EPK – Obsidian Skies – Saturnian (2022)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, working on this EP was one of the things that kept us sane. We went through job losses, large life changes, and mental health struggles during this time. The writing was very therapeutic for both of us and it feels amazing to see this EP come to life. After the breakup of our previous band, it’s great to be able to work together again and produce some of the best work either of us has ever done. We’ve both always seen music as an escape and we bring that into our lyrics. The entire story of this EP takes place on Saturn’s moon, Titan, as humanity leaves a dying Earth and struggles to start anew, echoing the struggles of this pandemic.
We’ve both challenged ourselves with this EP, both as songwriters and as instrumentalists. It’s resulted in something we’re beyond excited to share with the world, an EP that really shows who we are as musicians. From heavy rhythmic sections to sweeping orchestral melodies, we feel we’ve touched on a large part of the musical spectrum with this release.” – Obsidian Skies
For fans of Amon Amarth Insomnium Opeth Fleshgod Apocalypse Epica
EP Title: Saturnian
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Facebook.com/Obsidian-Skies-109138908535805 | Instagram.com/obsidianskiesband | YouTube
Obsidian-skies.bandcamp.com
#1 on WKNC 88.1FM (Raleigh, NC) – Chainsaw Charts 10/4/2022
“Rounding off our 9, no 10 highlights this week is another debut release: “Saturnian” by Colorado progressive/symphonic death metal duo Obsidian Skies… this science-fiction tale feels like an epic mini-blockbuster despite its short runtime of only 24 minutes.” – The Prog Space
“The band’s musicianship is fantastic ” – Metal Temple
“Exciting and versatile Prog-Melo-Death” – PowerMetal.de
““Saturnian” is an enjoyable first release from Obsidian Skies. Whilst only a three song E.P. it is a very ambitious release with some very epic and complex music on show.” – Ever Metal
“What a journey this was from Earth to TITAN through space! From acoustic, piano, orchestral to the singing. I enjoyed every bit of it. The debut EP Saturnian was a pleasant melodic death metal surprise and looking forward what comes next. Logan and Tim really put much effort and you hear it. This is for the Metalfans of Rivers of Nihil, Opeth, Scar Symmetry and Into Eternity. 8/10” – Belgian Metal Shredder
“A bold and somewhat brave undertaking, the first record from Obsidian Skies is an absolute pleasure, the merits of which need to be sung from the rooftops [8.5/10]” – Metal Noise
[Download EP Cover | Download EP Lyrics]
EP Title: Saturnian
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby
Track Listing:
1. Celestial Age – 6:58
2. Rebirth in the Stars – 11:19
3. Home – 5:52
EP Length: 24:10
EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Obsidian Skies (Logan Dougherty and Tim Watervoort)
• All songs written by: Obsidian Skies (Logan Dougherty and Tim Watervoort)
• All Lyrics written by: Tim Watervoort
• Produced by: Obsidian Skies (Logan Dougherty and Tim Watervoort)
• Mixed by: Tom MacLean
• Mastered by: Tom MacLean
EP Band Line Up:
Logan Dougherty – Guitars, Piano, Orchestration
Tim Watervoort – Guitars, Basses, Vocals
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The EP as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
Lyrically, the EP takes place on Saturn’s moon, Titan. In this story, Earth became inhospitable to life and a portion of humankind left the planet to settle on Titan. After colonizing the moon, society began to take shape. Many people could not let go of the thought of all the people left behind on a dying Earth and began to riot. As a result of this, the military presence on the colony dispatched the instigators and enforced a strong, almost dystopian order on the moon. People were at peace, but were not able to live a fulfilling life.
Musically, in order to convey the story, we avoided a repetitive song structure. The songs move through many sections with motivic references throughout to tie it together. Many different instruments carry the melody, including fretless bass and piano. As a whole, the most technically complex part peaks in the middle of the EP as the story climaxes. Our guitars are tuned in drop C, but we didn’t let that limit the tonal centers that we could explore.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
1. Celestial Age
Lyrically: In this track, humankind first leaves a dying Earth to settle on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Astronomers have predicted that in our solar system, Titan would be the best second home for humanity. The settlers are awed by the sights they see, such as a gas giant on the horizon. It seems that hope has been restored for the human race, but the settlers still lament their former home.
Musically: The track begins feeling more like doom metal with a droning quality. Most of the song is in 6/8, giving it a more flowing feel. Many parts, including the chorus, are more rhythmic, but there are absolutely trance-like sections throughout the song. The song has many instrumental sections, but both clean and harsh vocals are used. Harmonically, the song has many instances of “pivot points”. In the section starting at 4:34, for example, the harmonies pivot around a tremolo-picked “C” to maintain that droning quality.
2. Rebirth in the Stars
Lyrically: Following the events of “Celestial Age”, humanity has established a functioning colony on Titan. People have jobs, life is flourishing, and it seems that humanity will rebuild. However, there are those that cannot look past the fact that these people chosen to live on Titan seemingly abandoned the rest of humanity to their fate on a dying Earth. These people riot against what they see as a facade of what used to be and cause untold damage to the colony. The military power in the colony organizes and quells this insurrection, and instills a very strong regime of order. Everyone is once again at peace, but people do not live fulfilling lives. At the end of the song, a new speaker calls for riots against this oppressive dystopian regime.
Musically: This song has a much darker quality to it than “Celestial Age”, relying heavily on parallel minor chords. Much of the song also has a more technical feel to it, drawing inspiration from Classical era music. The harsh vocals are much faster in this track, giving many sections a very frantic feel. The tempo of the song as a whole is higher as well. The orchestra is featured heavily in this track, with a four-minute orchestral section in the middle of the song. It explores much of the thematic material introduced by the traditional metal instruments. Rhythmically, this song features many changing time signatures and some metric modulation to shift between tempos.
3. Home
Lyrically: This song is less of a story, but more of one man’s lament for his former home and the exploration of his emotions. He begins by expressing that nothing he sees around him in this new place can compare to his lost home. While he may live and breathe here, none of the lands he sees have been “colored by stories and songs”. As the song continues, he notes that while the end of the world took away much of humanity’s achievements, it preserved our stories and our pasts. The song concludes with him acknowledging that he and his peers have a unique opportunity to write new songs about a new home.
Musically: “Home” provides a more intimate setting, beginning with an acoustic guitar. The vocals have more presence in this song than in the previous two and distorted guitars do not enter until halfway through the song. Much of this song feels like one that could be sung around a campfire, thinking of days gone by. When the distorted guitars enter, they serve more to provide foundation than a true featured part to keep with the aesthetic. Harsh vocals are present in this song, but to a much smaller degree than the previous two. Harmonically, this song features jazzy major 7th chords to give it a warmer feel.
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STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND
1. Logan is a data scientist with degrees in Physics, Astrophysics, and Composition, while Tim is a software developer with a Master’s degree in Linguistics. We bring both of these fields into the music in the themes, structure, and performance.2. The entire story of this EP takes place on Saturn’s moon Titan. A large portion of humanity has fled from a dying Earth and is starting anew on a distant moon.
3. This whole EP was recorded in Logan’s bedroom in Colorado, mostly using an Axe FX digital amp simulator.
4. Logan’s first instrument was percussion, but he eventually moved to the piano in high school, and picked up the electric guitar in college to help form our previous band. Tim began as a classical guitarist when he was around 8, then moved to electric guitar in high school. When the bassist of our previous band left, Tim picked up the bass and fell in love with it, moving to six-string and fretless basses.
5. We’re both avid gamers and spend a lot of time together playing games like League of Legends, Valheim, Old School RuneScape, and Minecraft.
L-R: Saturnian | Tim Watervoort (Guitars, Basses, Vocals) | Logan Dougherty (Guitars, Piano, Orchestration)
Photo Credit – Kirk MacDonald
Obsidian Skies was founded amidst the turmoil of 2020 by Logan Dougherty and Tim Watervoort. The two had worked together before, but not since the breakup of their previous band, Endlight, in 2017. Logan and Tim wrote much of Endlight’s music, with Logan on guitars and Tim on bass and vocals. They performed throughout Colorado, sharing the stage with bands such as Unleash the Archers and Archspire until the band’s end. While they remained close friends, Tim and Logan’s musical and professional paths diverged for a time at this point.
During this time, Logan attained a Bachelor’s degree in Music Composition, adding to his Physics and Astrophysics degrees. He released a solo orchestral album, “Kingdom of Sand” in 2017, and had his chamber works performed at the University of Colorado College of Music. Tim completed his Master’s degree in Linguistics and went through an accelerated full-stack web development program. He performed as a vocalist for Oak, Ash & Thorn for a time in 2018, sharing the stage with bands such as Týr and Alestorm. Following this, he focused his musical attention on bass and solo metal work.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everyone was stuck indoors, the two looked for a project to work on, half to stay sane, and half to explore a new creative outlet. At this time, Obsidian Skies was born. It started with Tim and Logan sharing parts with each other that they had previously written. However, as time went on, it became a true collaborative writing process, with the two writing each song together. Their first release, “Saturnian”, is absolutely some of the best work either has ever produced.
Both Tim and Logan are influenced by progressive and technical death metal, listening to bands such as Fleshgod Apocalypse, Alkaloid, and Ne Obliviscaris. Composers such as Rachmaninoff, Bach, and Debussy strongly influence Logan, as well as more modern composers like John Williams and Howard Shore. Tim is heavily influenced by folk and melodic death metal bands such as Eluveitie and Insomnium and is inspired by great bass players such as Dominic Lapointe and Linus Klausenitzer.
The music of Obsidian Skies spans many different genres, not all of which are metal. While harsh vocals, fast rhythms, and guitar solos are featured prominently, they do not necessarily dominate. Sweeping orchestral melodies, clean singing, and instruments such as piano, acoustic guitar, and fretless bass contribute to the music to create a melodic and diverse sound.
Lyrically, the band’s themes are heavily influenced by science fiction and fantasy. The story of “Saturnian” takes place on Saturn’s moon Titan. In this story, humanity is forced to flee from a dying Earth, and a portion of the population colonizes Titan. While life is able to flourish there, the people who survived are forced to deal with the emotions of leaving their lost home and the guilt of abandoning those who could not leave the planet.
Obsidian Skies remains a studio band for now, but that has allowed for flexibility in tracking that would have been difficult to achieve as a brand-new live band. “Rebirth in the Stars”, for instance, has multiple sections with four or more guitar tracks and several orchestral layers. Their debut EP “Saturnian” is set to release in 2022 and will deliver an elaborate story with a diverse, but undoubtedly metal, sound.
Obsidian Skies is:
Logan Dougherty – Guitars, Piano, Orchestration
Tim Watervoort – Guitars, Basses, Vocals
Discography:
2022 – Saturnian – EP
GEAR the band uses:
Ibanez 6-string guitar
Schecter Hellraiser 7-string guitar
Breedlove acoustic guitar
Kiesel Vader 6-string fretless bass
Kiesel Zeus 6-string fretted bass
Yamaha piano
Spitfire audio samples
Axe FX digital amp
Rode NT1-A condenser microphone
Cubase 8 Pro
Guitar Pro 7
Finale 2014.5
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