Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. Feb 3, 2015
    60
    On Sauna, Elverum’s attempts to mimic heavy metal rock ballads, Tim Hecker, and certain so-called “holy” and unholy minimalists alike, feel inconsequential and compositionally uninteresting. That’s not to say that every citation falls flat.

Awards & Rankings

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Nov 29, 2021
    7
    As always, that mystery resides in the sounds he manipulates. No one else sounds like Phil Elverum
  2. Feb 8, 2015
    6
    Is it folk? Is it ambient? Is it metal? It is very difficult to accurately label whatever Mount Eerie is doing on Sauna, but it is notIs it folk? Is it ambient? Is it metal? It is very difficult to accurately label whatever Mount Eerie is doing on Sauna, but it is not difficult to see that Phil Elverum's sound is incredibly experimental and innovative. The songwriting is not as strong as it could have been, but for the most part the sound is enough to make this album deserving of at least a listen or two. Full Review »