Holocene
marks the conclusion of the band's paleontology series that began with 2018's
Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic
and continued with 2020's
Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic / Cenozoic
. Always planned as a trilogy, its thematic approach charts earth's epochs in geological time. The Holocene is, thus far, the most recent (and shortest) epoch, marking humanity's appearance. Normally, composing tracks began with guitarist
Robin Staps
creating a riff, drum beat, or vocal line. Here, core musical ideas were initially generated by keyboardist/synthesist
Peter Voigtmann
during the COVID-19 quarantine. He sent raw demos to
Staps
, who was impressed that they resonated with
the Ocean
's musical persona, and added guitars before developing them with the band in 2022.
The Ocean
made a change behind the mixing desk by enlisting veteran engineer
Karl Daniel Liden
, who also mastered the album.
Set opener "Preboreal" is a direct segue from "Holocene," the final track on
Phanerozoic II
. Haunting synth patterns ripple, pulse, and breathe before the band enters. Singer
Loic Rossetti
's layered, reverbed vocals (with assistance from
and drummer
Paul Seidel
) are clean and look directly back at human development, noting that despite our ability to reason critically, we remain existentially lost. Overdubbed synth brass buoys
Rossetti
before guitars and drums roar with detuned urgency. "Boreal" melds gothic and industrial electronics before low-tuned basslines, distorted guitars, and thudding kick drums frame
's vocal. Single "Sea of Reeds" commences with synthed horns and piano recalling
Massive Attack
-- they're devotees of
Mezzanine
-- as the band sounds nearly psychedelic, with vibraphones, hand percussion, synthed chimes, and echoing basslines ratcheting up the tension.
's vocal retells the Old Testament story of Jehovah's parting of the Red Sea, the escape of the Israelites, and the destruction of the Pharoah's army. "Atlantic" begins inside a plodding industrial frame. Piano, drums, synths, and
emerge, carrying a minimal melody. Minutes later,
reveal themselves still very much a metal band. Grinding guitars from
and
David Ramis Ahfeldt
war with
Mattias Haegerstrand
's filthy bass, massive kick drums, and layers of keys buoying a lyric that indicts humanity's failures. The opening portion of "Suboreal" sounds like a sinister version of
OMD
before it transitions into a raucous post-metal monolith. The electro-acoustic neo-Gothic rocker "Unconformities"' first half offers lead vocals from
Karin Park
of Norwegian prog-metal outfit
Arabrot
, and the second half explodes into thrash with
screaming. "Parabosis" segues out of it into raw, hooky prog rock. It picks up in intensity, but never loses the hooky frame. Closer "Subatlantic" unfurls slowly from a moody psychedelic intro akin to "The Quiet Observer," then suddenly shifts gears to sharp, angular metal. It closes with a darkly synthed brass chart, loops, and ambient sounds.
delivers the most varied, restless, and experimental music
has yet recorded -- especially as they lean into electronic music. ~ Thom Jurek