Stoner Rock/Metal wasn’t born in the 90s as a consequence of the rise of Alternative Rock/Grunge tendencies. The seeds and roots of the genre are lying deeply on albums as “Black Sabbath”, “Paranoid” and “Master of Reality”, because that organic and heavily distorted sonority with some psychedelic elements. It’s not a sin to say that early Heavy Metal and Hard Rock elements can be saw as foundations of what Stoner music was built upon. But some bands seem to be trying to expand limits sometimes, as the French trio OCCULT HAND ORDER, as heard on “Silence by the Raging Sea”.

The trio brings a furious and distorted sound on their music, abrasive and nasty sometimes, but filled with many melodic contrasts (especially due the melodic use of vocals, as can be heard on “Sink”), and with remnants influences of Progressive Rock (again on “Sink”, some elements brings the name of PINK FLOYD to the hearers). To use such melodies under such distorted and crude form of music seems to be a different approach on an eroded musical genre, and they did it with energy and personality. Roman Peyr (recordings, mixing) and Magnus Lindberg (mastering) are the guys who worked with the trio on their first album delivering a way of sounding with definition, weight and aggressiveness. Of course they brought an abrasive distortion to the songs as well, but with everything being expressed on an understandable way.

The band uses mainly long timespans on their songs, what can be boring to non-used fans of the genre. But’s not hard to hear and like songs as “Sink” (as written above, the contrasts between heavy and distorted parts with introspective Progressive Rock-like moments works in a great way, allowing to see the versatile use of vocals tunes), “Pyre” (lasting more than 10 minutes, it’s filled with solid groove and charming rhythmic changes from bass guitar and drums), and “Golden Bones” is an experience that shows that the trio can be said as a Progressive Stoner Rock act (but without overloading the instrumental technique).

Well, as a first album, “Silence by the Raging Sea” shows that this trio isn’t just another name in the middle of the flood, and OCCULT HAND ORDER is a name for the Stoner Metal/Roc fans to pay close attention to.