The Moshville Times - Album Review: Oceans Of Slumber

Texas based Oceans Of Slumber look to continue to build on their ever growing foundations with new album Starlight And Ash.

Opening track “The Waters Rising” feels like your favourite blanket, it’s familiar and comforting and this is also the first opportunity to be reacquainted with Cammie Beverly’s vocals, is followed by the powerfully emotional ballad “Heart of Stone” which has just enough of kick to it in the later part so that I’m not a complete mess.

The sweeping blues groove on “The Lighthouse” is just an absolute joy and and example of wonderfully diverse this band are, this this is followed by easily my highlight track of the album “Red Forest Roads” lyrically and vocally it’s sublime plus it has one of the heavier parts of the album that I can just listen to over and over again.

Sweeping melodies continue with “The Hanging Tree” which pairs with the wonderfully troubled “Salvation” before the album takes a slightly darker turn with “Star Altar” these weave into the piano laden ‘The Spring of 21’ and ‘Just a Day’ which feels like a modern day “My Immortal” with an injection of My Dying Bride for good measure.

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Now, there’s no denying the next track “House of the Rising Sun” is a bold choice and honestly I was a little apprehensive as when Sons of Anarchy was a peak popularity it felt like the was an absolute flood of cover versions of this and to be fair to the band in the context of the album it really works so much so the band actually released it as their first single.

The album concludes with “The Shipbuilder’s Son” and frankly if you’re not completely in awe of this album we can’t be friends.

Oceans Of Slumber are still undeniably southern gothic royalty.

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Starlight And Ash is out on July 22nd

Check out all the bands we review in 2022 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!