The Ocean : "Solaris"

German progsters are back with a more solemn affair. It is very dramatic and well produced, with dense vocal layers. The first track seems to be connected to the second song, which is where things really kick in. It's a massive-sounding album with a great wall-of-guitar sound. There is some intricate groove thanks to the stellar drumming captured here. The female vocals step out of the shadows and closer to the spotlight on this one as well. "Light Pollution" works off a more subtle throb, slowly building its momentum. With smoothly crooned vocals leading the way. The drummer is straight killing it on this album. 

"Simulacra" is 17 minutes long. It opens with female vocals by Lane Shi. How much fat needs to be trimmed is the first thing. It kicks in after two and a half minutes. The vocals weave hypnotically through the groove as the saxophone bleats over everything. It has more of a post-grunge 90s prog metal feel. Five minutes in, things take a more modern rock turn. The song should have ended at the seven-and-a-half-minute mark as it drops out into a piano part. Sure, it gathers some symphonic majesty andd heads toward Dream Theater territory but without the cheese. At the 11 minute we are locked in a prog groove. Then Shi takes over.

"Belligerence' lives up to its name with screamed vocals leading the way into a more aggressive punch. The lock into a very Tool-like groove for this one. "Ultima Esperana" finds harsher vocals return to be counterbalanced by Shi again. "Milk of My Dreams ' is a more subdued elctronic track. They keep the beat going on the last song. Thematically, it is literally a jam off that song, even lyrically. So similar to what they did at the beginning of the album in this regard. I will give it a 9.5, as it sounds perfect, but they do am a bit and it's more of a hypnotic album than a hooky one. But where they excel is that this is progressive rock that actually progresses/ 

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