Ocean of Grief create music that is perfect for winter. Their brand of crushing and stately death doom is very much in line with the genres tropes, but their execution is truly excellent, speaking to their enduring skill as songwriters and the overarching power of this music on fans the world over. There is a really wonderful breadth to their sophomore album Pale Existence that is going to keep fans engaged and bring them ever deeper into a world of doomed landscapes and gorgeous minor key melodies. It's hard not to be charmed by what they've done here.
Pale Existence is a crusher any way you slice it. It's a record that is fueled by some absolutely monolithic compositions and wonderfully dark vibes. The multi layered nature of the melodies and the sweeping power behind the songwriting speaks to just how talented this band is and it's hard to deny the magic that they so easily conjure up. This is death doom done with a vision for the future, but a hearty respect of the past. Oceans of Grief may not be reinventing the wheel, but what they are doing is showing a deep understanding of the power of death doom and crafting tunes that tie into it perfectly, with a clear vision of what's to come.
This album is an excellent showcase of one of metals most forgotten or maligned genres, a continuing testament to the growth of this music and a hint of where it might go next. Pale Existence is an album that leans into so many of the classic elements of death doom and it's a delight to hear it being executed on properly and with some of the strongest songwriting I've heard from any 2023 release thus far. Ocean of Grief are in a league of their own and it feels that they are only going to keep getting better at what they do with time.
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