Saturnian Mist are a Finnish black metal band with a fairly different sound than their contemporaries. Loud and obnoxious, hammering guitar juggernauts which brake for nothing, they execute three lengthy tracks in nearly a half hour on this debut EP, following a demo from the previous year. This is a grimy style of black metal, which will really not appeal to the faint of heart, and perhaps my favorite aspect is how Famulus Zetekh' garbled vocals creep out over the compositions like a serial killer who even Hell itself would not want around. He does a mid black rasp and some additional guttural grunts which only add to the madness ."The Manifestation" is the briefest of these three pieces, just over 8 minutes in length and comprised of almost all charging material that spiked away at your mind and tolerance like an ice pick. The guitar riffs are of the very familiar sort that populates most black metal, simple chord progressions that are repeated and occasionally emphasized through a melody. Not a terrible way to kill time, but not memorable. "A Call in the House of Malign" is slower and about the same length, plodding away like a laborer carrying a bag of concrete while harsh overseers howl darkness at his ears. My head seriously hurt after this track due to the production of the EP. "Threshold in Maleficient Grace" returns to searing speed, but is no less inductive of a migraine. It has a few moments of simplistic glory, but sadly the melodies here are again not so memorable.
In the end, you will remember Saturnian Mist more for harming your ears and mind more than any compositional skill. Of course, if you are of the variety that black metal is supposed to hurt, then please, listen at full volume, and you will have your fill of pain. These Finns are certainly not so bad at their style. The lyrics are cool, and the vocals are nuts, but I just found a real lack of anything to hang onto aside from the hurt.
Highlights: Tylenol
Verdict: Indifference [5.5/10] (ouch)
http://saturnianmist.net/
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