The Ocean

“Aeolian” (Metal Blade)

Sounds like: Meshuggah, Neurosis

REVIEW: 4 / 5

In short: With the help of a who’s who of underground hardcore and metal vocalists, German four-piece The Ocean manages to create an experimental metal masterpiece.

On “Aeolian,” German quintet The Ocean isn’t afraid to call in favors from friends in high places, casting current and former members of underground leading lights such as Converge, Coalesce and Breach in the roles of lead vocalists. But the multi-headed all-star approach to singing is far from the band’s main selling point. In order to complement the stellar guest vocal lineup, the band has crafted a batch of songs that more than match the material of the respected bands the singers are on loan from.

Living up to its namesake, The Ocean’s music ebbs and flows with a mixture of unmitigated brutality and subtle grace. The Ocean proves time and again that it can caress a listener’s ears with an epic metallic symphony or utterly destroy them with a two-minute blast of violence. The band isn’t afraid to incorporate elements from outside heavy music’s typical spectrum, subtly coloring its compositions with electronics and occasional strings.

All in all, The Ocean shows a rare knack for being able to mix multiple metallic genres without sounding the least bit disjointed or unfocused. The multiple vocalists the band employs give the album the feeling of a heavy metal opera. This combines with a flair for technical playing and memorable songwriting to make “Aeolian” one of the year’s most intriguing metal releases.

– Joshua Haun