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Deluge Grander - Oceanarium CD (album) cover

OCEANARIUM

Deluge Grander

 

Symphonic Prog

3.75 | 117 ratings

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UMUR like
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars "Oceanarium" is the fourth full-length studio album by US progressive rock act Deluge Grander. The album was released through the Emkog Records label in November 2017. It´s the successor to "Heliotians" from February 2014. "Oceanarium" features re-arrangements of musical ideas which also appear on "Heliotians" and on the subsequent album release "Lunarians" (released in December 2020) among other songwriting ideas.

If anyone thought that "Oceanarium" would be anything like "Heliotians" because both albums belong in a planned seven album concept idea, they would be wrong (at least partially). Deluge Grander certainly is an interesting band...they started out releasing two progressive rock/jazz-rock/fusion hybrid albums, and then the symphonic progressive rock album which is "Heliotians" which features prominent use of male- and female vocals. And now this. "Oceanarium" is still a symphonic progressive rock album, but it´s fully instrumental, which sets it completely apart from "Heliotians". It doesn´t sound like the first two albums either though, as the jazz-rock/fusion influences aren´t that strong here and in that respect the music is more reminiscent of the instrumental part of the music featured on "Heliotians".

Featuring 8 tracks and a total playing time of 79:56 minutes, "Oceanarium" is a long release, but the long playing time is warranted, because there´s something new happening all the time. Not in an incoherrent or busy fashion, but the tracks develop naturally and beautiful symphonic parts are followed by more powerful and technical parts. So there is a good balance between the progressive elements of the band´s music and the atmosperic and emotional ditto. Those who enjoy 70s instrumental progressive rock and artists like Camel and other calm, melodic, and atmospheric progressive artists of their ilk, should be able to appreciate this.

"Oceanarium" features a well sounding production job, which could almost have been a 70s progressive rock production. I stil think the production choice to place the drums fairly low in the mix is an odd one, but since Deluge Grander have now done it on every release up until and including this one, I´m sure it´s a conscious choice, that I just don´t agree with. Other than that "Oceanarium" is a high quality symphonic instrumental progressive rock release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR | 3/5 |

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