Saturna Light and Shadow Archives

Saturna Post “Absence” Video; Light and Shadow Out Sept. 17

Posted in Whathaveyou on August 6th, 2026 by JJ Koczan

Having had the pleasure of seeing Saturna at this year’s Planet Desert Rock Weekend (review here) in Las Vegas, I’m all the more excited for the release of the Spanish soulful classic heavy rockers’ new album, Light and Shadow. Set to release through Ripple Music in the States and Spinda Records and Discos Macarras in the EU — all respected purveyors — on Sept. 17, the band have a video up today for the new single “Absence,” and I probably shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was to see that it was a live-in-studio performance, since obviously that’s where the organic nature of their character most shines through.

The PR wire has details. I’ll hope to have more on the album before Sept. 17, but it occurs to me that’s in like a month, so let me just say I’ll do my best.

Dig it:

SATURNA share new track off upcoming album “Light and Shadow”; out September 17th via Spinda Records & Ripple Music

Barcelona, Spain’s hard psych rockers SATURNA present the second single and video taken from their forthcoming new album “Light and Shadow”, to be released collaboratively on Spinda Records & Discos Macarras (Europe) and Ripple Music (North America) this fall.

Over the past decade, SATURNA have forged a distinctive sound within contemporary heavy rock, blending the power of hard rock with the expansive textures of psychedelia and the emotional depth of alternative rock. “Absence” showcases one of the band’s most atmospheric sides without sacrificing the intensity that defines their identity. While their previous single Self Told Lies highlighted the band’s most direct and hard-hitting approach, “Absence” reveals a more expansive and emotionally driven side.

Lyrically, the song revolves around the idea of absence as a recurring presence, exploring the lingering feeling of emptiness left behind even after something or someone is gone. During the opening sections, James Vieco’s vocal performance draws a clear influence from Jim Morrison, adding an evocative and haunting dimension to a composition where strength, melancholy and vulnerability coexist. The single release is accompanied by a live performance video recorded at Siete Barbas Estudio, capturing SATURNA in their natural environment: four musicians playing together without overdubs or unnecessary embellishment, allowing the interaction between them to shape the performance organically. The video is part of a broader live session that will be released in the coming weeks.

SATURNA “Light and Shadow”
Out September 17th on:
Spinda Records (EU): https://spindarecords.com/products/saturna-light-and-shadow
Discos Macarras (EU): https://discosmacarras.bandcamp.com/album/light-and-shadow
Ripple Music (North America): https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/light-and-shadow

TRACKLIST:
1. Unheard
2. Falling Apart
3. Light and Shadow
4. Absence
5. About You
6. So Long
7. Self Told Lies
8. No Questions
9. Opus One
10. Up for the Ride
11. Drifting
12. Words of Doom
13. A Strange Mix of Humans