Two years ago, Green Druid came around with a debut that halfway rocked the doom scene as a whole by many accounts. Their thick sound was something that truly washed over the community in a way that most bands can only ever hope for even an inkling of in their entire run, and a follow-up is something that many who heard Green Druid in 2018 were anxiously waiting for. What I thought would’ve taken at least another year, Green Druid returns to us with an effort that is in every way a fucking massive triumph.

When it came to the lead-up to “At the Maw of Ruin”, what was there to not get excited about? Still holding a strong deal with Earache, Green Druid’s progress in their already stupendous sound was made extremely clear in the two singles that were put forth before the release of this album, the cover art is no less than fucking spectacular in every form, the band’s reputation had only risen over time, and “At the Maw of Ruin” promised us a befitting end to doom metal in 2020. Right from the beginning, Green Druid did much more than deliver the goods with this album as they did no less than kill and conquer! Everything that was presented on the band’s debut has been exponentially increased here as we see Green Druid improve upon their creation tenfold to craft an album that is not only another landmark release for them, but a doom work that is to be hailed as a magnificent effort in every right and the fact that Green Druid has accomplished that twice in just two years speaks for itself. “At the Maw of Ruin” marches forth with both imposing speed and lumbering slowness, longevity in the tracks that extend this six-track album into an over hour-long behemoth that is not to be underestimated, a dual set of vocals whose wonder and reach cannot be determined for they are truly grand in every way, and just an overall quality that washes over the absolute entirety of the six tracks to make it not only something that should be heard but something that demands to be.

If there was any doubt whatsoever that Green Druid could return to us in greater fashion than how they first came to us two years ago then it should be every single fucking inch of “At the Maw of Ruin” that should cast down any and all of those doubters once they witness the raw majesty of what has been put forth in this album. Green Druid’s name is surely one that we will keep coming back to in high reverence for years now, and I wouldn’t be shocked if somehow they even manage to top what has been done on this truly substantial record.

LISTEN to “At the Maw of Ruin” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Green Druid on Facebook here.