''Ultu Ulla'' is the fourth studio album by American

deathcore Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...

band

Rings of Saturn The rings of Saturn are the most extensive ring system of any planet in the Solar System. They consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometers to meters, that orbit around Saturn. The ring particles are made almost entirel ...

. It was released on July 28, 2017, through

Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...

. It is their first release through

since their signing in May 2016. It is their only full-length release with drummer Aaron Stechauner and guitarist Miles Dimitri Baker. Mark Cooper of Mind Rape Art was responsible for the album artwork, as he was on the band's prior releases. The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Brette Ciamarra at Studio 344 in

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. Ciamarra had previously produced ''

Lugal Ki En ''Lugal Ki En'' is the third studio album by American deathcore band Rings of Saturn released on October 14, 2014. It was produced by Brette Ciamarra at Studio 344 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and features guest solo work by Rusty Cooley from Day o ...

'' for the band. The album debuted at #76 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, making it the band's highest debut to date. According to Metal news site Metal Insider, the album sold 8,000 copies in its first week.

Background and promotion

In May 2017, band founder Lucas Mann posted a promo video (in which he was wearing a

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shirt, as a likely nod to prior

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involving the band) hinting at an upcoming record and single on May 26. On June 2, the band officially announced ''Ultu Ulla''. Speaking on the title, Mann stated:

"The album name, ''Ultu Ulla'', means 'Time Immemorial' in Sumerian Cuneiform. ''Ultu Ulla'' is about aliens transcending space and time and uncovering an ancient incomprehensible entity that threatens the fabric of universal existence

Speaking on the album artwork, Mark Cooper, who delivered the artwork for the band's third album ''

'', stated:

The general idea was to create a scene where gods from beyond time and space are invading 3D-reality and taking over. They are chaotic beings that can take any form at will and manifest anything with their imaginations.

Two promotional singles were released prior to the album's launch: "Inadequate" on June 1, and "Parallel Shift" on July 6. A

lyric video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

was published to the band's label's

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channel for "Parallel Shift" on the same date the single was released. On July 12, a guitar play-through of "Parallel Shift" was published to

's YouTube channel. A music video was released by the band for the song "Inadequate", as well as a drum play-through video.

Critical reception

''Metal Injection'' gave the album an 8.5 out of 10, calling it an "absolutely fun album to hear".

Track listing

Personnel

Rings of Saturn * Ian Bearer – vocals, composition * Lucas Mann – guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, programming, composition, arrangement * Miles Dimitri Baker – guitars, bass, composition, arrangement * Aaron Stechauner – drums Additional personnel * Brette Ciamarra – production, mixing, mastering * Mark Cooper – artwork, layout

Charts

References

2017 albums Nuclear Blast albums Rings of Saturn (band) albums {{2010s-metal-album-stub