Written by The Melting Snow on 02.12.2012 at 08:50

Yup, do try it. great compositions, riffs, solos and atmosphere throughout.

Though the rating will fall once the fans of other albums in the top 20 of the year come along

Will do. And yes, it has already started :O

Saturnus can record those leads over fart noises and it won't matter. I think the brilliant songwriting compensates for the lack of variation in the album.

Written by Erik M. on 02.12.2012 at 15:53

I have a question (I'll delete this post when someone has answered me): is the 9th track on the regular edition of the album or not? Can't find information on the internet about this at all. Thanks in advance.

According to this file, the 9th track will be available on the Limited First Edition Digi-CD & DLP: http://www.targetdistribution.dk/saturnus/doc/bio.pdf

The guitar solo of Forest of Insomnia... uffff, one of the more emotional solos i've ever heard. can't stop listening.

I love this album right from the beginning. But I must say the bonus track is completely inadequate, and unnecessary.

Written by Dark Forever on 03.12.2012 at 02:34

According to this file, the 9th track will be available on the Limited First Edition Digi-CD & DLP: http://www.targetdistribution.dk/saturnus/doc/bio.pdf

Thanks for the info.

Written by Guest on 03.12.2012 at 11:34

i highly doubt you'll love that track, its death metal from their first demo, no melancholic and relaxing atmospheres.

I see, I didn't know it was pure death metal. Well, in that case I guess I'll buy it. I can always listen to that bonus track on Youtube anyway.

The 9th track is more in the vein of Katatonia's debut rather than Pure Death Metal imo.

Written by InnerSelf on 03.12.2012 at 17:25

The 9th track is more in the vein of Katatonia's debut rather than Pure Death Metal imo.

I listened to it and I think it's pretty good (though the production is quite bad). Dance of December Souls is an excellent album, so it might not be very strange that I like it.

Written by Erik M. on 03.12.2012 at 19:12

Written by InnerSelf on 03.12.2012 at 17:25

The 9th track is more in the vein of Katatonia's debut rather than Pure Death Metal imo.

I listened to it and I think it's pretty good (though the production is quite bad). Dance of December Souls is an excellent album, so it might not be very strange that I like it.

If it's indeed from one of the Assesino-era demos then it's 15+ years old or so, so it's not weird that the production is not great. I don't think I'd listen to this track every time I play the album but it's cool nonetheless.

This album sounds more 90s than the debut actually released in the 90s. That's my only opinion so far.

Written by Erik M. on 02.12.2012 at 15:45

Written by peggazuzz on 02.12.2012 at 15:15

Listening to Wind Torn ( my first listen to the new album), and I realise I am really saturated by Saturnus' use of spoken verse passages. It's getting a bit tedious, something I felt since the Martyr album. Especially because he has a very boring, flat voice in these passages. How about trying to...sing a bit? Is this as predominant on the entire album?

I think those spoken parts are great personally. Thomas has a great voice, he can whisper softly, do nice clean vocals, good shouts and growls... he can pretty much do anything with his voice. If you only like their debut (which happens to be my favourite too), Saturnus might not be your type of band. Though if you only dislike the spoken parts, then that's probably not the case.

1. This is definitely my type of band. I love gothic doom, and I bought Paradise... upon its release in 1996.
2. Paradise is the best album, Veronica also very good.
3. I have no problem with spoken vocals. Nevertheless, aforementioned vocals ARE boring imo. F. ex Draconian do them better(not saying its a better band)
4. Thomas can not do "anything" with his voice. At least he has yet to prove it. What I heard is growl and talk, and the half-melodic Darren White(ex anathema) growls which were predominant on Martyre, which I think are plain ugly. I have yet to hear some singing, apart from some backing vocals on Martyre. I think Thomas exploring that side would give the band an extra dimension. Or, if you want to keep the spoken passages, do them a little more inspired.

Written by peggazuzz on 05.12.2012 at 16:01

1. This is definitely my type of band. I love gothic doom, and I bought Paradise... upon its release in 1996.
2. Paradise is the best album, Veronica also very good.
3. I have no problem with spoken vocals. Nevertheless, aforementioned vocals ARE boring imo. F. ex Draconian do them better(not saying its a better band)
4. Thomas can not do "anything" with his voice. At least he has yet to prove it. What I heard is growl and talk, and the half-melodic Darren White(ex anathema) growls which were predominant on Martyre, which I think are plain ugly. I have yet to hear some singing, apart from some backing vocals on Martyre. I think Thomas exploring that side would give the band an extra dimension. Or, if you want to keep the spoken passages, do them a little more inspired.

When that album got released I didn't even know metal existed Anyway, I actually think Saturnus does spoken vocals way better than Draconian. I don't even like the Draconian songs with only spoken vocals (I always skip those). Lastly, I said Thomas can do "pretty much" anything with his voice, implying he can do a lot with his voice. Though I see you don't like some vocal styles that are featured on the different albums. I'm not overly fond of his shouting growls either, but on a song like A Father's Providence it's great (but some other songs could do without them).

Two days ago, I recommended this album to my uncle. now it's his facebook status :
"Last night I went to the forest of insomnia, my wife woke me up, she told me I was growling in my sleep!! It must be the new CD I listen to in my car .... "

Written by Guest on 05.12.2012 at 20:50

oh come on, Draconian does spoken vocals better than Saturnus! I know its a matter of taste, but still nah nah,.
I agree with Emol only that i like his shouted growls too, i infact enjoy all his vocal styles.

Yep, it's a matter of taste. I'm not saying Draconian's spoken vocals are bad, but I just don't like them at all. I'm talking about songs like Expostulation and September Ashes.

Written by Guest on 05.12.2012 at 21:07

sweet jesus, i mixed that up. I meant to say saturnus are better. Draconian i just enjoyed their 1st 2 albums.

I think their first two albums are definitely their best, though I still enjoyed the 3rd album a lot too. The 4th one was definitely less great and I still haven't heard the 5th album (which I'll buy at some point when it's really cheap, like 5-6 euros).

Written by Guest on 05.12.2012 at 21:24

btw i admire you principle of buying albums. Ah, if you didn't know, doom-metal.com has a forum where albums bands have offered for free download are featured. Personaly i'm discovering lots of amazing less known doom bands via that thread.

Thanks for the link. I didn't know that website. And about the album buying thing, I used to almost blindly buy albums, but since a few years (MS helped a lot too due to their ratings) I'll only buy albums before I've at least heard a song or two from the album (Youtube), along with reading reviews (or just the scores), so I'm not throwing my money away (since I'm still a student, I don't have a ton of it (yet )).

The six year wait is finally over and Saturnus does not disappoint. The things that I have come to like about the bands music throughout the years is luckily still present. That mainly being a melancholic atmosphere accompanied by Thomas A.G Jensen's characteristic deep growls as well as expressive and dynamic guitar lines.

I actually found this album to be slightly more enjoyable than Veronika Decides to Die which I thought was a bit too uneven as a whole. That being said, Saturn In Ascension is not without its flaws. The, in my opinion, forced and horrible "shouted" vocals are unfortunately used, although only in one of the songs this time around which I can definatively live with. Also, I am not a huge fan of the spoken passages and especially not when they seem to go on forver like in "Call of the Raven Moon". In the end though, this is all nitpicking for a really solid album that will surely keep me company a lot during the cold winter ahead.

I have no words for this.

Forest Of Insomnia defeated me, crushingly.

Veronika... was great, but this album is a masterpiece of doom.

Listen it at night, with your eyes closed, alone.

Written by chrisʇrenounced on 07.12.2012 at 08:34

but the growls kinda take away from the atmostphere that they come so infinitely close to creating. Some higher pitched type vocals would for sure fit this band better.

I agree with the vocals thing... The atmosphere, riffs, solos, lyrics of this album are near perfect... but the vocals dampen my excitement everytime. the clean passages are good, but the suppressed grunt just doens't fit well with me.

A combination of Saturnus' clean vocals and Draconian's or My Dying Bride's harsh vocals would be perfect to go with this type of music

I haven't actually heard this album yet, I really need to get my copy soon! Should be good based on the positive comments here.

Written by Guest on 05.12.2012 at 19:11

Two days ago, I recommended this album to my uncle. now it's his facebook status :
"Last night I went to the forest of insomnia, my wife woke me up, she told me I was growling in my sleep!! It must be the new CD I listen to in my car .... "

That is fucking sweet!

Well, listened to this yesterday. Not my thing, as expected. Soooooooo slooooooow. Doom metal and I just don't get along. I can take a bit of Esoteric, that's about it I think. Sorry doom fans, I apologize

Written by tea[m]ster on 08.12.2012 at 14:47

Well, listened to this yesterday. Not my thing, as expected. Soooooooo slooooooow. Doom metal and I just don't get along. I can take a bit of Esoteric, that's about it I think. Sorry doom fans, I apologize

Esoteric is more extreme doom than Saturnus, so I'm surprised you like it more. This has way more variety than something as crushing and monotonous as Esoteric (that's what I think of that band at this moment, after hearing a couple of songs).

Written by Erik M. on 08.12.2012 at 16:25

Esoteric is more extreme doom than Saturnus, so I'm surprised you like it more. This has way more variety than something as crushing and monotonous as Esoteric (that's what I think of that band at this moment, after hearing a couple of songs).

I like it more because it's more atmospheric? Hmmm, crushing and monotonous : adjectives that sometimes are used to describe my favorite genre, post metal. Coincidence?

Written by tea[m]ster on 08.12.2012 at 16:34

I like it more because it's more atmospheric? Hmmm, crushing and monotonous : adjectives that sometimes are used to describe my favorite genre, post metal. Coincidence?

Hehe, probably not a coincidence. I guess that explains it then. I like atmospheric doom (gothic and black) a lot too, but I'm not really into funeral doom (yet), too monotonous for my taste.

Written by Erik M. on 08.12.2012 at 16:40

Hehe, probably not a coincidence. I guess that explains it then. I like atmospheric doom (gothic and black) a lot too, but I'm not really into funeral doom (yet), too monotonous for my taste.

Ya, atmospheric black metal is a something I've been getting into. I am not a black metal fan either but when it's done with post/sludge/atmospheric style elements I really like it. Wolves In The Throne Room come to mind.

Sorry to carry on the off-topic discussion but Esoteric are everything but monotonous to my ears.

Written by InnerSelf on 08.12.2012 at 23:49

Sorry to carry on the off-topic discussion but Esoteric are everything but monotonous to my ears.

Really? I listened to the song Circle a couple of times and found it to be rather monotonous. I guess I'll have to give it another shot soon, though I have to be honest funeral doom doesn't appeal as much to me as other subgenres do.

Written by Guest on 05.12.2012 at 20:50

Written by Erik M. on 05.12.2012 at 17:57

Written by peggazuzz on 05.12.2012 at 16:01

1. This is definitely my type of band. I love gothic doom, and I bought Paradise... upon its release in 1996.
2. Paradise is the best album, Veronica also very good.
3. I have no problem with spoken vocals. Nevertheless, aforementioned vocals ARE boring imo. F. ex Draconian do them better(not saying its a better band)
4. Thomas can not do "anything" with his voice. At least he has yet to prove it. What I heard is growl and talk, and the half-melodic Darren White(ex anathema) growls which were predominant on Martyre, which I think are plain ugly. I have yet to hear some singing, apart from some backing vocals on Martyre. I think Thomas exploring that side would give the band an extra dimension. Or, if you want to keep the spoken passages, do them a little more inspired.

When that album got released I didn't even know metal existed Anyway, I actually think Saturnus does spoken vocals way better than Draconian. I don't even like the Draconian songs with only spoken vocals (I always skip those). Lastly, I said Thomas can do "pretty much" anything with his voice, implying he can do a lot with his voice. Though I see you don't like some vocal styles that are featured on the different albums. I'm not overly fond of his shouting growls either, but on a song like A Father's Providence it's great (but some other songs could do without them).

oh come on, Saturnus does spoken vocals better than Draconian! I know its a matter of taste, but still nah nah,.
I agree with Emol only that i like his shouted growls too, i infact enjoy all his vocal styles.

Listened to the album now, and it is definitely good. 10 years ago I would have drooled all over it before i gobbled it up, but now... I feel I need some more variations in theme and tempo..So it may be its me, and not them.
When it comes to vocals, I stay unswayed. Thomas is not a great singer, compared to others out there. The shouting as I mentioned is hideous, the growling ok, although he has very strange pronunciation when growls, "braills and broills and groills" (haha so hard it must be to growl, and still getting criticized by sticklers like me, sorry Thomas) and the spoken parts already covered.(still I been a fan for 15 years) But opinions are like assholes undoubtedly, and this one has said his for now, and SIA is definitely going to get some more air time here this advent.

Written by Erik M. on 09.12.2012 at 21:09

Written by InnerSelf on 08.12.2012 at 23:49

Sorry to carry on the off-topic discussion but Esoteric are everything but monotonous to my ears.

Really? I listened to the song Circle a couple of times and found it to be rather monotonous. I guess I'll have to give it another shot soon, though I have to be honest funeral doom doesn't appeal as much to me as other subgenres do.

I recommend giving Esoteric's music as much time as you can, cause when it finally clicks it is really rewarding