Saturnus

Veronica Decides To Die

Written by: PP on 22/05/2006 10:27:26

Five years in the making, Danish doom-metal band Saturnus' new album "Veronika Decides To Die" is everything you would expect an album to be when it's been this long in the works. It's majestic, it's grand, it's complex and daunting - it is far too seldom one comes across a piece as well produced and well put together as Saturnus' third full length album over their 15 year long career as the best Doom metal band Denmark has ever produced.

"Veronica Decides To Die" is an hour's worth of the best doom metal you'll ever come across. Thomas Jensen's versatile growling/singing capability creates atmospheres that are both daunting and romantic at the same time. Imagine someone standing in a church silently speaking, then imagine someone deeply growling in the same, echoing church-like atmosphere, before shifting into a mixture of melodic growling and shouting. All of this gives the album class and substance that no other band than Opeth is able to produce. The promo sheet suggests what should be obvious with music as artistic and deep as this: 'Light a candle, sit on your best lounge-chair and allow the album to lead you to places where you've never been before' - and indeed, it doesn't get any more atmoshperic and mood-setting as this. It's great to relax and allow the music paint the scenery in your mind and take distance from it to see it in its full lavishness.

It's hard to talk about other elements on the album than the astonishing guitar solos, the slow tempo or the distinct vocal work of Thomas, because these three factors alone would make this a near grade 10 album, but when considering the rest of the instruments they are correspondingly great. It's equally hard to make it past half-way of the album without being overwhelmed by its grandeur and its utter magnificence. "Veronica Decides To Die" is a true masterpiece; it is one of those that will give you the chills the first time you listen to it, and will still give you the chills in 10 years time when you'll be remembering this as the culmination of the Danish doom-metal scene. Best album of 2006? Too early to tell but this will be among the nominations by the end of the year.

Download: Pretend
For the fans of: My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Opeth
Listen: Myspace

Release date 22.05.2006
Firebox
Provided by Target ApS

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