Review Summary: ...and Oceans awaken from their slumber!
Comeback albums can be a bit tricky. When certain bands reunite, there's always a sense of anxiety among their fans. Will new material hold up to previous albums? Will said band be a shell of their former selves? Will they come back stronger than ever? The answer for Finnish experimental/symphonic black metal masters ...and Oceans is simple. After nearly 2 decades, they have come back with a ***ing VENGEANCE.
First let me start by saying that
Cosmic World Mother is this band's crowning achievement. Hell of a statement for a band that hadn't made an album for almost 2 decades, but its the cold, hard truth.
The Symmetry of I - the Circle of O is also a nearly flawless album, but the sheer brutality and atmosphere present throughout
Cosmic World Mother puts it over the top. The Dissolution of Mind and Matter starts this album off by blasting the listener with a volcanic eruption of lightning fast, melodic trems and superhuman blast beats mixed with frantic and spacey keyboard work and some of the most gut wrenching screams you'll ever hear on a black metal album. That theme continues throughout the duration of the album and never lets up on the pitch black abyss of riffs, blasts and cosmic soundscapes. The title track stands out in particular with its blend of furious melodic black metal and softer ambient and almost techno(ish) synth work. Every element present here compliments the others to perfection. The symmetry between the riffs and keys make for the perfect meshing of melody and brutality. Neither one is too over the top and that works to the album's advantage. The vocal performance is stunning and varied, ranging from insanely high pitched shrieks to gurgling gutturals and painful shouting.
....and Oceans was always a band that pushed the limits of the black metal genre. Their first 2 albums were symphonic black metal at their core, but also incorporated creepy and weird electronic elements into the synth work. Their next 2 albums experimented more with mixing industrial and black metal, leaning very heavily into the cold and eerie industrial sound on
Cypher.
Cosmic World Mother is the culmimation of nearly two decades of being stagnant. With a new lineup and renewed energy, ...and Oceans have returned to not only give us their magnum opus, but one of the best black metal albums of all time. This isn't your typical "HAIL SATAN" black metal album. These guys want you to think outside the box.
Cosmic World Mother is a gorgeously bleak trip into the deepest, darkest part of your mind and soul. Its a black vortex of the most melancholic kind. Enter the void....if you dare.
