Abysmal Oceans is a Maldives black metal act that has pioneered the genre of ‘True Maldivian Black Metal’. On June 8th, 2024, the band released their independent debut EP, “Ravenous Abyss,” which was promoted through The Metallist PR.
Abysmal Oceans, Ravenous Abyss: This review will evaluate every aspect of the album, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this album is worth adding to your collection.
The First Three Sins of Ravenous Abyss
Let’s start by discussing the first three sins of Abysmal Oceans and their Ravenous Abyss album.
The First Sin, The Strings/Keys: Features commanding and aggressive guitar work, dark tremolo pickings, and haunting bass riffs. The Second Sin, The Vocals: Involves in scorching vocals, that sound like something from the abyss. The Third Sin—The Percussions: Delves into the vast world of thunderous drum work with fills, strikes and blast beats.
The Fourth Sin: Overall Discussion: Lyrics plunge into the abyss, exploring the shadowed realms of Maldivian folklore.
As soon as the listener presses the button, the opening piece, Dominion, greets the listener with in-your-face aggression from the instruments and vocals, setting the tone for what’s to come.
The listener continues their dark and abyssal journey with the second piece, Ascension, and the remaining two songs, War Machine and Nightmare. These delve into darkness and weave a unique tapestry of mixed Maldivian fantasy and folklore tales—a blend sure to evoke the sinister allure of Abysma. This ancient and malevolent force reigns supreme beneath the ocean, adding a layer of mystery and fascination to the listening experience.
This journey is a listening experience that transports the listener to a different realm of mystery and fascination. Abysmal Oceans is a concise yet intense musical experience, with only four songs spread across twenty minutes. The album’s brevity only intensifies the experience, immersing the listener in the music from start to finish.
Abysmal Oceans also provides the listener’s ears and soul with powerful music with a raw, aggressive, dark quality that mirrors the ocean’s depths. Showcasing a diverse range of tempos, it delivers a blend of 90s/old-school black metal throughout its twenty-minute duration. The composition and devilmanship intertwine instrumental dynamics, powerful vocals, captivating music and compositions, and an evocative atmosphere. This combination creates a raw and dark sonic experience that is as engaging as it is intense.
Let’s dedicate some time to exploring Ravenous Abyss‘s exceptional production values. Every aspect of their production process is meticulously executed with precision and professionalism, resulting in a clear, polished, perfect sound. The attention to detail in their production values is a fruit of art. 1
As mentioned, the lyrics plunge the listener into the abyss, exploring the shadowed realms of folklore, the veiled embrace of darkness, and the unfathomable depths of the Maldives seas.
Each note is a ripple in the vast expanse of the musical abyss, resonating with the timeless tales and mysteries that dwell beneath the waters. This sense of mystery is sure to intrigue the listener. So, with the information provided and shorted down for this article, we can explore each song (a story woven into one).
The opening piece, Dominion, explores the domain of Abysma, a mythical entity, and the devotion of a cult dedicated to serving it. The second piece, Ascension, symbolises Abysma‘s awakening from her Dominion. The third piece, Warmarch: As centuries pass, Abysma‘s immortal empire wage war. The closing piece, Nightmares: The Aftermath and the Call of Abysma, resounds again, drawing souls into her absolute darkness and torture.
Despite its brevity, Ravenous Abyss delivers a thrilling experience that leaves the listener craving more. The album’s solid lyrical concept adds depth and helps to complete the overall experience, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating what’s to come from Abysmal Oceans.
The album ends with the last song, Nightmares. We want to thank The Metallist PR for letting us review Abysmal Oceans and their Ravenous Abyss album. We will wrap it up by discussing the final three sins and concluding the review.
You’re Listening to “Dominion”
PlayThe Last Three Sins
Let’s discuss the last three sins of Abysmal Oceans and their Ravenous Abyss album.
The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia:
For us, Abysmal Oceans is a band that excels in this fruit of art artistry demonstrating exceptional skill in instrumentation, devilmanship, vocals, and composing. Their enigmatic lyrics evoke a sense of crafting their version of a Lovecraftian Necronomicon.
The Sixth Sin, The Artwork:
The captivating artwork effortlessly pulls you in, inviting you to immerse yourself in Abysmal Oceans. It beautifully conveys the essence of the music’s lyrics, enhancing the overall listening experience.
The Seventh Sin, Disrelish:
Nothing to disrelish within the musical spectrum of Abysmal Oceans, and their album Ravenous Abyss.
This concludes the Abysmal Oceans, Ravenous Abyss review.
Track-listing:
- Dominion
- Ascension
- War March
- Nightmares
Abysmal Oceans Is:
- Unholy One – bass
- Usham Demoriel – vocals
- Occultus Monolith – guitar
- Krzystof Klingbein – guest/session drums (Vader & Belphegor)
- Fufu – guest/session guitarist (guitar lead on ‘Ascension’)
- George Nerantzis engineered the mixing and Mastering of the Ravenous Abyss EP. He is renowned for his collaborations with major bands such as Abbath and Dark Funeral. ↩︎
