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The Ocean
Album: Precambrian
Release Date: November 27, 2007
Label: Metal Blade Records
Track Listing
Disc One (Hadean/Archaean)
01. Hadean
02. Eoarchaean
03. Palaeoarchaean
04. Mesoarchaean
05. Neoarchaean
Disc Two (Proterozoic)
01. Siderian
02. Rhyacian
03. Orosirian
04. Statherian
05. Calymmian
06. Ectasian
07. Stenian
08. Tonian
09. Cryogenian
Reviewer: Eric
Double disc albums seem to be the most popular thing right
now in the music industry. Some of these albums get the green
light and are released at the same time, like Thrice’s
The Alchemy Index Volumes I & II. Other albums get split up, like
Exodus and
Iced Earth’s latest
offers, which have second parts being released next year. The
Ocean was able to get the green light and their efforts have
paid off, Precambrian might be their best release to date.
Precambrian is the bands fourth full length. Last year Aeolian
was the album of choice by The Ocean, it didn’t seem to sit too
well after a few listens. The album lacked something that wasn’t
there, not sure what it may have been, but Aeolian sounded more
like a metalcore album than anything. Precambrian has a few
moments like seem to revisit Aeolian.
The concept around the album is simple, that is if you know what
Precambrian means. This album is supposed to be the soundtrack
to the creation of Earth. You have all the main parts here minus
all the boring parts you might have heard over and over again in
Sunday school. It’s best to keep this album to yourself, do not
go running to a friend or family member with this album. There
is a good change they’ll ask you to turn it off, but if they
don’t then you better rock out with them.
Hadean/Archaean, the first disc is a metal fan’s dream come to
life. There is a lot of fast paced songs on this disc, more than
the second by far. Hadean, the first track, sets the mood up
perfectly. This track has guitar riffs that will have you
craving more, simple but yet nice drumming and a nice blend of
keyboards here and there. Most of the songs have this same feel
to them, but they are not total knock offs of each other. What
Opeth has done with the
progressive death metal genre The Ocean is doing the same for
experimental metal. You really can’t classify this group under
one genre, they bled so much together and it just sounds so
right. Nothing on this disc is boring or weak.
Proterozoic, the second disc, starts off a little different than
the first. There is an almost two minute intro that sounds
eerie; almost like you just seen your love one die or you are
having a flash back sequence. Once this track is over it goes
right into the longest track on the entire Precambrian album,
Rhyacian. Right off the bat this disc is starting off just as
strong, the same eerie sound is heard through this eleven minute
epic. There is a guitar solo almost at the half way mark that
made my “I wish I could play guitar” eyes water. It wasn’t
extremely long, but damn it this will be stuck in my head for a
long time. The rest of this disc has the same scary feel to it
as well; there are some elements in the songs that should make
Between the Buried and Me
fans happy, same with Opeth
fans.
Final Verdict
The Ocean has finally made me proud. I am not trying to say
everything before Precambrian was garbage, but this album should
defiantly be on a pedestal. With all the different kinds of
music blended into this album you might think you’d have a
disaster. This is not the case with Precambrian. I would have
enjoyed a little more time added to the first disc, Proterozoic
(disc two) is sixty one minutes while Hadean/Archaean (disc one)
is only twenty two minutes. This is a big problem since all the
tracks on here are great, just seems like the first disc really
didn’t get enough out of this deal.
Rating
9 out of 10
The Ocean - One With The Ocean
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