ALBUM REVIEW: Oceans of Slumber - Where Gods Fear To Speak

With the band's upcoming sixth album, Where Gods Fear To Speak, Texas' Oceans of Slumber are a band that continues to develop an emotional journey through progressive metal and traditional heavy metal with their sound. Combining themes of death, doom and soul, the band creates a cinematic journey with the album's lyrical theme and heavy musical arrangement. Does the band's new album deliver a musical blockbuster of an album that the band strived to deliver?

The album's title track opens the album. Ominous, clean guitars and rising cymbal strikes lead the song's dark beginnings. Alex Davis & Chris Kritikos' chugging guitars ring heavy and punishing as Cammie Gilbert's vocals come alive as she belts to the rafters. Drummer Dobber Beverly's double bass double times the song as Gilbert's clean vocals get joined by demonic growls beneath her. Acting as an evil counter-melody in a way. The bass gurgling of Semir Ozerkan also shows up in the transition. As the song turns into old school death metal for a brief section. Death growls and double bass lead the charge, before Gilbert's clean vocals raises the listener from the depths of the darkness. The atmospheric guitar section at the halfway mark, with the somber tone and Gilbert's delivery instantly reminds me of Devin Townsend musically in the play style and musical switch-up. The closing, doom-heavy breakdown leads into one last chorus as the song comes to a somber close with synths by Kritikos.

On "Run From The Light", guitars ring loud in the mix as Gilbert's clean and death growl shouting, segue into beautiful male/female vocal harmonies. Beautifully mixed on that piece as Beverly has some subtle drum fills during the section, before amping up in intensity. Gilbert even gets an almost operatic high vocal in a couple places, which is pretty impressive and a hard note to hit. An impressive guitar solo kicks in after the halfway mark, channeling a hybrid of metalcore, doom metal and traditional heavy metal in the musicianship. Beverly flies across his kit, while adding thundering tom hits, as the song builds to a crescendo-like close.

"Don't Come Back From Hell Empty Handed" opens with angelic synth pads, that rise and fade in a nice synchronicity. Gilbert stands alone in the opening, with the band playing subtly to not only fit her vocals, but to also let her shine. Accenting the synths, which add to the emotional delivery of her performance. Distortion kicks in on the chorus, but a lot of doom metal style hanging notes, adding heft to the song's emotional and lyrical weight. While also not letting it overshadow Gilbert's voice. The song even has a black metal-esque section with tremolo guitars and blast beats around the two and a half minute mark, but is lower in the mix to add some dynamics, but not overpower the song. Beverly adds a beautiful, gothic sounding piano under Gilbert's voice right before the halfway mark. Creating a somber and more impactful tone to Gilbert's voice at that part of the song. The song picks up after that section, leading into a bluesy riff, showing the band knows how to play with the listener. Adding those progressive changeups to their song, leaving the listener unpredictable of where the song is going.

"Wish" opens with Gilbert performing a cappella, before the guitars come in, but clean in tone before rising in distortion heading into the chorus. Her vocals during the main verse section has a sultry delivery, before her belting vocals kick in on the chorus. Truly showcasing her vocal range.

Low in the mix piano and light drumming opens "Poem of Ecstasy". Gritty, distorted, almost grunge guitars comes in underneath Gilbert. Acoustic guitar join the party, adding that little bit of dynamics, until the blasphemy begins. Distorted, deep growl vocals come in HARD and the song switches from gothic metal to an almost blackened death metal tone with the drums and guitars. Then, the pace picks up with drums double timing, as guitars join in the ferocity as Gilbert's wailing vocals turn dark and demonic. This is potentially one of the heaviest songs in the band's discography. So complex, intricate, brutal yet mournful. Emotional, yet heavy and aggressive. This is my favorite track from the album.

Pulsing synths and heavy bass open "The Given Dream". Vocals are heavy and anthemic in their delivery, over a very industrial beat. Reminding me of In This Moment. Gilbert is a one-woman army on the track, leading with such power, grace, sultry, and angelic in her delivery. Davis & Kritikos come in with thundering and chugging guitars to bring the heavy to the closing chorus.

"I Will Break The Pride of Your Will" has another great piano opening with synths adding emphasis and heft to the piano. Guitars have a metalcore play style and sound, with the synths hanging in the ether of the mix. Gutturals come in heavy with the chugs, before Gilbert turns on the pipes and belts her lyrics loud and proud. Beverly is the true hidden gem of the track, with his all over the place drumming and piano playing. And with Kritikos' synths behind it, it really adds depth to the song and Gilbert's vocals.

"Prayer" has an almost distorted pipe-organ intro, into chugging and reverb-heavy guitars. The song has moments of melodic death metal, with switch ups from distortion to beautiful acoustic guitars and another piece of male/female vocal harmonies. Before the harmony turns to unhinged, harsh unhappiness as the growls come in furiously and aggressive. Another song that the band loves to play in the progressive metal waters. Seeing what they can do with their music.

Distorted, reverb heavy synths and production effects opens "The Impermanence of Fate". With just synths, Gilbert carries the song on her strong back and powerful vocals. Delivering a performance of her powering through the struggles and inner-saboteur we all face, as she reaches her peak highs in a revelation-like moment. The band joins her at the two minute mark, with a very low, slow and doomy accent. Along with the piano playing, creating an unease and fearful emotion for the listener. Then, the song mutates into straight black metal with tremolo guitars, blast beat drumming, and cavernous vocals. What a unholy transition from the heavens, to the depths of hell. Double bass continues as the song tries to crawl its way back to the heavens, with growl vocals clawing Gilbert back to the depths. Before her powerful vocals and synths beneath, lead her and the song to the promised land as the song comes to a close.

The album closes with the band's cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game". The beautifully produced opening piano, and the accompaniment of acoustic guitars, soaked in reverb, REALLY just sound so peaceful and tranquil. Creating a modern-production version of the song that pays homage to the original. Gilbert's vocals not only match the original at many parts, but with her more somber, heartfelt delivery really has the take on a different inflection. Creating a more tragic sounding tone to the song compared to the original.

Where Gods Fear To Speak truly captures Oceans of Slumber's sound, even amping it up even further to a more grandiose level. The album was a great combination of heavy elements of black and death metal, while also adding progressive rock and gothic moments that the band hits perfectly throughout. Gilbert's vocals are top-notch on the album, with her range of evil and harsh to angelic and harmonious. A strong record that truly shows the band is just getting better with every release. Pushing themselves to a more epic scale, in not only the music, but in the emotional message delivered in the vocals.

SCORE: 9.5 / 10

1) Where Gods Fear To Speak

2) Run From The Light

3) Don't Come Back From Hell Empty Handed

4) Wish

5) Poem of Ecstasy

6) The Given Dream

7) I Will Break The Pride of Your Will

8) Prayer

9) The Impermanence of Fate

10) Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover)

FFO: Katatonia, Blues Pills, Anathema