Our favorite Koreans from Russia have officially returned through their brand new EP, “Saturnus”! This is the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut “Chariots of the Gods” (read up on our review here). That album spread like fire across the metal underground and earned The Korea a spot on the Rogue Records America roster. Now they’re back again, but how does the new music stack up?When “Saturnus” hits, it hits hard. This is a very good release. It manages to bring an abundance of heaviness, groove, and entertainment through it’s short duration. Three tracks are featured on the “Saturnus” EP. They are the opening title track “Saturnus”, the single “Zion”, and the closer “Poles”. Both English and Russian versions of these tracks are included in the package. In some respects, this EP was an experiment from the band. This release is actually a prequel to the next full length album and was made as an EP to test the reaction to the band singing in English. The Korea could easily be considered a Djent band considering their incisive, spacey composition and technical approach. In some ways this release is more sterile while simultaneously more open than what you may expect. That sounds like a contradiction, but upon a single listen you’ll see that it holds weight. They have a sharper edge through parts of the writing and production while experimenting openly in other regards. This can be heard when the bells toll on “Saturnus” and through sections of my personal favorite “Poles” especially. All three tracks have something to offer listeners from the chaotic and moshworthy to the melodic segments. This band has progressed in some ways while regressing in others. This is a really good yet somewhat disappointing release from The Korea. Their debut really had a spark to it that set it apart in some ways. This time around The Korea end up sounding almost like a direct cross between Hacktivist and old school Monuments, musically and vocally. Which brings me to another point, Ilya Sannikov is a great vocalist. This is evinced through both The Korea and his side projects. He has his own style which pans out well, but he seemed to partially drop it in favor of a more Neema Askari-esque approach this time around.
As I’ve said, this a good album all things considered. It brings quality and heaviness together while adding truth to the saying “big things come in small packages”. You can sample two of the hard hitting tracks above. And if you enjoy what you’re hearing, be sure to support The Korea with a purchase right here! I’m sure these guys have more up their sleeves so stay tuned for future music!
