Review Summary: I cringe you not
I admit to having a soft spot for music where instead of trying to be groundbreaking, the artists choose to build upon already existing genres, striving to further perfect them while creating a sound that is clearly theirs. Somewhere in a World, Not of the Dream is a fine example of this endeavor ending up a success.
To Octavia is an up-and-coming quartet from Australia, making their own mark in an already oversaturated genre, where it's easy to miss gems like this release. It would be remiss to curtly label them as just another "core" band, even if they are one on the surface. Their music does operate with stuff that has been heard before, but it is so committed, energetic and so full of enthusiasm that instead of this aspect being a downside, it becomes an example of how to do it right.
The music itself mixes ridiculously catchy melodies and straight-up bouncy sound with head-bangingly heavy, crunchy guitar riffs in a way that doesn't sound cringey for a moment. The band tastefully merge the different genres, switching between the softer and heavier parts so effortlessly that it just feels natural.
The guitars sound punchy as they successfully deliver the heavy riffs and maintain the upbeat pace. The drums are confidently executed at all points and the electronics complement the sound perfectly at every time they are used. The clean vocals, which never sound overproduced, incorporate a range of different styles and while I'm awfully picky when it comes to cleans, they manage to hit the right notes throughout the whole record. They are such a signature element of the music actually, that I could not imagine enjoying it so much without them. The harsh vocals leave nothing to be desired either, with some very impressive and well-timed screaming that gives a special flavour to the overall sound making it more distinct.
With a runtime clocking in at a little over 21 minutes, there's not one second on this EP that feels unnecessary or filler. It's short and sweet, definitely worthy of a listen.
