Duo’s appear to have a winning formula, as is exemplified by Petbrick, Big Business, Organized Konfusion, and Tears For Fears which the promotional notes for this release recognizes, describing Ocre as combining power and elegance. 

Hailing from the city of Clermont-Ferrand, Ocre’s So Often Lifeblood Comes From Ashes (Atypeek Music) marks the band’s full-length debut following the 2022 E.P. That was titled er, First E.P. Ocre translates to Ocher, a pigment used in human’s first attempts at art during the stone age period. Such works showcased a crude appearance but which were in their own right indicative of a greater emotional depth. Minimalism can offer a lot, you just need to dig a little deeper to find out what that is and in relation to Ocre’s music, it’ll certainly be interesting to see whether this is proven to be the case.

“Don’t Worry” has an enchanting vibe not too dissimilar to that of Cave-In on 2003’s majestic Antenna, a record which saw a spacier, progressive approach than the harsh Metalcore of yesteryear. The music also recalls the stripped-down melancholy of The Cure circa 1980’s classic Seventeen Seconds thus marking a confident start to the album. Remember when both Paradise Lost took a moodier, left-field turn around the time of One Second and Misery Loves Company on the underappreciated Your Vision Was Never Mine to Share?. Well, inject a little Alice In Chains into the proceedings (the Vocals especially), and voila, “It Was Nothing” is the result. It should be pointed out that the track is nowhere near as sludgy as the latter but you take the point regarding the track’s otherwise Grunge aesthetic, simply superb. After two relatively downbeat numbers “The Three Stages of Stress” by comparison is a lot more playful, bringing to mind late 80’s Dinosaur Jr, a period when that band were at their absolute creative peak. 

“So Long” is emotionally devastating, whether it be the death of a loved one and/or the destruction of a romantic relationship, the track’s overall sense of a mournful begrudging acceptance is nonetheless palpable. It could be described as a ballad but to do so would be lumping it in with mawkish tat as ”Always” and “Home Sweet Home” (insert further Hair Metal atrocities at your leisure), thankfully this is a far classier, heartfelt affair. “Take a Look” the shortest track on the record, features brief spoken word and is a decent instrumental that segue-ways nicely into “In the Mirror”, a Post-Hardcore gem in the tradition of 90’s legends Quicksand and Jawbox. “I.L.Y.” as with “The Three Stages of Stress” is aggressive if not more so, coming across as a really cool Punky Stoner Rock jam “À la” Kyuss with a little Screaming Trees Psychedelia slipped in during the mellower moments. 

“Don’t Count on Them” is the album’s longest track at five and a half minutes and recalls the likes of Failure, Hum, and Shiner. Three great bands who defied musical categorisation and who hence were always destined to remain cult favourites, let’s pray that doesn’t happen to Ocre, especially with songwriting this good. “So Often” recalls both the Deftones White Pony era as well as the grandeur and ambition of Opeth. A complex, yet appropriately sombre conclusion to the album. 

That Ocre have managed to forge an album of such depth and variety into a mere thirty-four minutes is nothing short of a miracle and one that bodes well for their future. 

Buy the album here:
https://ocre2.bandcamp.com/album/so-often-lifeblood-comes-from-ashes-l-p

8 / 10
REZA MILLS
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