Review Summary: Did you miss me?
Oceans Ate Alaska has always been a rather intriguing band in the metalcore scene. Their style of technical and proggy riffing mixed with melodic chord progressions isn’t something particularly unique, but it’s catchy.
Lost Isles and
Hikari weren’t pushing boundaries, but they are engaging and fun records to spin. The same can be said for Oceans Ate Alaska’s newest effort,
Disparity. With the return of their former vocalist James Harrison, the group’s latest album features their signature progressive metalcore sound. However, after nearly five years, there’s something new in the mix.
Disparity feels like a fresh breath in the midst of their discography. Sure, the techy riffs and brutal grooves are still present, but Oceans Ate Alaska sounds even more refined. Leaning heavily into the influence of hip-hop and lo-fi, a chilled atmosphere establishes itself throughout the record. The trap-like beats seamlessly mix with the heavy metalcore style, amplifying the impact and power of the tracks. “Metamorph” and “Paradigm” exemplify this combination, opening with chill beats immediately contrasted by the low-tuned chugs and riffs. However, the integration of hip-hop doesn’t detract from the heaviness of
Disparity in the slightest. Tracks like “Death Behind the Eyes” and “New Dawn” explode with intensity and showcase an impressive display of screaming variety. The brutality of Oceans Ate Alaska bleeds through every track with many breakdowns that remain captivating and catchy throughout.
As a whole,
Disparity doesn’t necessarily break any new ground, but that doesn’t take away from its amusement. Sure, much of the style here has been done on their previous records, but they yet again succeed at making it catchy and infectious. Without deviating much from their formula, Oceans Ate Alaska succeeds at crafting exactly what fans expect. If you want some mindless fun full of grooves, breakdowns, and melodic riffs, this is the record for you.
