...And Oceans - A.M. G.O.D. (2001)^{Release ID: 4292}

I've always considered myself a fan of this album, having picked it up on release. At that point in my metal journey, I'd become increasingly interested in bands that took the black metal blueprint and mixed in other influences. Bands like Ved Buens Ende....., Fleurety, Arcturus, Aborym and Dødheimsgard excited me greatly, so I had no issue at all with ...And Oceans giving their black metal a healthy dose of cyber symphonics. I've since listened to it many times while doing other things, enjoying its strange atmosphere and numerous special moments, thinking that one day I'll finally sit down and write a review to inform others of this hidden gem. Well, it hasn't quite worked out that way! Now that I sit down and totally focus on A.M.G.O.D. as an album, it's actually a hit and miss affair that I just can't rate as highly as I expected to. It starts strongly, with the first three tracks showcasing the band's interesting approach of injecting invasive symphonic aspects into otherwise decent melodic black metal (this sounds nothing like Emperor in case you're wondering), but sadly goes a bit downhill from there. By the time I get to the admittedly atmospheric but highly repetitive instrumental TBA in a Silver Box and the divisive techno beast that is New World Model, I have to admit that I was previously overrating A.M.G.O.D. as an album, if not as an enjoyable sideshow that has numerous great moments.

This is my first experience with ...And Oceans and I like most of what I hear. Actually, my immediate reaction wasn't good: I found the main part of the opening track to be pretty awful, and I wondered if I'd be able to sit through the whole thing. Once I got past that track, the second one was more listenable, the third track won me over, and the next four tracks kept me hooked.  So from what I gather ...And Oceans added synth/industrial stylings on  this record that they never utilized before.  Were they successful? Short answer yes, long answer yes but they should have trimmed some of the fat. Going back to that first track that I couldn't into ("Intelligence is Sexy"), I just think they tried too hard to do an expository number that shoved in your face that they were mixing synth with brutal metal. I find it listenable now, but I still think it's kind of hack. But nevermind that and the second track (which is okay), because the record kicks ass from there on. "Tears Have No Name," begins with a synth part and then has the metal play along with it, rather than having synth layered on top of a metal riff. They take both approaches on the album, but I think I prefer the former. Make no mistake, this is metal, as opposed to more aggro industrial, but having the synth backbone gives the parts a lot of character and flavor. There are parts where the synth is more subtle, and those parts are pretty good too, but they can can handle metal just fine without it. "Esprit De Corps" only has about four seconds of synth before going raging thrash, but the track kills so who cares. My guess is it was written before they changed styles I also want to point out that recording and mix are crystal clear, which adds to the experience a lot. I prefer my Black Metal a bit more on the dirty side, but I'm glad they went all out with the mix, having the synth loud, clear and all over the place in the stereo spectrum. And despite what I just said, the main Black Metal riff on "Odious And Devious" works on a different level here than it would on a trad BM record, because of what it's contrasted with. I'm anxious to delve their next release, because while I like "A.M. God," it is clear they were new to blending they styles together (although usually pretty damn well),  and I'm curious to see how they advance in that department. One last thing, I don't think the last track - the EDM (I think) "New Model World" - is pointless, especially since the preceding track works so well as a closer.