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| ---- + Release Info + --------------------------------------+ |1
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Artist...: Oceans Ate Alaska
Album....: Hikari
Genre....: Metal
Label....: Fearless Records
Lang.....: English
Year.....: 2017
Source...: CDDA
Rip.date.: 08-02-2017
St.date..: 07-28-2017
Encoder..: FLAC 1.3.1
Quality..: 985 kbps Avg 44.1kHz 2 channels
---- + Track List + ---------------------------------------
01 Benzaiten feat. Alex Teyen 3:36
02 Sarin 3:08
03 Covert 3:13
04 Hansha 3:38
05 Deadweight 3:05
06 Veridical 1:50
07 Entrapment 2:59
08 Hikari 3:21
09 Birth-Marked 3:05
10 Ukiyo feat. Josh Manuel 1:19
11 Escapist 4:19
Total Size.: 11 Files/250.0MB/33:33 min
---- + Release Note + -------------------------------------
Oceans Ate Alaska don't exactly fit into the typical metalcore
tropes. Sure, there's the plentiful breakdowns and low-tuned
chug goodness, but their frenetic guitars and odd time
signatures put their debut Lost Isles on a different level than
the typical album in the genre. Although the record did tend to
get tiresome at times, small doses provided a big kick, but
still allowed the record to flow without overstaying its
welcome. So, with a new vocalist in tow, Hikari proves that
their debut LP was no fluke, and release a robust record that
stays true to their sound without resulting in a sophomore
slump.
Although much of what made Lost Isles great remains on Hikari,
the record as a whole feels far more varied and fresh. New
vocalist Jake Noakes proves his immense capabilities, far
outdoing anything previous vocalist James Harrison could do.
Jake's clean vocals are more melodic and less grating, and are
carefully placed throughout the album rather than interjecting
at random. 'Hansha' is a great example of this, as his higher
vocal register croons over the erratic instrumentals during the
runtime of the song. His harsh vocals are also nothing to be
messed with; his more deathcore-esque screams result in the
heavier moments on the album feeling that extra bit 'extreme',
never detracting from the stop-start instrumentals, particularly
on songs like 'Deadweight'. The production also lends a great
helping hand to not only Jake but the entire band. The album
perfectly balances out the instrumentals, even if the bass is
perhaps not as loud as it should be at times, and allows Jake's
vocals to really grip the listener.
Hikari overall proves a far more mature outing from a band who
had seemingly found a niche that they would stick with. The
namesake song on the record begins with a more subdued intro
before slowly developing over time, with the relatively simple
song structure proving to be a blessing that the band blossoms
into a fantastic track. The album overall feels more fleshed
out; the implementation of traditional Japanese instruments,
along with a shorter runtime, allows OAA to broaden their work
and implement more variety into a sound that can quickly become
overwhelmingly stale. And even when they stick to what they do
best on songs like 'Benzaiten' and 'Birth-Marked', it hits far
harder than in previous efforts. All instrumentals are
entertaining and schizophrenic as ever; guitars stop-start at
will, drums remain fantastically overcomplicated, and the bass
has some great moments, particularly on interim track 'Ukiyo'.
Although it can be viewed as more of the same from Oceans Ate
Alaska, Hikari is a wonderfully intricate album that still
proves that the band have a few tricks up their sleeve. New
vocalist Jake Noakes proves that anything you can do, he can do
better, and enables the album to feel more complex and
intelligent than previous efforts. Although the sound can become
tired at times, Hikari puts Oceans Ate Alaska at the top of
their game, and really proves the staying power of a band who
had seemingly branded themselves as just another
metalcore-deathcore hybrid.
Url: http://oceansatealaska.co.uk/
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