While Time Disappears

Our Oceans

From their Bandcamp page, "on their album, "While Time Disappears," the power trio explores new […]
December 24, 2020
Our Oceans - While Time Disappears album cover

From their Bandcamp page, "on their album, "While Time Disappears," the power trio explores new sonic ground. Their masterful songwriting is precise and direct, while their performances have become increasingly dynamic and powerful. The emotional urgency of the songs tugs at the heart strings in a way that is raw and unexplored. By being more concise, the songs act as vehicles to deliver powerful lyrical themes revolving around heartbreak, confrontation, and overcoming hardship. The album contains nine tracks.

"Unravel" leads us off. It opens with a slow, thick sound, with ominous tones. From there, it settles into a softer groove, with dreamy vocals, and some nice melody lines. The harmonies in the chorus are on point. "Weeping Lead" opens with a soft, ethereal sound, with just poignant vocals and some clean guitar notes. Gradually, more sound develops, but it's so thin that it could disappear in front of your eyes. It then begins to get angry. I heard somewhere that anger is more useful than despair. Keys take the song to completion.

"The Heart's Whisper" begins with a quiet bed of clean guitars and vocals. Bass notes can be heard in the background, and the drumming is light and easy. Again, it gets very angry and the vocals shriek, then it calms. "Motherly Flame" opens with thick bass guitar notes and some dreamy vocals, and clean guitars. It begins to swell, then fade again. I love the delicate melodies here but am sensing a pattern to the music. However, the guitar solo brings it all together in the end. "Passing by" begins with some clean guitar notes and more of those ambient vocals. It also has a slightly sad tone, like the softer side of OPETH. The vocals really make an emotional impact on the listener. It picks up towards the end again with the vocals soaring into the heavens.

"Face them" begins a fast and ardent sound. Those bass guitar notes are surely excellent. Here, the band stretches out again to show their instrumental prowess, and bassist Robin Zielhorst has Geddy Lee's tone down quite well. The guitar tones begin to get a bit dissonant but hold on well with the bass notes. "Your Night, my Dawn" is the long song on the album, coming in at just under seven minutes. It begins with the steady thwacking of bass and drums, and darker feeling settles in. The long instrumental passage really lets the melody shine here amidst the darkness. "You take" is a much more concise song, showing the softer side of the band. It builds in the chorus, with a slow and steady touch. But the angry vocals come eventually, and then disappear, as if they were never there.

"With Hands torn Open" closes the album, beginning with some keys and steady bass guitar. This song is again darker than some of the previous tracks. I feel like the entire album comes together in this culminating song. What strikes me most about the album is the impeccable musicianship of this trio. They play so well together, like RUSH, but have a sound all their own. Tender and delicate at times, and angry and wide-open at other times, the album runs you through a bevy of emotions that you are free to feel at your own pace. This sure was an enjoyable listening experience for me. Bravo, fellas!

9 / 10

Almost Perfect

Songwriting

9

Musicianship

10

Memorability

9

Production

9
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"While Time Disappears" Track-listing:

1. Unravel
2. Weeping Lead
3. The Heart's Whisper
4. Motherly Flame
5. Passing by
6. Face them
7. Your Night, my Dawn
8. You take
9. With Hands Torn Open

Our Oceans Lineup:

Tymon Kruidenier - Vocals, Guitars
Robin Zielhorst - Bass, Vocals
Yuma van Eekelen - Drums

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