Review: Rings of Saturn - Lugal Ki En
By Eric Perzanowski, Staff Writer
[Unique Leader; 2014]
Rating: 7/10
Key Tracks: “Senseless Massacre,” “The Heavens Have Fallen”
“King of The Earthlings, Lord of The Cosmic World” is the English translation of Lugal Ki En, the title of the technical deathcore/death metal band Rings of Saturn’s third full-length album. This band has always had a knack for spacey guitar tones and lyrical themes involving extraterrestrials; this trend continues as this album’s concept focuses on a time “long after the Aliens conquer humanity, they evolve to a point where they transcend space, time and reality to take their conquest into the realm of the gods where they wage war on angels and demons,” according to guitarist Lucas Mann.
Rings of Saturn has jokingly referred to its sound as “aliencore,” as much of its lyrical content revolves around aliens. However, from a musical standpoint, specifically from the high-pitched guitar tones, one gains an image of some type of alien invasion movie where hoards of extraterrestrial life forms wreak havoc on humanity.
Musically, Lugal Ki En builds upon a technical yet relatively accessible sound established on the band’s two previous releases, Dingir and Embryonic Anomaly. A simple YouTube search would show you that guitarist Lucas Mann and session drummer Aaron Kitcher are two ridiculously fast and technically gifted musicians, a fact they certainly don’t let you forget that on this album.
A common complaint some may have about particularly gifted technical musicians is the lack of enjoyment or soul found in said musicians’ work. While the band certainly tries to make its songs very technical and enjoyable, at times I could find myself just thinking, “We get it! You guys are amazing at your respective instruments.” On occasion, the boastful guitar pieces seem hard to distinguish from each other.
Album opener “Senseless Massacre” has a nice flow and structure to it. Vocalist Ian Bearer seems to utilize a certain deep, guttural vocal technique during the verses of this song, which alternate between the high shrieks also used during the verses. This harsh approach differs from his usual low growls and it seems to be the only time this style was used on Lugal Ki En, which for moderation’s sake made it much more special.
Guitarist Rusty Cooley shows up on “Infused” to do a guest spot. His style for the solo is slightly different from what a typical Rings of Saturn solo sounds like, but it nicely complements the rest of the song.
The penultimate track “The Heavens Have Fallen” is an impressive seven-minute instrumental piece that showcases the band’s technical abilities first and foremost, but also shows a side of the band not present on the rest of the album. There is quite a bit of synth as well as acoustic guitar toward the end, but it’s refreshing to hear a band like Rings of Saturn incorporate these elements into its music, even if it is just one track.
Lugal Ki En closes with a cover of Suicide Silence’s “No Pity For A Coward.” While both bands may fall under the “deathcore” tag, these two groups are notably different musically. The cover is decent and showcases Ian Bearer’s underrated vocal capabilities, but I would have loved to hear this cover done with the signature Rings of Saturn sound. Overall, Lugal Ki En is a satisfying follow-up to Dingir that builds upon the technical groundwork set from previous releases.
