I have to be honest from the start; I’m a keen listener to the Deathcore genre but I have only checked out one other Oceano record before this one. A much-maligned genre, Deathcore has, in recent years, seen bands challenged constantly to try and experiment with what has become a very rigid almost formulaic sub-genre of metal.

Credit then goes to Oceano, whose latest album Revelation (Sumerian) attempts to broaden their own take on Deathcore and is the sound of band in full control of not only its sound, but also its creative direction, with this album in particular being a continuation of the story/concept from their previous release Ascendants (Earache).

The opening one-two punch of ‘Dark Prophecy’ and ‘Lucid Reality’ serves up an atmospheric beginning and immediately the vocals of Adam Warren hit you square in the jaw. The music too is punishing and creates a wall of sound that never lets you breathe. Throughout the record there are electronic samples which provide a good contrast with the ferocity of the band, these samples give the feeling of dread and fear in places but also give off a very sci-fi kind of vibe to the whole album.

At points throughout Oceano tread lightly into an almost Meshuggah style of riffing, which is definitely an angle they should continue to explore on future releases, giving some tracks an unpredictable feel, most evident on the track ‘The Great Tribulation’ which has some brilliant changes of pace despite only clocking in at just over 3 minutes. The absolute standout track that needs to be heard if you have even a passing interest is the title track ‘Revelation’. This track is so heavy and brings together all of the ideas Oceano have previously put forth with a crushing breakdown and a driving outro – an excellent end to the record.

Revelation only has 10 songs and the whole thing goes by in a little over 30 minutes. What is testament to the song-writing skills the band has honed over the years is that they can cram so many ideas and concepts into such a short album. I came to this record wanting to be impressed and surprised and whilst not every track is of equal quality, Oceano are definitely carving their own path with an album that does not fuck about; heavy in all the right ways and with an oppressive but expansive feel throughout.

7.5/10

KIERAN MITCHELL