Rings of Saturn is set to release their fourth studio album Ultu Ulla (Nuclear Blast) towards the end of the month. After getting the chance to take an early peak of the record, I’m proud to say it’s a blast. At the forefront of what makes the album so enjoyable is the instrumentation. The band has this nice blend of deathcore that plays to a lot of good qualities found in technical death metal. Many who know Rings of Saturn have more than likely heard the band being called “aliencore,” playing off the band’s strong use of alien and sci-fi lyricism. While this element adds a fun twist to the music, guitarist Miles Baker doesn’t care all too much for the fantasy side of things.
“I don’t really think about the storyline or aliens, but just really focus on the music and writing,” he says. That being said, he shares a little about the story in the record. “Aliens have already taken over earth, and now they are trying to take over time. And Ultu Ulla is Sumerian for ‘time in memorial.’”
Baker is one of the newer additions to the band since their latest release Lugal Ki En (Unique Leader). Joining Rings of Saturn came to him thanks to his friendship with drummer Aaron Stechauner, and meeting guitarist Lucas Mann. “Aaron and I met on Craigslist, and started jamming in a band [Interloper],” Baker shares. “Aaron joined Rings, and I had just met Lucas. I did an audition, and joined a year later.” Rings of Saturn has provided him the opportunity to broaden the music he creates and strengthen his craft. “I just try to do things that aren’t the same shape or sound over and over, which in technical music is hard,” he states. “You have blast beats, sweep picking, and tapping … there’s only so much you can do where it’s not going to sound like something else. You have to take the same music and make it sound interesting.”
Throughout Ultu Ulla, Baker can be heard picking and sweeping away at intense tempos and chaotic progressions. Musically the work plays out in intricate steps, all while providing a playful adrenaline. The process in crafting the album was a new experience for Baker, given the challenges in time restraints. “We did that Thy Art Is Murder run for six weeks, then we did the headliner with a couple other bands, and then I was home for a week maybe … and I just wrote every day. I would just wake up and write and write. I got a lot done on this record in a very short time, and it usually takes me an extremely long time to write stuff.” The writing process for Ultu Ulla marks one of Baker’s greatest accomplishments, pushing him to create within a certain timespan and produce a collection of brutally enjoyable songs.
In each new release, Rings of Saturn has continued to evolve their sound, introducing new technical aspects into their thrilling brutality. Part of that sound is the chaotic and delicious melody that Baker displays. The passion for creating fuels his work, and the act of performing inspiring him to give his best. “I love writing and touring,” he shares. “I spend a lot of time practicing, and going to Europe really motivated me. And having people enjoy what I do is really nice.” Baker is an artist, and loves exploring music to see what he can produce next. If you are interested in hearing his work with Interloper, check out the video below for the song “A Red Letter Day”. Immediately the track rips with a sonic solo and crazy blast beats. This is some seriously epic sounding material, full of melody and drive. The band is currently working on new music, looking to be released in the near future.
And keep an eye out for my review of Rings Of Saturn’s Ultu Ulla coming soon (the record set to be released July 28th via Nuclear Blast).
