Doom metal occupies a unique space in the hard rock landscape. Unlike so many other branches of metal, doom has no interest in speed, noodling guitar solos, or flashy shows of technique. Traditionally, the songs lurch slowly and forcefully, placing most of the emphasis on mood and atmosphere. Unfortunately, the usual traits of the genre can be confining. The fuzz-shrouded guitars, the earthquake-inducing bass, and the slow, deliberate pace frequently leave little room for experimentation. Bands like Candlemass, Cathedral, and Electric Wizard have spawned countless imitators, but few have managed to really bring any fresh ideas to the genre.
Portland, Maine's Ocean is intent on breaking that mold with their sprawling debut Here Where Nothing Grows. The band has many similarities with doom metal's hall-of-famers, but wrapped in the wall of guitars and desperate, wailing vocals is something more dynamic, recalling both post-rock and black metal. The songs-- there are three, stretched out to a staggering 65 minutes-- don't build as much as slowly and methodically evolve. Transitions happen over the course of several minutes, as the instruments ebb and flow much like the band's namesake.
The tracks are primarily instrumental, but when the vocals do eventually burst through the darkness, they immediately demand your attention. Deep, barbaric growls echo with anguish, driving the already hopeless mood even further down. But it's the sparing use of the vocals that allow them to work so well. Whereas other doom metal bands layer so much muck on the instruments that there's never a moment of silence between the sustained feedback and booming drums, Ocean knows how to use empty space to great effect. These songs are bleak and barren, truly exuding impending ruin.
The first of the three tracks is "First Reign". Its main riff slowly develops over the course of its 21 minutes, at times dropping away completely. The final seven minutes of the song are like an iceberg collapsing, as the melody slowly breaks down before erupting into "Salt", the second-- and at 19 minutes, the shortest-- piece here. In many ways, the song is merely a continuation of "First Reign", just as "The Fall", the disc's closer, builds off of the ideas in "Salt". Despite their common elements, though, each track has its own unique moments. "Salt" features feedback and hollow, clean guitars that lead into an almost triumphant, epic march. "The Fall" picks up the tempo, if only briefly, and then later features eerie whispered vocals. But frankly, the songs aren't supposed to be all that distinct. Here Where Nothing Grows is meant to be once piece, and it is as monolithic, challenging, and unconventional as anything the metal community has seen in recent days.
