Beyond Spectra

Saturn

Not much is known about this band, it did take me a few minutes to […]
By Jean-Francois Poulin
August 3, 2017
Saturn - Beyond Spectra album cover

Not much is known about this band, it did take me a few minutes to get some additional information. This band is from Sweden and this is their second full-length album, three years after their debut release. They have a pretty nice webpage that has tons of information about the band and their new release. Look at that cover, man is it awesome! This screams 70's rock and those progressive rock bands from that period. If the music is even half as good as the cover, I am gonna be so stoked! The cover is really reminiscent of the 50's Sci-Fi movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space and those Ed Wood movies back int day.

They definitely channel the 70's, even the production of the album, it sounds like its from the 70's. It's not a knock on the music, it has that retro vibe but it has some really classic production. Nothing fancy, all the space is given to the band, no pyrotechnics and technical mumbo jumbo, just instruments and the artists themselves. You don't need no modern mix to make the music sound beautiful and powerful. Well SATURN really outdid themselves on that. Although the Bass isn't present that much and was drowned a bit by the rest of the instruments.

This band was really reminiscent to a band I saw a few years back called GYPSYHAWK. I think the band doesn't exist anymore unfortunately. It has that bluesy feeling mixed with some good old classic heavy rock, bands like UFO, DEEP PURPLE really came to mind when listening to this album. Really loved the energetic opener, it started off the album on the right foot. It caught my attention at first, and then I wanted more of it. The riffs are not overly technical but they have a certain edge to them and you can plainly see that the guys have fun making music together. You can sense in the arrangements of the songs and that's always something you look for in a band.

The first single of the album is called ''Still Young'', the videoclip is subpar but the song a good 70's rocking song, reminiscent of the ''Stormbringer'' era of DEEP PURPLE mixed in with some prog rock elements from bands like KANSAS and GENTLE GIANT. It's a fast rocking song that might be my favorite song of the album. This is an ode to 70's rock, something a lot of people love and lived through and through. They are not a tribute band to this era, they immerse themselves wholeheartedly in every aspect of their music. You can see that they are really honing their craft and that passion is felt throughout the album, it has some nice hooks and some great riffs. Unfortunately the singer has a few mishaps, sometimes his voice is uneven and his voice seems to be shaking a bit. I can forgive it because of the music is so tight and enticing, that this is simply a small minor detail.

One of the best albums of the year bar none.

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

8

Memorability

8

Production

8
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"Beyond Spectra" Track-listing:

1. Orbital Command
2. Wolfsson
3. Nightime Badger
4. Linkans Delight
5. Electrosaurus Sex
6. Still Young
7. Force of the North
8. Helmet Man
9. Silfvertape
10. Sensor Data

Saturn Lineup:

Robin Tidebrink - Guitars
Linkan Lindgren - Guitars
Oscar Pehrson - Vocals and Bass
Ted Carlsen - Drums

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