It's a fact: OCTOBER TIDE is back after 11 years! In 2010,after Fred Norrman left KATATONIA, he decided to reactivate his old Death/Doom Metal project, this time however without the other founding member Jonas Renkse. So with a brand new lineup and only one remaining original member OCTOBER TIDE recorded and release their 3^rd studio album entitled "A Thin Shell". The question is: what the fans should expect from the band after all these years? Will OCTOBER TIDE retain the atmosphere and style of their two previous releases? Would they be able to produce music of high quality without Jonas Renkse in the team? The answers lay ahead.

Most of the fans, and also me, probably had the hidden passion that OCTOBER TIDE would retain the atmosphere and style of "Rain Without End" and the first KATATONIA releases. But lets be realists; the possibilities of that happening were really few. And so it is that the new OCTOBER TIDE sounds mostly like SWALLOW THE SUN. The style and sound are modern but of course still based on their past and there are really a few things, mostly found in some guitar riffs, that will remind you of their past atmosphere. That sounds even more logical if you take under consideration that all the new members are young musicians and the new singer is Tobias Netzell, who is also the vocalist of IN MOURNING, a new progressive Death Metal band that also has some doom elements in its music.

Now let's talk about the quality of the album. "A Thin Shell" is really a very good record, well balanced and with many great songs that will catch your attention. OK, it is not as great as their incredible masterpiece "Rain Without End" but it is a defining high quality release that can continue their legacy. Simple and strong melodies and riffs are dominating the album creating the proper atmosphere and feeling. The harsh and deep growls of Tobias Netzell are similar to what he does in IN MOURNING, something that also fits very well with the music of OCTOBER TIDE. All of the songs are of good quality with the exception of the "The Nighttime Project" instrumentalthat - despite not being bad - wasn't anything special and tends to be boring.

"A Thin Shell" is a very good album that fans of older KATATONIA, SWALLOW THE SUN, probably IN MOURNING and generally fans of Death/Doom Metal will enjoy and like. I would like to warn older fans of OCTOBER TIDE and KATATONIA not to listen to the album expecting something reminiscent to the atmosphere and style of their old releases. If you do that then surely this album will slightly disappoint you. Face it as a brand new beginning for the band and I'm sure you will enjoy it. OCTOBER TIDE are back for good!

Highlights: "A Custodian Of Science", "Deplorable Request", "Blackness Devours", "Fragile".