Oceanic (album)
| Oceanic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isis' studio album | ||||
|
Publication |
September 17th, 2002 |
|||
| Label (s) | Ipecac Recordings · Escape Artist Records | |||
|
Format (s) |
CD · LP |
|||
|
Title (number) |
9 |
|||
|
running time |
63 min 23 s |
|||
| occupation |
|
|||
|
Matt Bayles |
||||
|
Studio (s) |
Fort Apache, New Alliance |
|||
|
||||
Oceanic is the second studio album by the American band Isis . The concept album from 2002 is considered one of the most important releases for the development and popularity of the post-metal genre .
Emergence
Both the album concept and a large part of the individual tracks emerged as a coincidental product of usual samples. Aaron Turner said the origin of the first track was decisive for the development of the entire album:
“After a very long and problematic process, a song was created that met the high demands of the band: 'The beginning and the end', the record's opener. (...) We noticed that we were going further and new paths found. The next songs built on this first step until we finally had enough written for an album. "
Another factor that favored the development of the album was the cooperation with Mike Patton's independent label Ipecac Recordings , which promised the band artistic freedom and thus did not interfere in the creation process or revise the album.
action
Aaron Turner, singer and creative head of the band, described the album's concept as a tragic love story. All characters involved remain unnamed.
The starting point of the story is an emotionally broken man who falls in love with a woman (the Beginning and the End), but discovers that she has an incestuous relationship with her brother (Hym / the Other). Since the protagonist is unable to stop the relationship, he commits suicide by drowning (From Sinking) and dissolves in the elemental force of the water, whereby his initially described longing for belonging and togetherness (the Beginning and the End) Find redemption (carry).
A constant theme of the entire album as well as other releases of the band (e.g. Red Sea EP and Celestial) is water as an allegory for femininity and female power.
Stylistic classification
Isis are turning away from their previous genre Sludge and are significantly expanding their musical spectrum. So the first track of the album begins The Beginning and the End Although sludgetypisch with short-battered and hard played guitars and typical howler singing , but changing one and a half minutes, to a spherically quiet passage that in the following only short Fortissimoausbrüchen is interrupted. The album followed this course throughout the entire album. Aggressive outbursts alternate with spherical passages, which can also extend over several pieces, as evidenced by the central calm instrumentals - (the 5th title), Maritime and the almost wordless Weight . To musically deepen the album concept and to connect the pieces, Isis also use the repetition of certain melodies and riffs. For example, a guitar motif from the title Carry can be found in the melody of the female vocals in the title Weight . Meanwhile, the main story of Oceanic is musically accompanied. The theme of water is constantly reflected in the music. For this purpose, not only appropriate samples (including whale songs and sea noises) are used on Oceanic , but the possibilities of symphonic poetry are also exploited.
layout
The graphic design of the album also picks up on the ocean theme . The front and back are completely taken up by the dark photograph of a rippled water surface. On the right-hand edge of the picture on the front, on the center line, is the ribbon lettering and a stylized pictogram that corresponds to a woodcut and depicts the waves of a water surface. Title information and album title can be found in the paragraph of the clear jewel case . The inlay and the CD itself use the negative of the front image. On the CD you can find the woodcut as well as the band and album name, again on the right. In the booklet, the lyrics are framed by greenish water and ocean photographs. Enclosed is another booklet which, in addition to the band, label and title, contains another photo of the sea and some additions to the conceptual history of the album.
effect
Oceanic is considered an important spark for the post-metal genre . Different bands like Mouth of the Architect compare themselves to Isis, are associated with the album like Callisto or Cult of Luna or directly refer to the band and Oceanic as an important influence, like Rosetta do. Other bands like Russian Circles call the comparison at least a significant contribution to their own notoriety. The German magazine Visions had the album in their list of the 66 + 6 best metal albums of the third millennium in spring 2017.
criticism
The trade press certifies the album consistently outstanding musical and content-related achievements. Marcus Schleutermann from Rock Hard called the album “a claustrophobic work of art full of grace” and awarded 8.5 out of 10 possible assessment points. Popular online magazines also agree with this assessment, so Whiskey Soda gives the album a 1+ school grade and describes Oceanic as a record of the year which is beyond any doubt . CD Starts awards the album 9 out of 10 possible points and emphasizes the claim of the publication:
“The exploration of this sound cosmos naturally requires time and sustained employment and almost requires the use of headphones. But once you have found your way into this monumental record, “Oceanic” creates something that only very few long players can achieve: emotions set to music that words cannot grasp. Dark and yet beautiful. "
The genre-related online magazine Metal1 also awards 10 out of 10 points and recommends the album as an upcoming classic in recent music history. The online magazine Vampster emphasizes the overall concept and the aggressive production:
“In terms of text, appearance and sound, this disc is as original as it is musical. Aaron Turner's difficult-to-understand concept, which deals with a cynical tragedy between hopelessness, breach of trust and incest, is difficult to match with the beautiful images of waters and yet a whole remains. Matt Bayles' production is rough, uncomfortable and original, like on the brilliant debut album "Celestial", but a step towards sophistication is given. "Oceanic" is a work that, like few others, represents a whole and demands the full attention of the listener. "
Title sequence
All pieces were written by the band together
- The Beginning and the End - 8:08 feat. Maria Christopher, Ayl Noar
- The Other - 7:15
- False Light - 7:42
- Carry - 6:46 feat. Maria Christopher
- - - 2:05
- Maritime - 3:03
- Weight - 10:46 feat. Maria Christopher, Ayl Noar
- From Sinking - 8:24
- Hymn - 9:14
Total playing time - 63:23
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Article on musical development in the San Francisco Bay Guardian
- ^ Isis biography on Art and Culture
- ↑ a b c d Review on CD starts
- ↑ Radio interview with Aaron Turner. combatmusicradio, archived from the original on July 16, 2012 ; Retrieved February 11, 2010 .
- ↑ Interview with MotA on Natalies World
- ↑ a b Review on metal1 ( Memento of the original from October 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Rosetta on Progarchives
- ↑ Interview on Rede Fine Mag
- ↑ oA: The 66 + 6 best metal albums of the millennium . In: Visions, issue 289, pages 52–66
- ↑ Review in Rock Hard
- ↑ Review of Whiskey Soda ( Memento of the original from December 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Review on Vampster
