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The Ocean - Pelagial



8.6 | 405 votes |
Release date: 26 April 2013
Style: Post-metal, Progressive metal, Atmospheric sludge metal

Owners:

318 have it
42 want it


Disc I
01. Epipelagic
02. Mesopelagic: Into The Uncanny
03. Bathyalpelagic I: Impasses
04. Bathyalpelagic II: The Wish In Dreams
05. Bathyalpelagic III: Disequillibrated
06. Abyssopelagic I: Boundless Vasts
07. Abyssopelagic II: Signals Of Anxiety
08. Hadopelagic I: Omen Of The Deep
09. Hadopelagic II: Let Them Believe
10. Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance
11. Benthic: The Origin Of Our Wishes

Disc II [Instrumental]

The Best Post-Metal Album Of 2013
Top 20 albums of 2013: 3

Additional info
Recorded between January 2012 and January 2013.
Drums recorded at Bikini Test, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Guitars and bass recorded at band members' homes.
Strings recorded at Studio Mécanique, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Vocals recorded at Hidden Planet Studios, Berlin, Germany; at Digisub Studios, Sion, Switzerland and at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.
Drums and strings recorded and engineered by Julien Fehlmann.
Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.
Produced by Robin Staps and Jens Bogren.
Digipak (CD version) and gatefold (vinyl version) art design by Seldon Hunt.
CD and vinyl boxset art design by Martin Kvamme.
Booklets designed by Marcel Schulz.
Photography by Craig Murray and Robin Staps.
Additional string and piano arrangements and scores by Philippe Glandien.

Staff review by
R'Vannith
Rating:
8.6
It's clear that The Ocean are out to leave an impression with their latest release. It takes their imagery to its fullest expression yet, combined with lyrical inspiration taken from the 1979 sci-fi film "Stalker." Before you is a listening experience that aims at a thought provoking dive into an environment to which The Ocean are entirely accustomed. The question is do they achieve this goal; is it worth the plunge? Let me tell you, you're going to want more than to just dip your toes into this one.

Read more ››
published 05.05.2013 | Comments (17)

Precambrian part II, at last!! Well, quality-wise, that is; musically it's a different beast...

Are you ready to dive in the deepest of waters?

Darkside Momo's picks | More picks ››

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Comments

Comments: 38   Visited by: 1295 users
10.04.2013 - 15:46
Rating: 9
Paz
Nuclear Cowboy
Instrumental version of this album streaming here.
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26.04.2013 - 09:24
Rating: 10
Moose

No experience with this band before, but I just listened to a couple of tracks on youtube, and they sounded amazing! Gotta check out the rest of the album now.
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26.04.2013 - 11:34
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Moose on 26.04.2013 at 09:24
No experience with this band before, but I just listened to a couple of tracks on youtube, and they sounded amazing! Gotta check out the rest of the album now.

Check out Precambrian, one of their best and well known releases.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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26.04.2013 - 20:01
Rating: 8
Czerny Reiter

Anthropocentric is where it's at for me with this band. The vocal performances are stellar and the balance between harshness and melody is superb.

That said, I hope they keep up with the quality in this release. I've got to make some time to listen to it.
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27.04.2013 - 17:45
Rating: 9
Sovereign

This record ist amazing. never heard any of their songs before but it blew me away right from the beginning.
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28.04.2013 - 19:23
Rating: 8
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
I better get on this...slacking....
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rekt
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28.04.2013 - 20:00
Rating: 9
Paz
Nuclear Cowboy
What I've heard so far certainly doesn't deserve such a high ratings.
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29.04.2013 - 19:54
Rating: 9
Mariocalin

Really a good record.
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We are the priest of the temple of Synix
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30.04.2013 - 15:01
Rating: 10
infernaldeath87

I have Precambrian and it's spectacular, and I plan on getting Anthropecentric too, which is amazing to say the least. This album is very fresh sounding and just about follows the same formula as their previous efforts. I'll get this pretty soon since it just came out today in the US.
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01.05.2013 - 00:27
Rating: 10
Korah

Written by Paz on 28.04.2013 at 20:00

What I've heard so far certainly doesn't deserve such a high ratings.

Please focus on the "Bathyalpelagic" part and you will understand I think.
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Don't cry for my English
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01.05.2013 - 11:29
Rating: 10
Dark Doom

Really great sludge stuff \m/
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02.05.2013 - 04:03
Slayerus23
Account deleted
The instrumental version works better since it's the original one.
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03.05.2013 - 22:27
Rating: 8
Nefarious
Doom Knight
Haven't made up my mind fully on this yet, it's a little hit & miss. I'll have to give it a few more spins. The Bathyalpelagic section is fantastic though.
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"FUCK!!! You're the fucking 5th person asking me in an interview about the woman in the bathtub?The problem is that I AM the fucking person in the bathtub, and I AM a fucking MAN, for fuck's sake! I hate you all!" ~ Herr Morbid
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03.05.2013 - 23:27
Rating: 10
I have been wishy-washy with their music since Precambrian, but, I know what happened for me is once I accepted that they were never going to do something like Precambrian again, I have felt differently about them. I thought Anthropocentric/Heliocentric were weak, but they really stepped it up with Pelagial.I simply can't get enough of this album; its heavy when it needs to be and its lighter when it needs to be--its very dynamic and its rare to hear these kind of dynamics in alot of metal these days. Solid album!
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11.05.2013 - 16:32
Rating: 10
lial87

Mindblowing
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21.05.2013 - 16:24
Rating: 10
lial87

An example of a perfect piece of music.
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26.05.2013 - 16:34
Rating: 9
Eccer

After a couple of listens, I find myself astonished. Perhaps touched as well? There's some beautiful moments throughout the beginning, and some bone crushing riffs at the end. The attempts at doom is excellent imo, although not as crushing as real funeral doom. But I don't think it was ever necessary for this album anyway.

Definitely deservers a higher rating, but I get it why some won't like it though.
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18.06.2013 - 23:38
Rating: 8
Giza

This album really surprised me. Simply astonishing. A must listen for fans of Mastodon, Opeth, BTBAM and Cynic.
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27.06.2013 - 15:08
Rating: 10
Kuroboshi

Definitely their best so far! Freaking awesome. Post sludge in a totally different manner than CoL.
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01.07.2013 - 11:54
Rating: 8
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Sounds rather progressivey. Reminds me a bit of Ne Oblivis-howerveryouspellit.
Oh, and is it supposed to be Abyssopelagic or Apyssopelagic? The album' box says the latter.
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"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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26.08.2013 - 00:36
Rating: 9
Risto
Wandering Midget
This is awesome! Love how I keep finding new things on every listen, and the instrumental version merely compliments the first disc and isn't complete alone. Digging the Tool touches too.

Written by M C Vice on 01.07.2013 at 11:54

Oh, and is it supposed to be Abyssopelagic or Apyssopelagic? The album' box says the latter.

That would be a typo in album art, the former is correct.
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09.09.2013 - 00:48
Rating: 9
Crème fraiche

Written by Risto on 26.08.2013 at 00:36

This is awesome! Love how I keep finding new things on every listen, and the instrumental version merely compliments the first disc and isn't complete alone. Digging the Tool touches too.

Written by M C Vice on 01.07.2013 at 11:54

Oh, and is it supposed to be Abyssopelagic or Apyssopelagic? The album' box says the latter.

That would be a typo in album art, the former is correct.


Same! I have been re-listening to this like crazy every since I found out the concept of this album (depths of the ocean). Great stuff!
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09.09.2013 - 00:49
Rating: 9
Crème fraiche

Written by Risto on 26.08.2013 at 00:36

This is awesome! Love how I keep finding new things on every listen, and the instrumental version merely compliments the first disc and isn't complete alone. Digging the Tool touches too.

Written by M C Vice on 01.07.2013 at 11:54

Oh, and is it supposed to be Abyssopelagic or Apyssopelagic? The album' box says the latter.

That would be a typo in album art, the former is correct.


Same! I have been re-listening to this like crazy every since I found out the concept of this album (depths of the ocean). Great stuff!
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09.09.2013 - 21:48
Lit.
Account deleted
On an offhand note from the already stellar music, the packaging is fucking beautiful.
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09.09.2013 - 22:15
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
I need to check this one out very soon. It's like i'm getting late to spin this record.

after listening their first track streaming here, i was stoked to hell.
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10.09.2013 - 14:15
Spirit Molecule
spirit molecule
Written by Guest on 09.09.2013 at 21:48

On an offhand note from the already stellar music, the packaging is fucking beautiful.


They always deliver on all fronts. This one is definitely better than Heliocentric and Anthropocentric. I love listening to the instrumental album and then after that, with the vocals. Definitely one of my favourites this year.
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If you never wake up from a dream does it become reality?

Last fm
Don't click here
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05.02.2014 - 14:38
Rating: 10
boo-boo

I knew the record was great - I kept listening to it for over a month without stopping. But a few moments ago I unpacked the albumand I was just stunned. These guys know what they are doing, every piece I have in my collection is beautiful in its own way.
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World won't end today - it's already tomorrow in Australia.
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22.08.2014 - 00:38
Rating: 10
Stunning Cactus

Can I just...please have this in hard copy? <3 \m/
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31.10.2015 - 17:43
Rating: 9
Joppe
Steelemeister
Good album.
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My vision is augmented
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02.08.2016 - 10:44
Rating: 7
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Good album but doesn't sound very original to me. Too often it reminded me of earlier Mastodon.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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