Where The Ocean Meets The Sky - Empires

Artist: Where The Ocean Meets The Sky
Album: Empires
Release Date: 10/12/10
Label: CI Records

Recently, CI Records have been known for starting careers off of such bands as August Burns Red and Texas In July, and now, you can say hello to six-piece metalcore band Where The Ocean Meets The Sky, with their debut album Empires. The firing riffs and guttural growls heard throughout the album are contrasted by clean vocals and synths, adding together for a heavy, yet melodic atmosphere.

Empires starts off with "On the Backs of Your Brothers," which is layered with synths and a repetitive screamed line of "I'm your master!" The following "We Are But Instruments" is full of explosive riffs, that showcase the expertise guitar work of Where The Ocean Meets The Sky. "Victims" takes refuge in its clean vocals, that go back and forth with vocalist Blake Martin's heavy screams.

The short "Regime Discarded" is made up of only clean vocals, pounding drums and a haunting piano. The song leads into "Delusions of Grandeur," which is a heavier, synth driven track. The closer "Who We Are" follows after the title track, which seems to come a bit too soon of the shorter, eight track Empires.

Despite the expertise guitar work and great growls, the only main downfall on Empires would be the clean vocals, which aren't all that bad, but could have been better. However, songs like "Regime Discarded" and "Delusions of Grandeur" show hope, with better performances of clean vocals. However, the clean vocals do not hold back WTOMTS at all, and in time, are sure to improve.

Rating: 7/10 Empires is a good start for Where The Ocean Meets The Sky, with its firing riffs and guttural growls that are held together by melodic synths and clean vocals. However, the clean vocals could use some work, but no doubt will WTOMTS just continues to improve.

Tracklisting:

1. On the Backs of Your Brothers
2. We Are But Instruments
3. Victims
4. Mettle of a Man
5. Regime Discarded
6. Delusions of Grandeur
7. Empires
8. Who We Are

(Buy Here)