Saturnus - Veronika Decides to Die (2006)
©Firebox Records
Denmark
Tracklist:
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I Long (10:54)
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Pretend (6:26)
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Descending (9:05)
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Rain Wash Me (7:23)
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All Alone (6:19)
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Embraced by Darkness (6:45)
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To the Dreams (5:48)
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Murky Waters (6:40)
Saturnus, the Danish sextet, formed in 1991 has had a continuos history of band member changes. Having a rather distinctive sound, quality, and strengthening foothold in the Doom Metal industry, the band sadly ended up calling it quits before they had the opportunity to become even greater than their potential. However, the tides have turned and so have Saturnus. Their recent reassembly and production of their latest album proves to be a glorious return on a sorrow stricken chariot. Alas, they prove that bands are still capable of making doom metal how it is mean to sound. "Veronika Decides to Die" does so masterfully; sounding like the way its genre is meant to be.
The conceptual upbringings of "Veronika Decides to Die" are loosely associated with a novel of the same title by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. Much like the themes of Saturnus' work, the novel focuses on the fascination and experience of doom, death, despair, pain, fear, anguish, questioning, and loneliness. The album artwork distinctively sets itself apart from all other artists, coming from the mind of the ingenious Travis Smith. Alone, it allows one to visualize depressive rumination associated with a variety of negative symptoms of mental illness.
The album is packed chalk full of gorgeous piano passages, slow paced mellow guitar riffs, savory clean melodic guitar moments, sluggish tuff drumming, powerful and appropriately affective baritone growls, and gloomy atmosphere. Throughout, an essential ambience is exceptionally incorporated into the illustrious doom gloom. One could easily sit back, relax, and lose themself in its ferocious yet subtle lull.
The whirling meandering guitar riffs accompanied by poetic spoken vocals followed by marvelous growls will draw you in. The keyboard passages nearly restrain you in limbo, only again to provide an opening for the tracks to explode in your face. The band makes very nice work of well, everything. All of the tracks truly suite the feeling previously presented.
I am not saying that Saturnus is the only band out there capable of being the desirable essence of this metal genre (ex: Daylight Dies, Swallow the Sun, etc.). It just seems that "Veronika Decides to Die" has the upper hand on this one, standing out above the rest. Clearly this band’s major influences are My Dying Bride and Anathema. Others listed by band members also include: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Joe Satriani, Pink floyd, Type O Negative, Slayer, Katatonia, Dark Tranquillity, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Jeff Buckley, Tool and Johnny Cash. If you tend to favor any of the above descriptions, as well as the several cited bands Saturnus tend to favor, then I would highly recommend that you grab a copy of this album. It could very well be one of your best music decisions.
Heed this warning. Prepare to be consumed by a veil of gloom and darkness that will shroud and consume you. But fear not! It is one that you will certainly enjoy and ironically, love
-Joel
