Saturno – Thou Art All (Ungodly Ruins Productions)
Friday, 14th October 2016
Interesting how some bands can just show up out of nowhere and toss a brutal wallop at the listener. Italian brutal/technical death metal act Saturno do exactly that on their first EP, Thou Art All, which is a concept album that focuses on Trimurti – the trinity of the supreme God of Hinduism (made up of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer).
Falling squarely into the technical realm of bands such as Spawn of Possession, Obscura, and Gorguts, Saturno execute this particular sound with frantic speed but significant restraint. If that sounds like an oxymoron, it’s only because Saturno could easily be one of those bands that blast from beginning to end, knocking over everything in their path, but instead add some slower or groove-based riffs in to mix it up (“Devotion”). The variation keeps the band sounding fresh, as does the very tight-knit songwriting. With each track only hitting the 3-minute mark, they manage to do more in that timespan than many accomplish in twice that time. They effectively strip the fat from each of the five tracks to leave you with a dizzying technical riff-fest that stands the effective test of time due to some massive grooves that make sure things stay rather brutal (see “Preserver”). Rounded out by a strong bass presence and some fittingly low growls that suit the devastating mood.
While it may show some influences on the sleeves, this initial offering from Saturno is no less impressive for it. Their ability to create some dynamite riffing structures and have it all work in shorter time frames gives the impression that Saturno is on track to really wow with their first full-length album. A band to keep your eyes out for.
