Selvans - Saturnalia - review
Selvans - Saturnalia - review
Tracklist
01. Necromilieu02. Il Mio Maleficio V'incalzerà!
03. Madre Dei Tormenti
04. Pantàfica
05. Il Capro Infuocato
06. Fonte Dei Diavoli
A review by
AndyMetalFreak February 07, 2025
Selvans is an intriguing Italian folkish atmospheric black band originally established by Luca Del Re (Selvans Haruspex) after the break-up of his former band Draugr in 2014. The new project originally set out as a duo, but following the departure of Alessandro Coletti (Sethlans Fulguriator), and with the assistance of several session musicians, Selvans has remained the sole project of Selvans Haruspex ever since 2019. The band developed quite an unorthodox style, which they've self-described as "Dark Italian Art". Throughout their relatively short discography you'll hear an extraordinary blend of black metal, traditional Italian folk music, and 70s progressive rock, with themes mostly inspired by Italian folklore, mythology, and dark cultural heritage.
Now, let's bring you up to date with the band's third full-length release Saturnalia, once again mastermind by Selvans Haruspex, who provides his expertise in both vocals and keyboards. Here he is also accompanied by several session musicians, including Chris D'Onofrio (guitars), Agares (bass), Marco Berrettoni (drums), and Antonio Scelzi (additional lead guitars). Through its 6 songs and approximately 40 minutes, this latest offering features a full orchestra and choir for the first time. Not only that, it's also been announced that this will be the final chapter in a trilogy (Lupercalia - Faunalia - Saturnalia), and will also likely spell the end for Selvans, so it's important that they finish their 10-year spell on a high.
As I mentioned earlier, Selvans's approach in style is an unorthodox one, meaning they're not a band you'd necessarily fit into a single metal category. Saturnalia is no exception in that regard, as it merges quite a hefty amount of genres and styles; you'll hear 70s-style progressive rock keyboards in the vein of Yes and outbursts of classic hard rock solos alongside ferocious blackened tremolos. Traditional folk instruments also still feature on the album, although they're not as common of an element as on previous offerings, as they tend to only spontaneously appear on songs such as "Pantàfica". However, whereas the band's previous albums featured a substantial amount of atmospheric black material, this record has noticeably stripped back on those elements. One of the main factors shaping the band's new style is the symphonic arrangements, with the sound of an entire orchestra and choir present behind the instrumentation throughout the majority of the album. This decision to draw back from the atmospheric black roots and opt for a heavier symphonic approach is particularly evident on the song "Madre Dei Tormenti", which sounds very much like listening to a dark Italian operatic performance rather than anything resembling black metal.
Selvans have always had a unique style and approach of their own, but even by this band's standards, Saturnalia has a real sense of freshness and originality, it's unlike anything you'll likely hear in 2025. This new direction may not suit every listener, though; while the orchestrations create an interesting cinematic backdrop, it seems to be the key element for which the album based on. The shortage of folk-tinged atmospheric black metal is clearly noticeable, and you could say is controversial in its relative absence. Despite the songwriting being interestingly varied and unpredictable, meaning you never really know what's coming next, the song structures themselves often feel disjointed and short of memorable melodies, and the redundancy of the band's dark mysterious atmosphere and blackened ferocity of old is going to have a major effect on those who've taken to the band's previous albums.
If this is to be the final part to the trilogy, and even the final album for Selvans, I wouldn't necessarily say they've gone out on a high, but rather with something to be remembered for in its uniqueness. Just maybe Selvans Haruspex has taken the project a tad too far from it roots this time, but even so, Saturnalia has certainly been a bold move forward and commendable effort all round regardless.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 6 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 6 |
Written on 07.02.2025 by
Written on 07.02.2025 by
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