Review by Nekrist
The Ruins of Beverast – Tempelschlaf
Record Label: Ván Records
Year: 2026
Rating: 9/10
2025 was a year that definitely featured some incredibly high-quality releases, a real feast for me as a fan of extreme and powerfully charged music. Driven by my insatiable desire to discover more and keep a close eye on bands that have already proven they know exactly what they’re doing, I saw that Alexander von Meilenwald’s project, The Ruins of Beverast, had finally announced the release of a new full-length album titled “Tempelschlaf.”
The Ruins of Beverast, with their masterpiece “Exuvia,” left me completely speechless with its compositional quality and the complexity of its nuances and meticulous arrangements. After listening to that marvelous album, I knew I was in the presence of one of the most prolific extreme metal projects of our time, with a very unique style that combines elements from different metal genres and a variety of musical styles ranging from World Music to gothic, ambient, and psychedelic elements.
The Ruins of Beverast
Alexander von Meilenwald returns this year with his latest work through Ván Records. “Tempelschlaf” is a true masterclass in Extreme Metal, showcasing the most varied and virtuosic style to be found among the multitude of high-level music around the world. It is undoubtedly among the highlights of the year so far.
“Tempelschlaf” takes us on a journey through a wide range of emotions, landscapes, and settings. One could say that this album is the direct (or at least spiritual) continuation of his previous work, “The Thule Grimoires,” which, while not my favorite in The Ruins of Beverast’s catalog, I still consider a very noteworthy record. By “direct continuation,” I don’t mean it’s “The Thule Grimoires 2.0.” On the contrary, it’s a development and evolution of the sound presented on the aforementioned album, perfecting everything that work introduced in 2021. The gothic and ambient elements are now much more prominent, with Paradise Lost being the first reference that came to mind while listening to “Tempelschlaf.” Blut aus Nord is another project with which I found a strong resemblance in terms of atmosphere and ambient passages. The choirs and clean vocals were quite memorable and epic, with those previously mentioned gothic touches that can even be reminiscent of Sisters of Mercy or the legendary Fields of the Nephilim. The riffs are as powerful and ruthless as ever, oscillating between Doom and the characteristic tremolo of Black Metal, with occasional “Rockier” elements that add a very enjoyable touch at various points in the songs throughout this musical journey. Mr. Alexander’s voice is undoubtedly at its peak, and his songwriting skills have developed immensely, with “Tempelschlaf” being the clearest example of this.
The Ruins of Beverast have always been characterized by a progressive feel that evolves, guiding us through multiple ideas in each song, and this time they have more than perfected the formula they had been developing since “Exuvia.” I must admit that the first time I heard it, it didn’t completely grab me, but as I listened to it more and more, I gradually began to understand the ideas behind “Tempelschlaf,” finding new nuances in every corner that I meticulously explored each time I pressed the “play” button.
Without a doubt, this album will be one of my candidates for the best of 2026, and it’s already among my favorites. The Ruins of Beverast is a record that requires a lot of patience and attention to be properly enjoyed and appreciated in its entirety, and it has raised the standards previously achieved with earlier works considerably. It’s an excellent exercise in Modern Metal in its purest and most developed expression.