BLOODRED HOURGLASS has been around since 2005 and have released a steady, almost yearly stream of EP's since their formation until their last EP, which was released back in 2009. Since then the band has instead released their first full album "Lifebound", which came out in 2012. Now, three years later, the Finnish Melodic Death Metal band has released "Where The Oceans Burn".

The album kicks off with a well put together ten-minute track "The Greatest Time Of Change" which runs the gamut from hyper-aggressive Black Metal to more melodic sections reminiscent of the Fantasy Metal genre. The track is a strong starter for "Where The Oceans Burn", setting the tone for the rest of the album which falls between morose and confidently invigorating. There is something about BLOODRED HOURGLASS that makes it easy for them to be mistaken for any other Melodic Death band. I would have to place it on the guitar riffs, they can sometimes sound quiet "generic". The vocals also aren't very unique but the band manages to put them together in a way unmistakably their own.

Having said that, the track "There Will Be Blood" is where the album really kicks off for me. It's the one track on the album that sticks out the most due to the unique Thrash aspect it focuses on as opposed to the softer riffs of the rest of the album. "Oceans On Fire" is another stand out track taking a more Hardcore direction in the drums and guitar department with bouncy, aggressive riffs and thunderous breakdowns. BLOODRED HOURGLASS may not be the most original Melodic Death band around, but they use their genres tropes and formulas in way that definitely puts them in the category of "bands to know". "Where The Oceans Burn" is a good second release, and a huge improvement over "Lifebound". This new album shows that although BLOODRED HOURGLASS has been around for ten years they are still growing and improving, perfecting their sound. I look forward to seeing what kind of innovation that will be made with the band's sound in future releases. They show great determination and talent, even if they are a tiny bit generic.