Ryan Murray | Co-Owner | Chief Editor | Contributor | Photographer
r.m.music84@gmail.com
When a band says “Our new album is going to be the heaviest yet”, it’s always best to take it with a grain of salt. After all, everyone has different tastes for music.
Having spent 14 9-hour days recording their latest album in Bogota Columbia, Oceans of Slumber has said “We went to Columbia hoping to find inspiration, but found so much more. The beautiful country and the people we came to know there have rejuvenated our fighting spirits and inspired our most aggressive and boundary pushing record to date. If you’ve ever wondered what we’re capable of, you will soon certainly find out. Truly cinematic progressive metal in the most grandiose sense.”
The band’s first single, which they kindly allowed me to preview along with the video is absolutely massive. “Where Gods Fear to Speak” is a powerful testament to the band’s musical prowess and emotional depth. From the deep, dirge-like opening riff, to Cammie’s opening notes to the intense crescendo, kick started by Dobber’s bone-crushing percussive force, this track takes listeners on a journey through darkness and back again.
The instrumentation is masterfully executed, blending insanely heavy riffs with melodic passages that create a dynamic and immersive listening experience, one that you won’t soon recover from.
The vocal performance is equally captivating, with evocative and haunting melodies. The contrast between Cammie’s beautiful and massively melodic vocals and her newly-found death metal growls absolutely gnaw and your insides, adding layers of complexity to the song, enhancing its emotional impact.
Overall, “Where Gods Fear to Speak” showcases Oceans of Slumber at their finest, delivering a heavier and more aggressive track that resonates with authenticity and depth. It’s a must-listen for fans of progressive metal and anyone seeking music that pushes boundaries and evokes powerful emotions.
The video, against an all white screen sees the band all in black, with Cammie at the forefront, with a massively beautiful new mic stand, created by Dobber Beverly.
While the band creates bone-crushing riffing and dark melodies, we see Cammie exploring and taking part in the art of Shibari. About Shibari, Cammie has said “In the beginning it was a sudden realization that Shibari would perfectly fit the idea of the video, then all at once it became a reality, and I found myself with a very challenging artistry to try and bring to life. The art of Shibari has always intrigued me. A delicate balance between pleasure and pain, self control and surrender, art and taboo. It has a rawness and elegance that merged so well with the new single. So with that in mind, I threw myself into it, and after multiple recommendations was lead to the renowned @darknesshyde_rope; and with his guidance we quickly worked up to some advanced poses to make sure we could capture just the element the band was seeking for the new video. Through this experience I found a deep sense of relaxation and surrender, a weightlessness, yet a focused pressure that forced my mind to quiet relax and let go. It would be perfect for Where Gods Fear to Speak.”
Oceans of Slumber shows, yet again, that they will continue to push the boundaries within the metal genre, creating not just music, but true art.
Be sure to check out the video for “Where Gods Fear to Speak” on Monday, April 15th!
Ethereal Metal 
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