It's time we got a little heavy again here at Desert Psychlist, it's been a while since we have visited the low. slow and weighty side of the underground scene and who better could we pick to represent that side of things than Sweden's Saturnalia Temple who this month are releasing their fourth full length album "Paradigm Call" (Listenable Records). Those familiar with Saturnalia Temple, Tommie Eriksson (vocals/guitar); Gottfrid Åhman (bass) and Pelle Åhman (drums), will know what to expect but those coming to the band anew should be prepared for crunchy repetitive guitar riffs and soaring grainy solos supported by low slung bass motifs and earth shaking percussion, oh and let's not forget the vocals which are delivered in a low throaty graveyard gurgle.
The new album kicks off with "Drakon" a heavy atmospheric instrumental built around a droning doomic refrain supported by minimalist percussion which slowly fades into silence to make way for next song "Revel in Dissidence" the song boasting a slow circling groove only interrupted by Eriksson's distinctive grizzled vocal tones and a searing guitar solo. Title track "Paradigm Call" is next and as is Saturnalia Temple's style revolves around a repetitive guitar and bass refrain anchored by a pounding solid drumming over which Eriksson applies dark vocal colouring and scorching lead work. Having said this with "Among The Ruins" we start to see Saturnalia Temple slightly shifting the goalposts by adding elements of variation to their attack, where the albums previous songs relied on repetition this one starts to see the band toying with subtle shifts in time signature and tempo as well as getting a little more adventurous in the vocal department. ""Black Smoke" opens with the two Åhman's laying down an insidious proto-flavoured drum and bass groove joined after a few bars by Eriksson's guitar and of course his unique vocal stylings, it is however Eriksson's effect laden guitar motif that takes things to the close that will stick in the mind most here. Next song "Ascending The Pale", is a doomic lament built around a low slow and heavy groove, this is probably the closest Saturnalia Temple will ever get to writing anything close to balladry but that's OK because who needs beauty when ugliness can sound this delicious. Penultimate number " Empty Chalice" finds the band falling back on the one riff repetition of the albums first few songs while final song "Kaivalya", an instrumental, finds our Swedes jamming an eastern tinted OM like heavy psych groove taken to another level by Eriksson ripping equally exotic notes from his fretboard, this is a tune you will want to last far longer than it five minute duration allows.
The criticism that will no doubt be levelled at this album is its reliance on riffs and its lack of dynamic variation but those aiming that criticism are missing the point, it is the hypnotic effect of those riffs combined with the almost mantra like dynamics of Saturnalia Temple's grooves that are this albums biggest asset and make listening to "Paradigm Call" feel like an almost religious experience.
Check it out ...
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