Released 22 November
ODDWORLD Records/Sharptone Records
Melbourne’s Ocean Grove have risen to prominence in the last five years and it’s largely due to their unorthodox metalcore styles and multi-layered musical spheres. Dale Tanner, Sam Bassall and Twiggy Hunter are the perfect example of a trio who combine their talents in hot pursuit of producing a record that continues to see the band pushing their limits. For their fourth release, ODDWORLD is a celebration of this.
Opening in with ‘OG Forever‘ acts as the cheeky teaser that transitions straight into ‘Cell Division‘. Offering daring riffs and thumping nu-metal grooves, drummer Sam Bassall gets things moving swiftly as Dale’s dulcet tones complement this heavy soundscape. Straight up, ODDWORLD is a force thrust upon us and reminds us of the band’s creative vision they’ve set forth with each new chapter. When ‘Fly Away‘ dropped back in May, it pushed elements of nostalgia out through your speakers like a purge. Like a natural instinct, this tune reminds us of the Ocean Grove we know and love.
Amidst the nostalgic grooves though lies an abundance of creativity. ‘Stunner‘ kicks in with brisk guitars blended with hint of pop undertones. The beat dances around Tanner’s distorted low vocals before bouncing up into a wave of activity over the chorus bassline. ‘Raindrop‘ delivers warm summery tones, and it’s reminiscent of the catchy 90s vibe of Flip Phone Fantasy. That effortless, youthful ambience feels fun and automatically engages us into a flamboyant state.
While short and no doubt the interlude track, ‘No Offence Detected‘ managed to keep us hooked with a grimey, dark aura that threw back to The Rhapsody Tapes. Perfectly seguing into ‘My Disaster‘, the back half of ODDWORLD is meticulously heavier, cementing the boys’ nu-metal stance in Australia’s lively local circuit.
‘Last Dance‘ is a stripped back love melody, where we witness Dale take on emotional vulnerabilities in slow motion through softly sung verses that still feel just as empowering. It acts as a beautiful contrast next to ‘SOWHAT1999‘. Similarly to ‘Stunner‘, the track fills the record with pumping endorphins amidst a multitude of genres, resulting in an anthem that best articulates the band’s creative juices. This is elaborated even further on closing track ‘OTP‘, with its layered use of beats delivering more buoyancy than the rest of the LP.
While ODDWORLD definitely delivers a massive boost of nostalgia, It doesn’t really give a return to roots vibe. Ocean Grove have always thrust themselves deep in nu-metalcore and alternative rock. ODDWORLD is instead a hot creative pursuit, demonstrating a musicality that is rare in the Australian music community. Like previous releases, their newest body of work will stand the test of time and continue to see the boys thrive upon festival stages not just in Australia but across the world.
Rating: 8/10
Review by Tamara May
Purchase ODDWORLD here
Ocean Grove – ODDWORLD tracklisting:
1. OG Forever
2. Cell Division
3. Fly Away
4. Stunner
5. Raindrop
6. No Offence Detected
7. My Disaster
8. Last Dance
9. Sowhat1999
10. OTP featuring New Babylon & Adult Art Club
