Search - Ocean :: Here Where Nothing Grows

I'll have a lobster roll with that

See about me | North | 06/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ocean is a doom/sludge metal band from Portland, Maine. Finally a band from this state that's not a Nickelback cover band... Anyway, if you're familiar with bands like Sunn O)), you should know what to expect: a texturous, speaker-rattling hour of sludgy madness. Ocean pounds out torrential waves of rhythmic precision like the best of them, with an epic scope and monstrous vocals. But keeping with the band's aquatic theme, you never know what will bubble to the surface, from serene acoustic passages to organ backdrops- but the tranquility is never without an omnipresent threat of impending doom. if you're a fan of the genre, let yourself be pulled into Ocean's freezing currents.

- Thus says the Pellington"

Gloomy

Joukahainen | Kennesaw, GA United States | 11/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ocean plays a sludgy, thick, reverberating style of doom that will appeal to fans of Sunn O))) and YOB, while not quite living up to their Northwestern bretheren. But what they lack for in songwriting, which isn't much, they more than make up for in effect.



Ocean hails from Maine, so I'm guessing they've had their share of doom n' gloom - and it shows. These songs are dark, bleak, and wonderfully desparate.



"The First Reign" starts things off slowly. And that's just how doom should be, so no complaints from this end. But after the 21:05 song loosens its grip, and I can breathe easy until the next monolithic anthem of sadness starts, I feel that something was lacking. Going back, the song is very repetitive, and takes over ten minutes to truly find itself, and by the time it does, it's over. While I think the emphasis with this genre - and this band especially - is on the creation of a particular mood, and not so much on songwriting, there needs to be something to draw me back for such a long song, and this one just doesn't offer that certain something..



Luckily, "Salt" does. Still depressing and overwhelmingly crushing, while remaining very interesting.



"The Fall" changes things up with a riff that feels fast compared to the forty minutes of sludge that preceded it. Things quickly fall back to a meandering, plodding, trudge through distortion and minimalistic soundscapes that could best be thought of as Godspeed You Black Emperor! meets Filosofem era Burzum. At around the five minute marker the vocals enter, giving voice to the bleakness. And quite a voice it is! Not as powerful as YOB's frontman, and not as "Varg" as all the promoters say it is; it's more of a deep growl that really manages to capture the nature of the music: more-or-less monotone, raw, thick, but rife with passion nonetheless. Easily the best song on the album. And it's the longest too! Even at 24:45 it managed to hold my interest throughout.



Doom fans should pick this one up. Excellent debut."

Great bleak songs...

John Doe Blackburn | México | 11/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ocean's Here Where Nothing Grows is an awesome recording. The production is great since you feel every instrument, is not overproduced, is just perfect. The songs are of epic proportions with an average time of 20 minutes but don't be worried, Ocean creates desolate and powerful music landscapes of slow drum tempos with electro-acoustic & heavy guitar riffs followed by sometimes even fast guitar riffs.

So, those songs are not for the weak, it requires attention. And if you listen long enough you can find the genius of those guys, remember, playing long slow songs is also a technical challenge. You have to remember all the song and if you screw it up, everyone will notice. remember

This CD shows that small labels and bands with a DIY attitude are not in crisis since music of this quality deserves to be owned on a CD instead of just mp3 files, you could download the last pop hit of the day, but Ocean's Here Where Nothing Grows deserves better, besides, the art is great, I love it!

So, if you are into slow bleak music get it! Ocean delivers epic & heavy doom metal."