Search - Ocean :: Aeolian

"The final release when I'm becoming one with the sea"

Barry Dejasu | Rehoboth, Massachusetts | 04/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Ocean is something special in today's metal scene. What makes this German band special is nothing as trendy as clean vocals, loads of guitar solos, electronic undertones, etc. No, there's something deep in The Ocean (like that pun?) which makes them unique.



For one thing, The Ocean "Collective" avoids the pitfall of one-dimensional vocals by using several vocalists. On _Aeolian_, the band hired seven - that's right, SEVEN - vocalists, each specializing in their own particular style. This lineup really emphasizes the variety of styles which often go into metal vocals, and makes for some seriously extreme music.



Lumbering riffs in the vein of Mastodon are melded perfectly with Meshuggah-like technical structures. Sweeping melodies of Pelican-like minimalist guitar riffs make, well, ocean-like waves. Occasional breakdowns into ambient samples, synthesize, and quieter instrumentation finely complement, as well as emphasize, the band's typical "wall of heaviness," which often comes right back with a BOOM.



Despite the unrelentingly heavy nature of the music, The Ocean are not without humor (there's a song called "Necrobabes.com" - enough said). The aforementioned vocalists are credited with, respectively, "meaty howls," "high-pitched shrieking," "Scandinavian hollering," "deep bellowing," "raucous vociferation," "sappy squalling," and "flagrant yelling." And when they're not talking about the ocean or brutal death, the lyrics sometimes get pretty funny too.



On a separate topic, the artwork to this album is downright stunning; while very similar to Mastodon's _Leviathan_, it is still very alluring, with gold lettering and gorgeous, sea-themed illustrations. Okay, so maybe it IS a blatant rip-off of _Leviathan_, but it's still good.



The Ocean is definitely a band to take notice of, especially if you're a fan of Mastodon, Pelican, and Meshuggah, and to a lesser degree, early ISIS and Neurosis. Also be sure to check out their other full-length, _Fluxion_."

8/10

Rifugium | Newtown Square, PA | 10/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Reviewgium - Volume I, issue VI



Get ready to have your face melted clean off by the extreme metallic power of The Ocean. I've just recently discovered this band, and I'm glad that I did. Brutal, brutal, brutal stuff, not for the weak of heart. The Ocean adds an element of brilliance to their relentless metal attacks with majestic symphonic sections, although there are not too many of those on this album, which is mainly straighforward heaviness and brutality (I have a feeling I will be using the word brutal in this review quite a bit). The Ocean is more than a band; they refer to themselves as the "Collective," and rightly so, as there are seven different vocalists on this album alone, with vocal stylings that range from "meaty howls" to "Scandinavian hollering" to "plangent yelling." Yes, these guys are crazy.



Aeolian starts with a smack in the face with "The City In the Sea," a chaotic rendition of an Edgar Allan Poe work that would probably even have the antiquated godfather of horror shaking in his boots. Then comes "Dead Serious & Highly Professional." Musically, the song is good, but it loses points from me for the wacky gore lyrics. Sure, some people do not mind gore lyrics, but after the majestic Poe retooling, it does not seem like lyrics about rape and beastiality quite fit in. On the other hand, it shows that the Collective holds nothing sacred, and holds nothing back. Gore does continue to pervade the album, most blatantly in the odd "Necrobabes.com," another song I could probably do without, based on the title alone. But brutal songs like "Austerity," "Swoon," and the epics "Queen of the Food-chain" and "Inertia" show good horror-filled song-writing complimented by good heavy music, and just a touch of symphonics. "Killing the Flies" would definitely have to be the album highlight. The ominous opening riff rings through your ears like the bells of hell, and the complex nature of the song on a whole combined with the heaviness is enough to make your head twist right off. A loud ringing (that might just be your ears...sometimes it's hard to tell) ends the songs and starts "Une Saison En Enfer," which follows logically from the previous song, extending the highlight section of the album even more. The eerie guitar-drum combo around the 2:20 mark starts a section that extends to about 3:30 during which you just can't help but headbang furiously. But then, why stop (or start) there? And talk about climatic...the album rocks you right to the end, with the last minute of "Inertia" probably being the most brutal part of the album.



Aeolian is the continuation of the previous album Fluxion, and I had just about gotten over the brutality of THAT album before I started listening to Aeolian. I cannot really say that I prefer one to the other, though Fluxion seems to have more of those symphonic moments that I enjoy so much, and Aeolian is more straightforward. I suppose I could say that Fluxion is my personal favorite, but that is not to discredit the new album by any means. You really should get this album if you are a fan of ballsy extreme metal bands, because The Ocean is about as heavy as it gets."

Hands down the best metal record in 2006!

Nina Nacktmull | Ottendorf-Okrilla | 03/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is unbelievable! Never before have I heard such a brilliant combination of sophisticated intricacy and brutal outbursts of fury. This is on par with bands like Dillinger, Cult Of Luna, Rorschach, or Mastodon, without copying them in any way. You might actually be disappointed if you expect this record to sound "like Mastodon", as some people say. To me, this is the same league, but an entirely different sport. Hope there'll be a US tour soon. Can't wait to see them..."