Live Review: Saor - Rebellion, Manchester
14th March 2025
Support: Cistvaen and Oakenthrone
Words : Oli Gonzalez
Almost two years since they last ventured south of the border to Manchester, Scotland’s Saor would return to the city. On that night in July 2024, they celebrated 10 years of their seminal album “Aura” with a full album play through at Rebellion. Since then, the band added “Amidst The Ruins” to that discography, an album which built on their firm atmospheric black metal roots and added even more depth and variety to their sound with the inclusion of the ethereal vocals of Ella and Nicolas’ guitar skills. This would be the first time the city of Manchester would bear witness to these tracks; how would those in attendance respond? Firstly though, two of the UK’s finest underground black metal acts to open things up…
Six weeks since Oakenthrone’s last appearance at Rebellion when they opened up what was essentially a death metal all dayer. Tonight though, they had homefield advantage as part of a black metal lineup, and looking a lot more comfortable. They’ve invested heavily in their guitar tones and offered an aesthetically pleasing take on atmospheric black metal. Whilst they maintained a swift pace throughout, they ventured into the realms of doom metal with slower yet no less impactful waves of immersive atmosphere. The minimal crowd interaction and some technical issues (guitarist cutting out a few times) seem like issues that will eventually fade as they gain more confidence and continue to cut their teeth in the live arena.
From the deepest depths of the South West, Cistvaen don’t come to Manchester often. Based on tonight, they should come more often as the appetite for their interpretation of black metal is certainly there within the city. A interpretation that blends the speed and crunch of classic heavy metal with the huge atmospheric soundscapes of black metal. As well as more complex and challenging song structures. Visually, they’re a lot more flamboyant than the genre generally dictates too, with front man Guy being the confident extraverted frontman we didn’t know we needed. Case in point when the band’s drummer suffered some minor technical difficulties, he managed to keep the crowd engaged when the set momentarily stopped. Though us Brits love it when things go belly up, and guy kept the crowd engaged and helped us all to see the funny side to it. The final two songs ‘Bleak House’ and ‘Time, The Mournful’ received huge ovations when they were announced. Who’d have thought they’d be so well received? More reason for Cistvaen to return to Manchester!
We’ve seen the name crop up on black metal lineups and festivals across the country…and for good reason. They’re bloody good at what they do!
Finally, our headline act. Slightly earlier than advertised but nobody was complaining one bit! It had been fairly spacious near the front but visibly busier by time Andy Marshall and co had taken to the stage.
“We will rise! From the ashes!”
Saor were deep into the “Amidst The Ruins” album cycle and the world had had over a year to become accustomed to this. Which is why many could be seen singing along to this ever powerful vocal line uttered by Andy from the album’s title track, a line he always roars with the utmost vigor and passion. Juxtaposing with his roars, Ella’s ethereal and enchanting cleaner vocals have become almost symbiotic with Saor’s sound now, and it’s hard to imagine the band without her. Every time she emerged from the shadows of the back of the stage to the front and center, she received a superstars welcome and huge ovation. Talk about star power! Some bands would opt for the lazy option of putting the tin whistles and uillean pipes through a backing track. There’s no substitute for the real thing though, as Saor have proved time and time again! They form part of an ever complex sound that ensured the crew behind Saor had well and truly earned their fees.
The set was dominated by songs from “Amidst The Ruins” though older material made it’s way into the song list. 50 minutes felt far too short of a set though, and when the band walked off stage, something wasn’t right. Unfinished. Not complete. Kind of like Slayer not playing ‘Reigning Blood’ or Judas priest omitting ‘Breaking The Law’. Though it wasn’t before Saor returned to the stage. Things felt right again. Then it began.
Their ‘Reigning Blood’.
Their seminal hit.
‘Aura’.
If you’ve got time for only Saor song, listen to ‘Aura’. It sums up everything wonderful about them. Better yet, come and feel it live and in the flesh, an experience which far transcends the limitations of the digital realm and become immersed in wave after immersive wave of atmospheric black metal played by one of the true masters of the genre. This cannot be downloaded nor experienced digital. Saor are a band that need to be felt and experienced in person!
