Oceans of Slumber Album Review by Tommy B. Smith

Album Review:

Oceans of Slumber by Oceans of Slumber

A couple of months ago, I caught Lacuna Coil, New Years Day, and Oceans of Slumber on their 2024 Ignite the Fire tour. I had already seen Lacuna Coil in concert, having listened to them for a couple of decades by that point, and also New Years Day while on their supporting tour for In This Moment, but this specific outing introduced me to a new and interesting musical cache with Oceans of Slumber.

Two songs stood out from their opening set, the entrancing “The Waters Rising” most of all, followed by a straightforward but riveting track from their self-titled album, “A Return to the Earth Below.” This led me to seeking a few of the band’s tracks online, after which I made my first official purchase from their catalog: the self-titled album, Oceans of Slumber, released in 2020.

Though this was my introduction to the Houston-based band, they aren’t exactly new to the scene, having released their debut album in 2013, before current lead vocalist Cammie Gilbert joined and the band’s sound developed through its sophomore effort, Winter, and subsequent releases.

The soulful, melodic passages interspersed with doom metal melancholy bring much to explore. Oceans of Slumber’s self-titled release is the type of album I don’t encounter often, an experience that reveals more with every listen, and I keep finding a new favorite song. It began with “A Return to the Earth Below,” which I recalled from their live show, and progressed to the mournful and majestic “To the Sea (A Tolling of the Bells)” and later, “I Mourn These Yellowed Leaves.”

The opening track, “The Soundtrack to My Last Day,” braces us for what’s to come with a blend of melody, crunchy heaviness, and the occasional reprieve of quieter passages. It feels like a precursor to the next track, “Pray for Fire,” which begins on a lighter note but leads us into heavier territory that blends the band’s strengths into a graceful, bludgeoning force. It’s a powerful song, musically and lyrically, and although the song’s spoken-word passages lean a bit theatrical for my tastes, this isn’t to the detriment of the song.

Even outside of those highlights mentioned with “A Return to the Earth Below,” “To the Sea,” and “I Mourn These Yellowed Leaves,” no moments are wasted, even as the album features a couple of instrumental interlude tracks with “Imperfect Divinity” and “September (Momentaria)” which divulge a bit of classical influence.

With “The Red Flower,” organ and drums lead a slow, bluesy gothic doom number, winding toward the conclusion, a cover version of Type O Negative’s “Wolf Moon” which further evidences the band’s influences. It’s a mostly faithful rendition.

This is an album that may require some time to digest and appreciate in full, but it is more than worth the time, and I look forward to more.

The latest release from Oceans of Slumber, Where Gods Fear to Speak, released in spring of 2024.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.oceansofslumber.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/oceansofslumber

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YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@oceansofslumber

REVIEWER BIO:

Tommy B. Smith is an award-winning writer of horror and dark fiction whose works meander through the darker spaces of the psychological and the cosmic. He has been featured in numerous publications to span the years, and is the author of the Black Carmenia series, as well as the occasional reflections on music, books, or experiences that capture his interest. His presence currently infests the west Arkansas River Valley, where he resides with his wife and six cats.

More information can be found on his website at:

http://tommybsmith.net