October Tide - In Splendor Below (2019)

I don't know whose idea it was to come up with the new October Tide logo for this sixth record, but it was a good one, replacing the bland typeface they had before and instantly making a statement before I've even heard a single lick of the music. Strangely, I think the change also rubbed out on the compositions here. No, they are not a black metal band all of the sudden, as that logo might imply, but In Splendor Below is certainly a harder-jamming death doom record than its predecessor, the surprisingly good Winged Waltz, and I rather approve of the shift, because it offers up something a little less predictable than just steering along the exact course. Don't mistake me, there are plenty of passages here which fall directly in line with the material they've been dropping since 2010, but they clearly don't sound like they are anywhere near running out of ideas and overall progression.

There's a new rhythm section here, which might account for some of the differences, but I think this one actually takes a little more of an Opeth influence circa Blackwater Park or Still Life and imbues that with some riffs and rhythmic patterns that their countrymen simply wouldn't have thought up. So if you miss those records, I'd definitely give this one a listen. Another alternation here is how Alexander's vocals seem more fleshed out and emotional crushing. Rather than a static, competent guttural, he's sustaining longer growls that shift more in pitch, ebbing and flowing like a tortured shoreline under the tides. There's more of a rasp to some of his lines, and it's just far more risky and involved than what he was doing on the last one, and to me an improvement. As far as the quality of the melodies and harmonies, I'd say this one is in lockstep with its elder sibling, not being more memorable although at times it does cover a little darker terrain. The drums are also noticeably more busy, which naturally suits the shift in intensity, without losing any of the subtle skill that was on exhibition in their recent past.

In all, they just take a lot more chances, and the songs end up a lot more diverse than either Winged Waltz or Tunnel of No Light. Rhythms break and resolve, note patterns get more complex and can take a few listens to really absorb, and it's very far from predictable...I had no idea what was going to happen around any corner, and I loved the harder hitting direction taken on tunes like "Stars Starve Me". But don't get me wrong, the record as a whole flows just a smoothly as its predecessor. Like the last album, the lyrics are actually pretty well written and can be interesting to read along with as you listen. Sure, they've dowsed with the same tales of woe you're going to expect from this niche of doom metal, but that doesn't detract from how you'll actually feel like they were penned with some genuine emotional ballast rather than just configuring a bunch of words that fit the style. All told, In Splendor Below is another very good album, well worth the time if you're into these dramatic and melodic Swedish death doom bands, just as fine as Winged Waltz, and to some will undoubtedly prove superior due to the increased level of instrumental activity.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://octobertide.net/

October Tide - Winged Waltz (2016)

October Tide is a band which has never quite lived up to the catchy, melancholic immediacy of its debut Rain Without End. Not for lack of trying, as they've never released an album that I would consider 'bad' whatsoever. At worst, they've recorded some mildly disappointing, but still solid and professional iterations on their melodic death/doom sound, which just don't resonate quite like it did in the 90s. At the same time though, they've been developing that same sound, and since coming back together last decade have proven more productive than ever, even if it it hasn't thrust them into quite the same spotlight as peers like Katatonia, Swallow the Sun and Insomnium. This is a band that has long remained loyal to its heavily saturated atmosphere of sadness, and to that extent I'd say they've put together another reliable record which should satisfy fans of the last two.

Winged Waltz is, as expected, a slight gradation on their style, well written and patient throughout, capable of creating emotional weight, although it's not as dense as some of the material they've put out in the past. The compositions here almost feel lighter than before, still espousing the melodies and harmonies that define their overcast atmosphere, but letting the heaviness shine through more from the listener's response than by dumping massive gutturals over your head and Brave Murder Day style walls of melodic chords. Fear not, there are still growls aplenty, in fact that's the default for the record, but the guitars thread along through more dynamic ideas, from darker muted picking sequences to rain-glazed, open sky melodies. It's important to note that they put some effort into their heavier rhythm guitar patterns, so they never feel generic, and allow the bass lines to crawl along on their own at some points, the guitars entirely vanishing or pausing just to let a simple, sad melody ring out over the low end grooves, as they do in the depths of "Reckless Abandon". The drums are likewise good, they might not require much energy or aggression, but there are little details in the fills which constantly keep them interesting in a style which doesn't generally demand much of them.

The cover art is a little dull, I'll admit, but all the more reason that I was pleasantly surprised as I listened through this, because I think it's superior to its predecessor Tunnel of No Light. If you've spent hours immersing yourselves into the depths of albums by mid-era Opeth, late 90s Katatonia, Novembers Doom, Daylight Dies, Draconian, Swallow the Sun, or In Mourning, then this is a record which will rekindle memories of wandering, sorrowful creativity, interspersed with a little bit of heavier prog-edged death metal groove. There were few moments among it's 50 or so where I felt like I wasn't being drawn directly into the gravitation of the band's collective depression, and there are lots of catchy riffs here that rang out to me long after the tears dried. Good lyrics, really great production if you're a fan of polish and clarity, I think this one's been somewhat overlooked and is arguably their second best recording to its day.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://octobertide.net/

October Tide - Tunnel of No Light (2013)

The very existence of Tunnel of No Light proves two things: one, that the band's reunion record (A Thin Shell) after a decade of absence was no petty shell of a comeback, and that the Swedes would continue the mournful melancholy of their output. Two: that this is a niche of doom that seems to grow less compelling each time I hear another album that lacks any sense of innovation or interesting songwriting. It's hardly a carbon copy of the band's other works, but what tweaks have been made are minimal, the riffs only stick about half of the time (where the band's superb debut Rain Without End was nearly flawless), and while it remains a very sad sound, I simply don't feel the immediate impending weight of emotion on me. Whether that stems from the sleek production or the chord progressions, I cannot tell you, but if you've been pining for more in the vein of Gray Dawn or A Thin Shell, at least I can't argue that Fredrik Norrman and October Tide oblige you here.

This is the fourth vocalist in as many albums, with death grunter Alexander Högbom (of Volturyon) stepping into position. I'll give the guy some credit, he does actually try to channel his various predecessors into one cohesive whole that suits the music, from Jonas Renkse's broad gutturals to the raspier tones that followed on the post-Rain Without End material. The qualifications are there, and he's not above a little dynamic range as he floats between the two poles. That said, while professional, I never really found the vocal lines quite so interesting or stunning. The drums are also pretty laid back, standard rock style, and while audible, they just don't match the power level of the rhythm guitars, grunts or near constant melodies that flutter out over the foundation to manifest the essential October Tide atmosphere. Bass is groovy, occasionally gifted with a bit of fuzzier sewage; important since it's often left drifting about a song while the guitarists let ring some slightly grimed, psychedelic and sorrowful strings; but very often lost during the heavier riffs to which it more closely adheres. I found the power chord selections or chugs a little mundane, since they're subjugated to the strength of the melodies, but those into this field of melodic of Gothic doom/death won't find them out of the ordinary or disappointing.

Really, Tunnel of No Light's success comes down to the bare melodic progressions, and here the Swedes are able to just barely prove that they've still got what it takes. It was a wise idea to front load the best of these ("Of Wounds to Come"), but the lilting, rainy sequences are interspersed consistently through the 52 minutes that comprise the album. I found that the material was varied enough between the solemn crush of the heavier moments to the more dreamy segues where the rhythm guitars will disappear to let the bass and cleaner melodies dominate, and there were also a lot of tight, percussive chords that punched the bottom end to create an overcast cadence, rather than just the usual chugging depth on such a disc. Production is very brisk and clean, and I never found even the longer pieces (like "Our Constellation, which nears 9 minutes) to be boring or needlessly repetitive. Ultimately, though, after about four full listens through the material, I did not find it to leave much of a lasting impact. Some decent songs ("Of Wounds to Come", "Watching the Drowners"), but perhaps the melodies just aren't as tantalizing as they were 16 years past on the debut. It never dips below Grey Dawn in quality, and might have some appeal for fans of Rapture, Katatonia, Insomnium, Noumena, and Isole, but I remained rather dry-eyed through each exposure.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://octobertide.net/

October Tide - A Thin Shell (2010)

13 years have passed since October Tide's monumental melodic death/doom debut Rain Without End, and in the interim, the duo of Jonas Renkse and Fredrik Norrman have gone on to a huge career with their primary band Katatonia. Ironically, Norrman and his brother just quit in the winter of 2009, after the release of the excellent Night is the New Day, so decided to focus his efforts on getting this band back on its feet from its decade long slumber. Of course, he'll be doing it without Jonas Renkse this time, who remains in Katatonia. Nor is he doing this with Mårten Hansen, who replaced Jonas for the barely passable sophomore Grey Dawn in 1999.

Actually, the entire lineup, with the exception of Fredrik Norrman, is new to October Tide, if not new to the Swedish scene in general. Tobias Netzell of In Mourning handles the growling, and does a pretty smash up job of it, channeling the deep and full grunts of Renkse on the debut. Drummer Robin Bergh has been brought over from Amaran, Emil Alstermark on the second guitar, and session bass for A Thin Shell is provided by Jonas Kjellgren of Scar Symmetry, Centinex, and several other noted Swedish bands. Thankfully, the band heads straight back to the source of their initial momentum, the slow paced, beautiful melodies of Rain Without End. Grey Dawn, which was not a terrible album, but a dive down in quality, is ignored completely. This is to the band's advantage, as that sophomore was not held in very esteem, and if October Tide is bent on becoming a full time act as opposed to its initial Katatonia side project status, they should be providing their best doomed leg forward.

Like the debut, there are but seven compositions here, and all are solid, though I've developed a preference for the latter half of the album. "A Custodian of Science" comes out gunning with the unmovable chords and sailing melodies of Rain Without End, as if an apology for those years of absence, but it never quite develops any truly sticking riffs. Nevertheless, it's a tasteful balance of calm, clean guitars and roiling bass with crashing walls of melody, and certainly true to the band's M.O. "Deplorable Request" saunters along even more slowly, descending lines tailing off in the blunt chords, a little chugging for heaviness and a warmth in the note selection that merges well with Netzell's growling, joined here by a second, snarling vocal. "The Nighttime Project" is mellow and frightening, the best track up to this point, an instrumental with some memorable guitar lines that leads into the lurching "Blackness Devours", which surprisingly seems to have a little bit of stoner doom shoved into its lead-in groove.

Deeper still, "The Diving Line" provides a crash course in what made a Rain Without End or Katatonia's Brave Murder Day so divine, pretty much the perfect selection of notes, distant, echoed melodies dancing off against the elegance and power, and I adore the bridge riff here as it transforms from beautiful to eerie. "Fragile" returns to a lurching gait, but the chords are captivating, the leads just icing on the cake as it picks up to majestic, crashing heights, Netzell the very match of Renkse on the debut, if not better. "Scorned" closes the album as its most moody offering, guitars transforms sparse sheens of sonic, depressive rain while the beat rocks off minimally into the depth of ages, as if your lens were being slowly pulled away from the glass autumn globe on the cover as the winds of time begin to erase all happiness. Not the best song here, but a fitting finale to a fairly impressive return to form.

A Thin Shell allows us to forget the past decade, and perhaps even to forget Grey Dawn, because it's the natural sequel to Rain Without End that a lot of fans likely desired. It's certainly not as riffy as that debut, or rather, the guitars are not quite so strong, but the wonderful production creates a new depth to the procession which makes it emotionally potent. I often find myself drifting off to a lot of the melodic death/doom acts, and not in a good way. The same can be said for certain moments of this album, perhaps a part of "Scorned" or "Blackness Devours", but the rest serves as an attention holding lamentation. "The Nighttime Project", "The Dividing Line" and "Fragile" are the only true standouts, but as a whole it does not disappoint those who have been patient for its arrival.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

http://octobertide.net/

October Tide - Grey Dawn (1999)

Walking in the footfalls of the excellent Rain Without End is certainly a path well outside the park, and as their swan song, October Tide's sophomore effort was a mild disappointment. That isn't to say it's bad, or without merits of its own, for the musical performance on the disc is almost worthy of its predecessor. The major difference here, is that the vocals were turned over to Mårten Hansen of A Canorous Quintent (also Sins of Omission), and though I won't say he's got a bad tone, I just didn't enjoy his melodeath leanings as much as I did Renkse's deeper growling doom thrusts of the debut. It seems as if something so beautiful and painful was replaced by a rather phoned in alternative to those same emotions.

Otherwise, the band is the same here. The big melodies have been crafted into some more progressive patterns, perhaps a parallel to the changes that Renkse and Norrman were making in their main band. The drums are actually a little more powerful, but still simplistic, and where the band departs from the pure metal, they still excel. But having Hansen here sort of feels like ordering a burger or hot dog, then finding the wrong condiment was placed upon it, and tasting it anyway...

"Grey Dawn" is an interesting bit, with a strong doom opening, and a very Edge of Sanity-like melodic death riff after thirty seconds; but eventually winding down into a period of tranquil bass plodding, light drums, and chords alongside a warped, conversation sample that hangs at the edge of perception. It's a decent track, though the vocals are mediocre. "October Insight" has some chug and doom, for a few seconds sounding like something Katatonia might pull on a more modern record. The vocals here are grunted low and behind the vibrant melody, and they fit better than the first track, until the melodic charge part... "Sweetness Dies" has some excellent rolling melodies that would have fit perfect on the debut album, and later comes an almost psychedelic break where chorused guitars simmer alongside a lumbering doom melody. "Heart of the Dead" has a lurching, forward momentum, with some nice melody lines that wander blissfully across the open spaces between chords. But alas, the vocals.

I left in the darkest hour
I'm tired of breathing rain
Still the night devours
Each and every inch of pain

"Floating" is another of the tracks worthy of Rain Without End...had ONLY Renkse decided to use his vocals here, for there are some truly evocative, somber passages, where the chords stop and an evil guitar line rings out. "Lost in the Dark (and Then Gone)" has a sense of depth and urgency to its riffing, with a sweet and sad dual melody in the bridge. "Into Deep Sleep" has some strong riffs in the beginning, though it gets a little dull during the faster section, and the album closes with the acoustic piece "Dear Sun", which does not disappoint, though it seems like something tacked on to give the album another track and could have been used anonymously on any of Renkse's records.

In short, this album was acceptable enough for what it was, but fails to generate the nostalgia that surrounds its elder sibling. There is good music to be found here, but you have to sift through the average vocal performance, and the mix of the album is not quite so devout or honest as Rain Without End, but somehow subdued. If you're tracking down this band for the first time, you might not want to start here, as it could turn you off.

Highlights: Grey Dawn, Sweetness Dies, Lost in the Dark (and Then Gone)

Verdict: Win [7/10] (this is a dead run)

http://www.vicrecords.com/octobertide.html

October Tide - Rain Without End (1997)

It has always stumped me that all of Katatonia's mid-90s efforts were perfected not by Katatonia itself, but two of its members writing under another name. This is not to take away credit from the great works of the last decade beneath their primary outlet (Brave Murder Day, Discouraged Ones and the excellent Tonight's Decision), but Rain Without End does steal a little of the band's proto melodic doom and convert it into something far stronger riff-wise, and more digestable at the other end. Another pretty obvious similarity is to fellow Swedes Opeth. October Tide does not use many acoustics here, nor do they write tracks quite as long or complex (as in the riff quota), but what they concoct has a similar atmosphere, if not superior.

Jonas Renkse handles the vocals for the debut, in one of his last performances as a growler. There are some clean vox in spots that sound like Katatonia, but much of the album is delivered through Renkse's brutal sorrows, which are not a far cry from Swanö or Åkerfeldt. The guitars are unanimously sad, but the riffs are stunningly beautiful, in fact I'd go so far as to say they are the match for any Katatonia or Opeth record, at least here on Rain Without End. Each is crafted to deliver maximum melodic metal sorrow, reminiscent of Paradise Lost's Icon from a few years before. Renkse's drums are not at the forefront of importance, they simply amble along the guitars to keep their pace. It is the guitars, performed both by Renkse and Fredrik Norrman, that catapult this record into classic status.

Least of which is not "12 Days of Rain", which opens in a grandiose, slow waterfall of stinging tears, a tale of hope and renewal. One of the strongest riffs I've heard to open a doom metal album ever, and once it hits its Paradise Lost/Metallica-spin in the verse, Renkse unleashes the throat. "Ephemeral" follows, perkier until its own verse, in which another of the band's insanely catchy dual melodies rolls its melancholic tongue across your neck. The track transforms into some acoustic grace before a great climax in which a wall of chords smothers a softly glistening melody. "All Painted Cold" offers a desperate and beautiful riff, before it too slows into a creeping portrayal of memory and loss. Again, it breaks for an acoustic segment, which in this case transforms into the track's penultimate melody. The first segment of "Sightless" is much like what Queensryche would have sounded in 1988 had they been fronted by Swanö and not Geoff Tate, though it soon eschews any of its graceful fluff for a somber, drowning hymn of brute chords.

"Losing Tomorrow" is a brief track which diverts towards some echoing ambience, acoustics, and samples over which Renkse gives a clean, gothic performance not unlike what Katatonia were up to at the time, or Mattias Lodmalm and his Sundown/Cemetery. "Blue Gallery" is a little more 'metal' and 'evil' than anything before it, with a nicely written dual melody where one of the guitars winds over some sad embellishments from the other, then to converge into grace right around :45. The later half of the track has some other riffs which suffice, but may be the only point of the album where I found myself dozing off (in the bad way). "Infinite Submission" brings me straight back to attrition and awareness, with more sparse melodies that shiver below Renkse's crumbling throat. The ambient breaks later in the song are breathtaking, and I almost wish these guys would score something using similar music one day. Of course, these end with another, huge riff...it's a very simple chord progression, but when you stop and let it carry you, it catches up long after you finish listening.

Rain Without End is amazing. So good, in fact, that I can see why the guys decided to shelf the band after a few recordings...it would have created a natural 'conflict of interest' with their other band, which was walking a similar path, though that road has later taken them into far more gothic rock accessibility. But honestly, how could this be improved on? Any attempt would be more likely to fail or disappoint than exceed this beauty. If you enjoy Katatonia, Opeth, Cemetery, Lake of Tears, early-t0-mid 90s Paradise Lost, or later Tiamat, and have somehow not heard this band...well, those are your marching orders.

Highlights: nearly everything on this album...but to choose a few, "12 Days of Rain", "Ephemeral", and "Infinite Submission" for its beautiful ambient segues.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10]

http://www.vicrecords.com/octobertide.html