Death is June -Saturnus : "The Storm Within"

 It could be said these guys are death doom if your definition of the sub-genre weighs heavily on the vocals. Musically there is a very lush expanse of sound summoned from what this Danish band does. They have been around since the 90s and this is only their 5th album, so they take their time. They have what they do very dialed in. Not only do they take time writing the song, they also took their time on the opening track getting to the metallic crunchy part. Three minutes in fact. It works for this song. They do have a distinct formula that gets a few variations, but they work off some sonic theme that we will cover as we go through this album. This is going to be a different approach as I listened to this album a few times yesterday rather than just giving you my first impressions during the initial listen which is how I normally review albums. 

They took their time getting great guitar sounds that are crisp and have the effects fine tuned with each note. The spoken word sections are one of the reoccurring themes mentioned earlier. If you normally listen to death doom that leans more toward death metal, you will still be impressed by the resonate gurgle of the low growls that are delivered with both power and articulation. Often growled vocals are obligatory, we know we need vocals, none of us can sing, so lets throw some growls in. The lyrics do not have to matter, it is just another texture. That is not the case here, which is evident in how they sit upfront in the mix of this album. "Chasing Ghosts" works off a more mournful doom  feel, almost like very melodic funeral doom.  "the Calling" finds the pace picking up and a more grooving drive that reminds me of some of the death n roll from the 90s. I might not be the heaviest moment of the album, but it puts the song first and that works for me. In fact it is almost catchy which how often do you think that when it comes to this . Midway into the song it drops down into ambiance and then builds back up into a heavier more commanding chug. 

"Even Tide" is well melodic, perhaps too much so. It is a call and a response between spoken word vocals and actual singing. They get credit for doing it but not sure it works with the momentum of the album and feels more like an interlude. They love using piano. "Closing the Circle" opens up with piano and more poetry being spoken. Though this only lasts of the first minute and a half. Very European in delivery, Novembers Doom would be a fair reference point when they wander down the darker more melodic paths. The guitar solos on this album are tasteful and really well done, if you are into that sort of thing. "Breath New Life" finds them digging back into a more driven form of melodic death metal that is still very European in it's grandiose sense of majesty. It works for me, as it is heavier than flowery. It soars in a few sections but is grounded by the chugged guitar. They last song finds the lead in of piano, clean guitar and poetry becoming a bit excessive by this point as they needed to end things with a more metallic punch, it takes three minutes to get there. When it does get there it works fine, but not the album's strongest moment, however it is clear these guys excel at what they do so hard to find fault in anything except the pacing and almost overly indulgent emotional poetry, but I will still give  this album a 9, as it is clearly the album they set out to make .