Released By : Self Released
Genre : Metalcore, Deathcore
Links : http://www.myspace.com/ofblackestoceans
Tracklist:
01. Vultures
02. Confrontation
03. Deliverance
04. The Answer Beneath
05. Solitary
06. The Road
07. Restless
You would have probably noticed that we here at My Global Mind don’t review stuff of the ‘core variety, whether it be metalcore, deathcore, crossover core or any of the other sub-styles of the genre. The main reason for this is that none of us here a really fans of the genre, but being the resident metalhead it’s my responsibility to report on anything I think is good regardless of what genre it fits into. A friend of mine, and musical peer living in New Zealand suggested to me a while ago to check out a local band called OF BLACKEST OCEANS that he had been keeping an eye on for a little while. I must admit that I’m glad I did as I have really enjoyed the time I spent with thins seven track metalcore release.
Where a lot of bands playing this style fall short is the quality of songwriting, it seems that it’s a pretty standard core practice to get a basic tune, add some break downs and a bit of dub step and be on your way. While this may be fine for die-hard fans of the style, for the rest of us that just means there is hundreds of bands playing boring songs that all sound the same. OF BLACKEST OCEANS are a little different in this regard and their ability to write interesting tunes while still pleasing the moshcore crowd is something that deserves applause. Tunes like CONFRONTATION, THE ANSWER BENEATH and SOLITARY all have an element of class and skill to them that would make a lot of bands in this genre quiver with fear. The lyrics also show a sense of maturity that is usually missing from releases of this type.
Look, we all know that metalcore is a trend with an expiration date… Don’t believe me? Look at grunge, nu-metal and emo metal… All of these styles had their moment in the sun and then basically disappeared without even a whimper, metalcore is just another in a long line of expendable genres that we won’t remember in ten years time, but while the style is active and relevant, as music fans we might as well try and find the better bands doing it. OF BLACKEST OCEANS have just enough of a different sound to stand out, and their ability to add a layer of maturity and class to what is usually a quite boring and silly genre means that they deserve some wider recognition and the respect of the metal listening world.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 7/10
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