Exclusive Track Premiere: Altar of Betelgeuze, “Among the Ruins”

Finnish metallers Altar of Betelgeuse are back with a new song that continues their brand of slowly churned, deliberate doom metal. “Among the Ruins” is a plodding experiment that requires patience, but it pays off at multiple points; it’s also the title-track of their upcoming album.

I could spend plenty of time telling you about what they remind me of  — North, While Heaven Wept, Ahab, Crypt Sermon — but upon consecutive listens I think the most impressive aspect of this band is their progression: it’s logical. Altar of Betelgeuse are a band that sounds like they have a grasp on the material that came before them, and that’s commendable, but they also want to push that material forward into a direction that feels at home in the cold atmosphere of the track.

It isn’t perfect — there are a few parts that have been drawn out a little too much — but everything has its ups and downs. The tune is still noteworthy, and if it’s at all reflective of their upcoming album as a whole it’s paving the way for something awesome.

As usual you can stream the track below. Look for Altar of Betelgeuse’s new album Among the Ruins when it’s released on April 15th, and if you dig what you’re hearing you can pre-order it right here.