The Ocean-Precambrian

Metal Blade
2007

This is actually a two disc set and each disc has it's own title with disc one being Hadean/Archean and the second disc is entitled Proterozoic. A two disc set for a studio album might seem a little overwhelming at first, but really it was done because each disc was meant to be a separate entity and indeed they are. The band's name is fitting given that their sound is very vast and constantly in motion. The Ocean have been compared to everyone from Isis to Mastodon and those comparisons are not wrong, but they are not entirely accurate either. Basically they are a death metal band, but they go far beyond that genre by bringing in elements of jazz, various progressives elements and even just some odd tones. Unlike other progressive bands, they don't do a lot of blending of sounds or at least not for long period of times. The sounds are more separate and perhaps more deliberate in their approach. What I liked most about this album was the band's control and confidence to let sounds and notes hang for a while to really get the most out of everything that they were doing here. The approach is very much of a band building the songs in layers rather than throwing everything into the pot. They also seem content to let the songs go in different ways as some fly on, some smash and some just kind of float out there for a while taking you with them. It works although you may have to be a little patient at times due to the nature of their approach. My only real gripe was that the vocals are mainly so typical death metal style that it doesn't completely do justice to the music. Really a fine album from a band that seems to be forging their own path.

http://www.myspace.com/theoceancollective