ALBUM REVIEW: Gidim – Rings Of Saturn

What started as a high school pipe dream back in 2009 has now become one of the front runners for technical metal. RINGS OF SATURN have never concerned themselves with trends, focusing on providing their own eccentric concoction of experimental alien themed deathcore and October 25th will bring the latest iteration in their journey entitled Gidim which is due for release via Nuclear Blast Records. Do they have what it takes to top 2017’s highly regarded Ultu UIlu?

Pustules instantaneously commences bludgeoning with rampaging blastbeats and guttural onslaughts from the offset. Perplexingly executed riffs don’t take long to make their presence known. Divine Authority ups the relentless carnage by throwing some insane bass lines and rasping screams into the mix as you are engulfed in a sea of notes all vying for prominence. The drum work continues to pummel you unforgivingly. Hypodermis Glitch introduces some additional slam elements into the crushingly heavy arrangement. Baffling sweeps and dizzying technicality will leave you in a daze.

Bloated And Stiff blends jabbing riff work alongside technical ferocity as further guttural volleys open a vortex to the bowels of eternal damnation. There are small glimpses of respite as brief melodic sections all your lungs to absorb some well needed oxygen. Tormented Consciousness is hellbent on encompassing the entire spectrum of notes into one elaborate round of frantic mayhem. Punishing bouts of rapid fire drumming menacingly meander around the track like a swarm of killer bees. The Husk is the musical equivalent of having your head flattened by a monster truck.

Excerpts of uplifting melodies sneak in before swiftly reacquainting you with the realm of infinite darkness. Mental Prolapse may lure you into a false sense of security but don’t believe it for a second, just as you get comfortable it sporadically shits itself and descends into utter lunacy.

Genetic Inheritance feels like a crazy soundtrack to an end of level boss with its almost 8-bit like melodies. The transitions between gruesome growls and piercing screams are particularly effective in raising the intensity. Face Of The Wormhole continues the systematic disintegration of your senses as notes soar to the skies and plunge into the depths of down-tuned devastation. A brief piano interlude breaks up the unravelling frenzy. Title track and instrumental Gidim allows more opportunity for the guitar work to flow rather than cut through your ear canals like razor wire. The impressive musicianship is a joy to digest and removing the extra level of chaos that the vocal barrages inflict gives the instruments a bit of manoeuvrability.

RINGS OF SATURN have garnered a reputation for their ridiculous levels of instrumental competancy but the fact Gidim is a product of the human brain is frightening. There are only so many adjectives available to describe the amount of unbridled chaos which is unleashed throughout this release. It doesn’t allow you to get comfortable for even a second, instead perpetually pummelling you with waves of crushing intensity which listeners could find particularly overwhelming. The style RINGS OF SATURN have crafted is definitely an acquired taste but just like Marmite you’ll have to give it a go to find out which side of the fence you’ll find yourself on.

Rating: 8/10

Gidim is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

Like RINGS OF SATURN on Facebook.