Dynamic, intense and mystical

German progressive metal band The Ocean have been raising music havoc since 2000 and earlier this month the band released their ninth studio album entitled Holocene. Each track is fantastic with the instrumentals bringing an experimental metal sound while the vocal performance serenades the ears with a melodic vibe. It is no doubt that The Ocean creatively express themselves on Holocene.

“Preboreal” kicks the album off in a unique way, setting high expectations for the musical journey ahead. The keyboard playing imbues the track with a dose of spacey noises before the guitar and drum playing takes over the soundscape. 

“Sea of Reeds” is a mystical piece that features incredible guitar playing, sizzling the air with breathtaking noise. Toward the middle of the song, electric guitar riffs can be heard shaking the background with great power and intensity. On “Sea of Reeds” the guitar playing contributes to the mystical feeling of The Ocean’s musical world which is thoroughly explored throughout the album as a whole.

“Subboreal” is a dynamic number with killer vocals and right at the middle of the composition, Loïc Rossetti’s vocals become loud and authoritative while he harmonically shouts out the lyrics. Perhaps the best element of “Subboreal” is hearing how Rossetti’s vocal style can adjust to the different musical tempos in an effortless manner; the singing shines brightly on this tune.

“Parabiosis” is a melodic number which shows how talented The Ocean is as a band. Throughout the entirety of the track, the band performs harmonically before switching to vein jolting metal. The band comes together to perform cohesively on “Parabiosis,” making for the perfect musical mix of harmony and metal, capturing The Ocean at their very best.

Holocene makes it clear that The Ocean uses strong instrumentation and vocals to highlight each track, presenting them as distinctive while maintaining a balanced level of musical cohesion throughout. Needless to say, fans and critics alike will not be disappointed with the band’s latest musical effort.