Customer Reviews

Oceanic

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This album is simply brilliant. Isis creates a truly "oceanic" sound that would cause Devin Townsend to rethink the sound of the metal sea. I'm lacking much reference for describing Isis, since this is the only album by them I have heard. The music is technically simple, but texturally and compositionally sublime. It has a big, full, beautiful sound rivaled by few, which is especially remarkable since the lineup is basically just a straight-up metal band. All elements are used for macro-effect rather than micro-effect. The primitive beauty of the riffs, the rigid, closely-knit rhythmic integration, and the huge heaviness (but heaviness of the ancient weight of water, not military bombardment) give the music a great mystical power. The hardcore screams appear to be an odd choice with music so atmospheric, but within seconds you realize how well it fits. Some parts can be extremely minimal in their compositional core, and yet with the band's incredible sound the repetition is not dull or hypnotic, but deeply invigorating. The band's grasp of dynamics is Tool-like but resulting in a far different, primordial effect. It sounds like a metal band tapping into the very _ancientness_ of the ocean. I can't really describe any individual pieces because I don't know the song titles that well because when I listen to it I just think of it as a seamless epic, and I don't consciously think about where the songs are ending and beginning. But it is a holistic piece as a work of music and a sonic experience. Most incredible is the album's atmosphere. It is raw, powerful, and enthralling like the siren's song. Definitely recommended to fans of "ocean metal" like _Ocean Machine_. In fact, this is even better.

If asked to describe the sheer brilliance that is Isis' "Oceanic", I would undoubtably respond with those two phrases. Everything about "Oceanic", from its emotional, multilayered instrumentations, to its beautifully abstract lyrics, to its ambient, highly dynamic atmosphere, is absolutely astonishing. It's not often that I can sit down and actually listen to a 63 minute album the entire way through, but with Isis' "Oceanic", it's far too easy. Every song plays off the previous to create a broad listening experience, and in the end strikingly seems to come together as one giant piece. While Isis is commonly associated with the hardcore and metal crowds (after all their vocalist Aaron Turner is the owner of hardcore heavyweight Hydrahead Records, which is responsible for such acts as Cave In and Botch among others), there is very little about this band that fits with the traditional hardcore or metal sound, and that in turn is one of the greatest strengths of Isis. If experimental, atmospheric and well thought out rock, with hints of metal and other genres, is something which you like, then "Oceanic" is an album you must own.

While every album Isis has released has been genius in its own way, and each has brought something unique and different to the table, "Oceanic" still remains my favorite piece of material from the band. While the previous "Celestial" has a much more metal feel with experimental temptations layered in (ala Godflesh), and the following record "Panopticon" would have a much broader atmospheric nature, "Oceanic" combines the best of both worlds. The band is still heavy in the needed places, but in others the instrumental sections are astounding. The loud soft dynamic hasn't been played up this well since Fugazi. While I hate to single out any tracks on this album, because I still like to think of it as one giant 63 minute epic, "The Beginning And The End", "Carry" and "Hym" are among my favorite tracks. I especially love the soft, almost indecipherable female vocals which creep into "Carry" and "Weight". The only true way to appreciate the beauty this record carries though, is to listen to it from beginning to end, and see how well it fits together. Almost like the pieces of a puzzle (to sound terrible cliche). I couldn't imagine any one track being in a different place, or others being added/omitted. That's part of the appeal of "Oceanic".

If you are a casual fan of music, "Oceanic" may present a difficult listen at first. When most songs run anywhere from 7-10 minutes in length, it does take some getting used to if you are more accustomed to conventional musical patterns and styles. However once that security barrier has been breached, you can fully understand the beauty of this record. Something which makes this album very different from any others Isis has put forth is the way in which the music is pushed to the front, and Aaron's vocals seem to be more of a background element. While this may seem strange at first, it works wonders here. In fact as many have said, this whole album itself, it seems, could be all instrumental were his vocals simply taken out. The way they are inserted adds much affect to the songs though, as seen on "From Sinking" and "False Light" (two of the album's heavier tracks) where the vocals and the music combine together to make a beautiful sound, without one overpowering the other.

Musically the band is among the most creative and skilled in any genre. The vocal style is something that many would not expect, were someone to describe to you what the music on this album sounds like. Aaron Turner opts to insert a traditional hardcore guttural scream, which as odd as it may sound, fits perfectly with the dynamic that the group creates. His vocals sound somewhere along the lines of Steven Brodsky's of Cave In on "Until Your Heart Stops", although they are not as loud, rough or overpowering. Sometimes they get somewhat melodic, but not too often. Like I said they are much more of a background element. The guitar compositions are extraordinary works in themselves, and are easily one of the most memorable aspects of the record. From loud to soft, or technical to broad, Gallagher (and sometimes Meyer) catapult the band to forefront of all experimental or noise driven rock outfits. Individual tracks like "The Beginning And The End", "Carry" and "From Sinking" have striking guitar parts. The drums and bass are the perfect rhythm section for the band, as they are important pieces of the music at times (the first 4 minutes of so of "Weight" relies entirely on the drumming), but don't show off or try to be noticed. They are best when the simply drift along with the rest of the band. The atmopsheric effects and keyboards added in by Chris Mereshuk are just brilliant touches. The sound which the band produces when making music together is simply unparalleled, and has a must-listen-to-be-appreciated type of nature.

There is really not enough praise I could give to Isis or "Oceanic". Listening to the record gives me the same wonderful feeling everytime I pop it in, and that's a reason why I fell in love with this album so quickly. While it doesn't necessarily have the type of sound you would expect at first, the massive, oceanic (forgive the comparison, but it works so well) feeling of the record is second to none. The ocean is the perfect way to describe Isis' sound, because much like the sea, they are broad and ever-changing. "Oceanic" is simply a masterpiece that should most definitely be given a listen by all fans of music who appreciate well crafted musical compositions. So far Isis has done no better. Just jump in already, and drift out with the tide.

This album instantly wins the distinction of being in the top 1% of my collection. It's a classic. There are nine songs, all but two of which are between seven and eleven minutes long. The songs build and fall, ebb and flow, much like, well, an ocean (and with the nautical titles, I think we have a theme on our hands...). For those that didn't know them before, ISIS was an extremely heavy band, somewhat similar to Godflesh and Neurosis, and now comparisons to Godspeed You Black Emperor wouldn't be too far off. ISIS' heavy edge has been somewhat tempered on Oceanic, but it's all for the best. They've finally come into a territory that belongs solely to them.

It's unique and beautiful. Though this is heavy music, it transcends any categorization of "metal" or "hardcore." There is melody soaking through this album, and it's not trite and repeated like standard pop melody; rather, it is unique and fascinating. This record achieves the ideal of being beautiful and heavy at the same time, and this isn't just hyperbole. The songs and album are never boring or repetetive despite their lengths; they rise from quiet and atmospheric introductions and build to torrential pounding rhythms, and subside again as they came. The guest vocals of Maria and Ayl (from another great Boston band, 27) are a stellar inclusion, and really round out some already amazing songs. The album is an odyssey; I can't stop listening to it.

Even if I weren't a fan before this, this album would instantly convert me. I give it a 13 out of 15 on the Gnosis2000 scale: a classic, one of the best albums ever made. I recommend it to everyone, whether a heavy music fan or not. Give it a chance, and you'll love it.

This...this is the kind of music that becomes hard to describe; Its very unique, very different, and very good. ISIS can sound incredibly heavy when they want to, and they can sound incredibly relaxing when they want to.

If I had to compare them with other bands I'd say that they have the heaviness and vocals of MASTODON, the rippling bass lines and the sometimes peaceful atmosphere of TOOL, and...well the rest is pure ISIS.

I grabbed this CD because I recently became very interested in this more alternative side of metal. Listening to bands like PELICAN and RED SPARROWES. None of these alternative bands are easy to listen to, ISIS being the only one of the 3 to have any vocals. It WILL take you many listens to truly enjoy this release. I've been listening to it for over a week and a half now and I still bump into times where my ears perk up, hearing something that wasn't easily noticed upon previous listens.

I do like the fact that ISIS actually have vocals in their music, because it makes their albums easier to digest and easier to tell where you are in a song, and you just get a generally better feel from the album when alls said and done. I also love the Lyrics and the way they are sung and written, although its not easy to hear any obvious words in Turner's howling vocals unless you have the lyrics right in front of you. I think Turner has a better clean voice then yell, but I enjoy both of his singing styles. The vocals really remind me of Troy sander's Vocal style; in that Some think they sound horrible and others think that they suit this type of music very well. Me being part of the latter group of course.

If you are into more Alternative/Avant Garde/Progressive metal then you most likely will enjoy this CD. Although its really hard to say If you'll enjoy it or not. Because it boils down to your willingness to listen to an album many times over, and how open-minded you are about music, composition, and song structure. (no chorus's here)

When I first listened to "Oceanic" I thought it felt very hollow and boring, with dull riffs and vocals. But upon closer inspection I realized just how amazing it is. The songs progression is really something to hear, as the songs get more intense and climatic near the end of the song almost like a story.("Weight" in particular) And the more mellow parts are also outstanding; from the squeal of Marine Creatures in "-", to the psychedelic guitar work of "Maritime", to the soft passages between walls of sound in "The Beginning and the End", to the relaxing bass lines in "The Other". This CD is a true classic of alternative and progressive metal. And like any true classic, it needs time to grow on you.

Personal "Unskipables"
---------------------------
- False Light
- The Beggining And The End
- Maritime
- Hym

This album was my first introduction to Isis. Coming out of a hardcore background, I expected this to be very fast and harsh. It wasn't at all. It really is heavy, but definitly not harsh. There's a passion in this music, but it's not fueled by anger. There's emotion, but it's not something you hear often. Or hear at all.
I was set back at first by the grunting. It's just not my thing and usually I cannot stand monotone grunting vocals. That is what bothered me on this album. At first, but I was wrong. It's not the average grunt here. It's heavy, sure, but there's real expression to be found in the vocals, playing on screaming out with emotion and throatsounds swallowing beautiful poetic words.

When I got through that I discovered the beauty of this piece. This cannot be labeled as "hardcore" or "metal". It's beyond it and it reaches much further. If there would be any kind of comparison, I rather would compare it to the musical build ups and explorations found in post-rock like Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor. Don't get me wrong, this is rock and Isis does not sound like the aforementioned bands at all, but they have just as ingenious intense build ups and moving in their music. Finding beauty in heaviness. The album is themed. You could picture someone abandoned on an uninhabited island, at one point even hearing the sea and sirens. But it's not a predictable theme. This album keeps surprising the listener. After the melodic and gentle Maritime comes Weight in which the female vocals give you an idea of what heaven may sound like backed up by the most melodic and impressive guitar tunes you will hear in this kind of music. Whichever that is.

This album is a must have for every hardcore, metal and music fan.

Aaron Turner was already known around Boston by the time Isis started getting attention; there were widespread rumors that his record label Hydra Head was fueled by a large inheritance, and that its lavish, first-rate packaging and distribution were ostentatious examples of fantastic personal wealth. I've never bothered to determine the truth or falsity of this rumor, because, in addition to running an independent label as artful, consistent, and frankly slick as I've seen since Sub Pop, Turner fronts the best heavy metal band to emerge in almost as long.

As mid-80s hardcore punk began drawing from metal, the lines blurred and a hybrid genre, simply called "hardcore", emerged. This brief exploration was almost immediately co-opted by the same bullheaded, pseudo-political meandering that brought punk down, but a handful of great experiments made it through-- most importantly for our heroes in Isis, the first few Snapcase and Iceburn records. Their totalitarian design approach felt like a nod to Iceburn, whose Hephaestus LP counts among the most innovative and artistically solid statements made during 1990s hardcore. After two attention-getting EPs that meandered as often as they delivered (another Iceburn staple), Isis released Celestial, a wall of screaming, soaring post-hardcore guitars whose presence recalled the Melvins's opus Houdini, and whose persistent, almost hidden melodic undercurrent harkened back to the glory days of late-80s Sonic Youth.

With Celestial, Isis delivered one of the best releases of 2000, but it took word of mouth to find an audience, and like many critically lauded bands, they're releasing a follow-up to a superb record many in their audience have only recently discovered. The SGNL>05 EP offered two good jams recorded while touring, but their fans want Celestial II, and they want it now.

Oceanic is an album that's at once more precise and more exploratory than the predecessor it upstages. Each song is an anthem on par with the three finest on Celestial ("Deconstructing Towers", "Glisten" and the title track), but their song remains the same: a huge chorus, and many lengthy breakdowns. Where Oceanic succeeds is in its ability to hold your ear during those lulls, which is something the band could never do with such ease or consistency until now. On the first track, "The Beginning and the End" and "From Sinking", the breakdown jams-- with Cure licks by-way of Neurot fellows Tarantel-- are as engaging as the explosive choruses we've been prepped for.

"The Beginning and the End" also features formless female vocals, the moans of a siren in the background. Later, on "Weight", we find our previously muted Nereid ringing clear. The song stretches over ten minutes, and it's one-time Dirt Merchants singer Maria Christopher (who briefly resurfaced in a much darker band called 27 last year) that ensures you'll never lose interest in the song's onslaught where you may have in the past; her nervy, echoing chorus at its close is a challenge to both heavy metal and female vocalists, so often relegated to stereotypical modes of expression. The chorale of organs that ring on after "Weight" will have you imagining scenes not unlike Oceanic's cover.

Isis is one of the few heavy metal bands recording without regard for convention, and since Tool's debut, few have succeeded in such breathtaking fashion. Turner-- who's invariably screamed at the top of his lungs to this point-- actually sings on the record's closer, "Hym". Always with an ear for the industrial drone dramatized by Swans and Skinny Puppy in the 80s, and kept alive by Neurosis (who Turner has known since starting Hydra Head), Isis have graduated from their status as the best dirge orchestra around, consolidating a number of disparate sounds to create a dynamic far more evocative than mere loud-soft-loud repetition: these are caterwauls offset by meditation.

-Chris Ott, September 26th, 2002

Oceanic is a great album, pure and simple. This may wind up being one of those hidden gems that metal fans talk about for years to come. Oceanic represents maturity and songwriting growth for Isis, and really shapes the bands identity in the music community.
Previous Isis albums have been marred with inconsitency and have wandered off at times. Celestial and Red Sea are both good albums, but these are the problems that made you listen to only a few songs on each of the records. Additionally, the SGL 05 album was kind of sterile, and had little emotion.
Oceanic solves all of these problems. There is a sense of beauty from the opening riffs of "The Beginning and the End" that stays all the way through the powerful end of "Hym." And while the songs are long, they are not oppressively repetitive as to make them unlistenable. Furthermore, the songs have an emotional edge that has been missing from previous efforts. All of the musicians seem to be putting everything they have into every performance. By far one of the best releases of the year.

"Oceanic" wasn't an especially easy album for me to review, and it might not be an easy album to listen to at first either. The songs on it are extremely lengthy, typically pushing the ten-minute mark. Vocalist Aaron Turner's harsh, almost feral howls are virtually indecipherable, and they can easily sound awkward and out of place for at least a couple of listens. And if you're looking for traditional verse-chorus song structures, forget it. In their place are a series of meandering, unpredictable tracks that rarely seem to go anywhere. It's very easy to write this album off as boring, pretentious, or any of the other labels that are often applied to music with such blatant progressive tendencies.

However, after awhile all of that comes to mean less and less. At bottom, "Oceanic" is one long mood piece divided into nine parts, generally taking metal and hardcore as a starting point but exploring a much larger range of musical and emotional territory. While this album is often brutal in its heaviness, it's a different kind of heaviness, relying more on atmosphere and dynamics than most of ilk for a truly comprehensive listening experience. Rampaging metal shares space with quieter, more contemplative moments, all integrated into a whole to form some truly epic and complex songs. Isis aren't the only metal band to mix aggression and calm, as Opeth have been doing it for years, but Isis are able to accomplish the trick even more seamlessly than those Swedish maestros. Sometimes the guitars slice and dice like buzzsaws in traditional metal fashion, but just as often they churn out sweeping, semi-melodic riffage or subtle tonalities that are more ambient than percussive in their effect. And these guys think nothing of embarking on a three- or four-minute instrumental interlude.

The album's best song, "False Light," provides a convincing demonstration of just what this band can do. It starts out as a hard-driving metal tune that's highly reminiscent of the mighty Neurosis, filled with intricate riff structures, vicious screams, and drumbeats that resemble nothing more than a herd of elephants. Then it effortlessly segues into a mellow instrumental passage, driven by gentle guitar tones and a loping bassline, lulling you into a false sense of security just in time to turn the heaviness back on with a vengeance for its punishing conclusion. On the similarly excellent "Beginning of the End," "Other," and "Hym," scenes of intense sonic violence and more subdued moments build and recede into each other, creating a dynamic effect that has rightly gotten Isis compared to post-rock greats like Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Another brilliant study in contrasts, "Carry" might sound for a few minutes like it's going to be a nice instrumental break until Aaron's vicious howl and some volcanic riffage bursts out of nowhere until about halfway through. Not to worry though, the next two tracks really do provide a nice instrumental breaks, providing the kind of soothing soundscapes that befit the album's aquatic theme. The hypnotic, repetition-oriented "Weight" throws a major curveball, replacing Aaron's throaty stylings with snatches of haunting, ethereal female vocals that blend perfectly with the fragile intensity of the music.

Well, I think I've typed enough by now, but you probably get the point. If you're into creative heavy bands like Candiria, Meshuggah, and the above-mentioned Opeth and Neurosis, you should check this album out. Period.

Unlike any older Isis releases, "Oceanic" is not ultra-heavy but now it is elevated to incredible intricate sonic architecture that relies on extreme progression, dynamics, and rich texture. The songs flow in and out of heavy and clean parts, like waves of the ocean, seamlessly with incredible melody. The songs really keep on changing, never leaving a boring feeling or any repetitiveness (except for the two short "intermission" songs.) The drumming throughout the entire album is really effective. It isn't really technical or fast, but it is so fitting and blends in so perfectly with the music. The clean guitars add rich melody and atmosphere.

The vocals are deep, harsh screams, but not too fast or aggressive. They certainly fit the type of music, and I have learned to like them. There are a little bit of semi-clean vocals also. They are really used more for rhythm than melody. Large parts of songs are instrumental anyways.

"The Beginning and the End" starts with a quick tumbling drum beat and quickly starts a very unique melody, very soon adding the aggressive vocals. The cleaner, instrumental parts in this song are some of Isis' best. Near the end the song slowly gets calmer and fades out. It's definitely one of their best songs.

"False Light" begins with an awesome, threatening sounding melody, getting aggressive fast, and then containing some great instrumental parts, sneakily changing into the next song.

"Carry" is a very interesting song. It is progressive in a different way, providing an incredible musical buildup. It starts out with almost nothing, slowly adding substance, then percussion, then a little guitar plucking, then another guitar, then changing to a very unique sounding riff, eventually leading to the vocal, heavier part of the song, which doesn't stop evolving and growing.

After the first four songs, you have a little intermission entitled "-" full of sound effects, and then two very different songs:
"Maritime," a short, simple melody that truly has an "Oceanic" feel, makes me fell like I am exploring the underwater world on a tropical island, and then the monster song "Weight." This is probably the most inventive song on the album, maybe even my favorite song on it. This song is a bit monotonous on first few listens. (I can really see Mogwai comparisons for this) and relies on the same theme throughout the song, adding and changing some things along the way. It is very minimal, but also complex in a way that is hard to describe. It starts out with a soft, underwater sounding melody and very slowly evolves and gets heavier. The suspenseful buildup is just as great as the amazing finish with female vocals. It provides visuals for the imagination: I think of a scuba-diver getting sucked into an undertow and getting gradually pulled towards the bottom of the ocean because of unavoidable water pressure rapidly getting heavier, eventually leading to his death. Whatever you imagine, this song definitely has an extremely stressful, helplessness, and fearful feeling, but it makes the song amazing.

This is one of the CDs in my collection that just took a really long time to fully appreciate. This is becoming a classic in my collection and in the world of metal. If you happen to be really interested and then when you finally hear it you're disappointed, give it a lot of time. Isis is beginning to evolve into a truly unique band and hopefully they will continue to do so.

I'm not one to write reviews on Amazon but I recently bought this CD and it's a perfect example of my tastes in music.

Oceanic is an album you'll want to listen to infull, there are no "hit singles" or any of that here. It's esentially one epic piece of music split into 9 segments.

Reccomended to any fans of Tool, Neurosis, or progressive rock/metal in general.