Holocene
PELAGIC
Berlin’s progressive metallers pose a question for the ages
FOR A BAND who have documented the last 4.5 billion years of this planet’s existence, covering the comparatively succinct Holocene era (11,700 years, if you’re counting) should be a doddle. To their credit, The Ocean make it sound easy, but, as ever, it’s best to brace for an immersive deep dive before taking the plunge.
Guitarist/mastermind Robin Staps suggests serves as an appendix of sorts to the band’s previous trilogy, and there are definite thematic links to 2020’s from the Tool-ish slinkiness of themay be alarmed at how long they’re teased before a walloping great gut-punch riff enters the fray.
