... And Oceans – "The Regeneration Itinerary"

"No matter what music you've heard so far, you've not heard anything like this"

With the staggering number of metal bands in the world, I like checking out bands I haven't checked out before. Shit, I don't even need to have a positive experience; I just like being one less band uninformed. But of course, all the better when a hitherto unexplored group blows me away. It happened this year with Polish blackened deathsters Hate and their blinding new effort "Bellum Regiis". And it happened again this year with Finnish avantgarde-blacksters …And Oceans and their blinding new effort "The Regeneration Itinerary".

First impressions tend to last, and in this case, it holds true for this album's first impression of tangible contrast between the celestial and the crude. A spacy synthesizer opens only to get hijacked by a violent blastbeat. The guitar shreds a grim Minor-key figure, but it's still as lofty as it's ugly. Everything drops to a quarter of its pace. The feeling is a waltz; the theme lasts for six measures. It's mysterious, it's fiery, it's fascinating. A sudden break; an even more mysterious half-note figure.

And all of a sudden, in the midst of what one would have thought would merely be the most original black metal one had ever heard, there's only a discreet electronic beat left. Everything slowly builds up around it; more electronic figures are added – some straddling the line between melodic and percussive, just like this entire expression is straddling the line between mind-blowing metal and horrid "club" shit. But the expression is still enigmatic; the tonality still evil. Then another explosion into blastbeat and black metal riffing, but with a riff variation spanning several verse meters. I can't keep up with this, and I can't entirely encompass what's going on here, but I'm hooked and drawn.

Sophmore track "Förnyelse i Tre Akter" ("Renewal in Three Acts") is a bit more straightforward, starting off with a more tangible, melodic tremolo riff and going into a thrash metal pace. The drums actually sound like real animal skins as they're supposed to. The vocals are raw, hoarse, and frenetic. The pivot point here is a redeemingly melodic 2-chord figure emanating clear vibes of this little ditty called "Spellbound by the Devil".

And that's entirely well. Because as much as true black metal artists felt betrayed by this little '97 album called "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant", its authors didn't transcend the genre's limitations for commercial gain rather than artistic renewal. Yes, coming back to that song title, aforementioned renewal is exactly what's going on here, the melodic coloring being complemented by a dejectedly high-pitched demon scream that'd prevent any record from selling six figures.

The dynamics increase and decrease – sometimes gliding like the tides; other times abruptly like cracks of thunder.

And the contrasts continue. "Chromium Lungs, Bronze Optics" starts off with a chord figure that may as well have been snitched from hardcore. As the track progresses, however, not only do aforementioned screams become even more manic, hoarse, and high-pitched, but the layers of beautiful, relaxing synth pile up until the whole thing practically effuses into new age.

Also the electronically percussive feature reemerges in "The Ways of Sulphur", the immense, melodic black metal borne by orchestral strings and wind instruments, but this time descending into a slower, syncopated verse with almost fucking wub-like noises. Yes, like with that "Skrillex" dude. Fucking believe it. And after that, it goes into a goddamn disco-feel, the bass almost sounding offbeat, and even adding an accordion in the background. No matter what music you've heard so far, you've not heard anything like this.

I'm mentioning a lot of standout elements, but to set things straight, the main means of expression here is cosmically gigantic black metal. Produced like Tool or Devin Townsend, played with all the fervor of Darkthrone or Mayhem, but rather with the technical skill of Opeth, say. In all its paradoxically furious grandiosity, it is downright mind-expanding, and all the aforementioned stand-out elements collectively make it all the more so. The dynamics increase and decrease – sometimes gliding like the tides; other times abruptly like cracks of thunder. Indeed, it is almost difficult not to think natural forces into the whole thing. The superhuman and dramatic expression elude to powers much bigger than our mortal selves.

In fact, I'm thinking this is one of those cases where we need to talk about the album cover. Although you should really just go and get the damn vinyl – if nothing else, then for the cover itself – here's a link from Ghost Cult Mag for proper reference. (No affiliation or anything, but I appreciate their service for metal.)

I can't keep up with this, and I can't entirely encompass what's going on here, but I'm hooked and drawn.

Starting from the bottom left side, there's civilization, the inescapable labyrinthine premise of its foundation rising in Escheresque tower upon tower of impossible, illogical consequence of how far we've come with pure, cold technology. On the right, there's nature, tree trunks, branches, and crowns of leaves stretching just as far towards infinity. And in the middle, humankind gets ripped open and sees a possibly infinite line of connections to the cosmos, geometrical patterns weaving in and out of each other in a seemingly faultless balance, somehow one-upping A Perfect Circle in terms of album covers keeping the promise of not only the band name, but also what seems to be the entire concept behind the group.

I'm bringing all of this up, not only because this is probably the most mind-blowing album cover I've ever seen, but because it fits the music more perfectly than any other album cover I've ever seen. No, I seriously cannot think of any other case. If you can, feel free to write me at mail@globalmetalblog.com.

Even though I've said a lot so far, it seems words are ultimately pointless when dealing with material like this, even in all its strangely esoteric brutality, seemingly compelling one to evince one's many impressions of the group's creative phraseologies. I could tell you about how "The Regeneration Intinerary" gets more brutal towards the end. About the almost viking-like riff of "Towards the Absence of Light" complementing a more classic Minor progression with a flute-like synth theme, going into some of the album's most insane drumming – machine-tight and beastly aggressive at the same time, as the genre really should presuppose. (And yes, there are way too many examples of sloppily played black metal both during and since Venom, but this is how it damn well SHOULD be played.)

But no. Just fucking listen to this record. While I will repeat what I said initially about never having heard the group before, I will also repeat: No matter what music you've heard so far, you've not heard anything like this.

Rating: 5 out of 6

Genre: Symphonic avant-garde black metal
Release date: 23/5/2025
Label: Season of Mist
Producer: Juho Räihä