Oceans – ‘The Sun and the Cold’ CD

Oceans is an apt name for a band with vast scope and constantly shifting sound. The German-Austrian band’s early material was so impressive that they got signed before they would play a show, and they have been creating a salt-tinged buzz ever since.

Having shown their promise on their excellent ‘Into The Void’ EP, debut full-length ‘The Sun And The Cold’ is a hugely ambitious work that arrives fully formed. The title-track sets sail with post-rock swirls, black metal picking, and even the odd pneumatic nu-metal riff muscling its way in. And as the album progresses, they bring abrasive death metal and dark gothic sweeps, along with accessible Linkin Park-style hooks.

These ingredients should not all fit together quite as well as they do, and yet somehow, the evocative atmosphere and visceral aggression come together to form a near-perfect storm.

Oceans have serious ambition, and this stunning debut is just the start of achieving it.