Release Date: October 02nd 2026. Record Label: Almost Famous. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Ocean Of Black Thoughts - Tracklist
1.Abandoned Temple Fate 09:48
2.Luminose 06:31
3.Mutt 03:49
4.A Room Full of Strangers 08:12
5.Sun Decay 05:31
6.Ocean of Black Thoughts 08:24
Review
Ocean Of Black Thoughts is the third album from Doom/Grunge/Sludge Metallers Clegane and is my first experience with the band and I’m massively impressed from this record alone. As Clegane combines classic Grunge elements with a violent style of Doom, Sludge and Post-Metal which is superbly dark throughout the album. There is a bleak and unrelenting vision that appears from every angle of this record where the band’s intense vocals and violent lyrics pulls no punches to whoever listens to the album.
There are diverse influences such as Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Monolord and Melvins which you can hear but Clegane still maintain their own great identity within the album especially within the more grounded Grunge sounds and themes on tracks such as Abandoned Temple Fate, Luminose, Mutt and Sun Decay. I also admire how the band switched from playing long drawn out instrumental passages to a more direct riff-centric approach with an epic “DOOM & GLOOM” delivery holding everything together.
The vocals are another highlight where Clegane employs a wide array of different styles with clean vocals and harsh growls all being fully utilized for maximum potential. Clegane embraces a sinister Post-Punk and Post-Doom attitude within the more stripped back elements of the album where you fully appreciate the classic Nineties Heavy Rock/Heavy Metal attitude that appears at different times of the album.
The record can be deliberately slow at times but this allows Clegane to experiment with different Post-Punk atmospherics that soon transform into a heavier style of Post-Metal that becomes quite relentless and highly unforgiving. Clegane also has a great way of creating SONIC based soundscapes which adds a layer of surreal level of psychedelic energy to make things slightly over the top at times but it works superbly well.
Ocean Of Black Thoughts is quite a dark and vicious album but one that is emotionally rewarding when everything is said and done. Clegane offers no apologies for delivering a highly uncomfortable record but it’s one that’s packed full of massive grooves of the highest order which can be quite jaw-dropping to hear at times.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Ocean Of Black Thoughts is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Almost Famous.
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