October Tide - A thin shell

Subject: October Tide - A thin shell Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:39 am

About: A thin shell is the third album of the doom/death metal band October Tide which was released in 2010. October Tide was a side project started 1995 by the lead singer of the band Katatonia, Jonas Renkse, and guitarist Fred Norrman. By the time this album was being done, the Katatonia singer had left the side project (1999) while Norrman had left Katatonia and continued with the side project accompanied by Tobias Netzel on vocals.

Listen: http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/A+Thin+Shell/5007747

Tracklist:
1. "The Custodian of Science" 7:33
2. "Deplorable Request" 6:03
3. "A Nighttime Project" 4:32
4. "Blackness Devours" 5:15
5. "The Dividing Line" 5:43
6. "Fragile" 6:35
7. "Scorned" 6:33
Total length:
42:14

My Rev:

When hearing it the first time it wasn't that bad, I could enjoy it although I didn't find it too interesting. It was said it’s an album that grows on you, I’m afraid it’s the opposite reaction for me though, I found it better the first time I listened to it, and then it faded the more I listened to the point I completely lost my interest (second listen..!). I'm pretty sure that's 'cause it was far from groundbreaking, it’s quite mainstream and boring as it felt like there was just this one very long track...

I don’t however find it shitty, I did enjoy many musical parts of it and I had no bigger issues listening at this.. Growling isn’t my favourite type of vocals, and I have no idea what he sang about - it sounded like a grumpy depressed mumbling, muttering troll complaining about his forest-like surrounding. The mellowness and overall pretty slow music toned it down enough to be able to listen at though. .... but at the same time the need to keep it down made it a bit too flat.

I've heard better side projects, that's definately not an excuse for being unable to come up with something more original and polished, quite the opposite I'd say, they come from different directions and should - specially when it being an experimental project - dare to to something more than playing it safe. There's nothing wrong with the music itself, in fact I really like the instrumental which to me are are the best bits, including the little different bit around the ending of track 2. The fact that they have made music before does kinda make one get the shrugging your shoulder-eyesbrows up-was that it?-reaction. It feels like an album they did to have fun toghether - or just had to do - and not really cared to challenge themselves. Erm, or maybe I just have to realise that this is the essence doom/death metal..? Call me ignorant.

Subject: Reviewing October Tide - A Thin Shell Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:44 pm

october tide - a thin shell

The opening music to the first track wasn't too bad..It's funny that I say that--as if I'm expecting it to be somewhat bad. I could obviously sense the doom-y, darkness atmosphere in it; The heaviness and dramatic impact that it was trying to convey. But I don't know what can separate this from other death/doom metal bands, 'cause I really have nothing to compare it with being that I haven't listened to much of this specific genre...

And the music, even though it lacked interest, sounded okay....until the singer--or thing, or creature started to sing. When that happened I was like, wtf?? A voice like that to me has no character. No depth. It's just a sandpapery growl machine belting out words that I can't even begin to hear or decipher or understand. I'm sorry if I'm really bashing this singer-creature thing...it's just that vocals are a big thing for me so I tend to over analyze the singer. Yeah, I can safely say the vocals really did nothing for me..in fact it took away a lot...

And to quote a fan of this particular music/band, he had once said, "It's a grower, be it it may take a few more listens to really stick to you, it's not meant to be great upon first listen."

So, if that's the case, maybe it should be equated it to wine: Harsh at first, now keep drinking, you get more drunk, and your wine is now, "hey it's not so bad afterall" Maybe my ears have to get more drunk......but I don't know if I can force myself to give it more than two complete listens before I'm succumbing to the monotony of the music--not to say it's completely blah...it's not terrible--just boring as RR said. It's that singer-creature thing that I can't stand. It doesn't even make sense why that voice is even allowed to sing. Or maybe that's the kind of art in doom metal that I'm missing.....