “MDCCCXVI”, the powerful war drum rolls of which lead into “Eighteen Hundred And Froze To Death”. From here, the punchy riffs and adrenaline-fueled rhythm suddenly charge into action, at which point most listeners will be immediately hooked and drawn into the stirring venture that lies ahead. The chorus is backed up by secondary vocals that add a touch of epic heroism, and the album’s first exciting melodic solo appears midway. Overall, this is a great song to start to the album off, and a catchy, memorable, crowd-pleasing anthem that any fan of the genre will more than likely appreciate. Those war-like thundering drum rolls once again flow into the next song, “Lost Amidst The Unfathomable Abyss”, a track that contains even more prowess than the one before it. There are several slower paced acoustic and synth-based passages with narration that act as minor interludes, and these short moments allow the songs to regather momentum before ultimately climaxing with epic solos, an approach that is particularly well demonstrated on the closing song “Great Drowning Of Men”.
Epic heavy/power metal has come a long way in terms of production since the once-great pioneering acts such as Manowar and Manilla Road first emerged, and Age Of The Void‘s refined and polished approach is testament to that. While some traditionalists might argue that the more primitive production of old contributed to the old-school charm of that golden era, I personally feel these more modern standards are a step in right direction, and Under Ruins have proven they can produce something just as powerful and memorable as what the classic bands delivered. After such an impressive debut, Under Ruins join the growing number of promising acts that are breathing new life into a scene that was on the verge of growing stale not so long ago; I can’t wait for their sophomore, which I suspect will be equally as epic.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 5 |
| Production: | 9 |
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Written on 19.05.2025 by
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