ALBUM REVIEW: Dead Reckoning – Oceanhoarse

Finnish quartet OCEANHOARSE‘s debut studio album Dead Reckoning is sure to leave a mark on the modern heavy metal genre. The group have said they are against “computerized metal music”, and feel the songs they make should all be manmade. This results in them using no backing tracks during their energetic shows, creating a totally raw metal sound. It reflects in their new release too, resulting in a hard hitting album which is sure to gain them new fans.

The opening track Headfirst introduces the listener with cool distorted effect which then swiftly drops into upbeat riff, paired well with the drums delivered by Oskar Niemi. Although this a only a short song, it acts as an intro into the rest of the album, setting the tone well and getting the listener in the mood for some similarly upbeat riffs. There are no vocals in this short track, but that’s more than made up for in the next song, which introduces the listener to some memorable tunes.

Up next is Locks, which delivers intermittent boisterous guitar riffs and drums, melded with aggressive vocals. Carrying on the flow of the intro, the song then drops into the main riff with a hearty scream from vocalist Joonas Kosonen. The vocal screams and main music track work really well together in the verses, playing off of each other well and creating an overall great sound. The chorus is slightly cleaner, with more melodic elements creating a cool contrast to what was heard prior. A nice guitar solo element in the latter half of the song changes up the rhythm well and adds a new layer of depth to the track. This band has already proven in two songs that they create very catchy rhythms which would work well at any live show.

One With The Gun makes itself known with deep guitars and a steady drum beat that’s sure to get a crowd going. This then transitions into a fast paced riff introduced by a classic scream from Kosonen. The riff switches up into a groovy sound when the listener is entertained with some more melodic verses. The chorus of this song is particularly catchy, starting off with an aggressive shout, and melding with the guitars and drums. This flows well in and out of the verses, making for a stellar listening experience. There is a breakdown-esque ending to the song which rounds it off well, allowing for some well deserved headbanging. This is accompanied with the sound effect of police sirens, making the lyrics of the song even more impactful.

One of the softer songs on this new release, Fields Of Severed Dreams, still manages to leave an impact. Opening with some slow guitar chords, this track then picks up with some upbeat drumming. The guitars for this song have an AVENGED SEVENFOLD sort of vibe to them. They accompany the vocals well, with these feeling almost more heartfelt than the previous songs in terms of delivery. There are a number of guitar interludes in this song, matching the energy of other songs from the album with their hard hitting riffs and bouncy rhythms.

The title track of this album is only 55 seconds in length, but acts as a nice intermission from the heavier tracks heard previously. Here, a lone guitar plays some calming riffs with cymbals added to create an atmospheric piece. It’s always interesting to hear how different bands create contrast through a singular album, and OCEANHOARSE make sure none of their songs are repetitive; all of them stand alone effectively.

The song prior acts as a great opening for the final track on the album, The Damage, which includes a killer riff and bell sound effects that accompany some more melodic vocals. This song perfectly displays this contrast that the band are able to create, and highlights the great production of this album. The song then transitions into a faster paced blast beat section, with the same riff from the intro.

It was a good choice to make The Damage the last track on the album, as it contains all the elements this band has shown they are strong in: catchy riffs and rhythms, well executed cleans, and aggressive uncleans. This leaves the listener truly impacted by the album they have just listened to.

Rating: 9/10

Dead Reckoning is set for release on August 20th via Noble Demon.

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