REVIEWS
River Becomes Ocean have released their debut full-length album, titled “A Motion Paralyzed.” This album was the first release I’d heard of this band. Going into it, I didn’t know quite what to expect, but after finishing the record, I was blown away by the band’s unique sound and how well they show it off on here.
Introductory track “Brighton” has darker composition that quickly stood out to me, and that helps this track set the tone for the rest of the record. The song gradually gets more dramatic, especially as the pounding drums come in and help build it up even more, and each element added brings more emphasis to the song as it continues. “This Hell Is Heaven Sent” has a huge intro that combines some synths and electronics with darker and slightly heavier instrumentals. The chorus on here is very catchy, and later on, some screamed vocals are added into the mix, followed by a breakdown as big as the intro. “Apart” is on the softer side compared to the previous track. It incorporates more synths and electronics, which fit very well, and the vocals show off quite a bit during the verses, delivering some memorable melodies throughout them and honestly, throughout the entire track. “Face You is also opened by piano before harder instrumentals come in to bring a huge finish to the intro. The verses are a lot softer and comparison, but the bass and drums show off on here as they help build it up to a powerful pre-chorus. “Take My Hand” brings another intro that combines both the rock and electronic leaning elements in this band’s sound. The piano on here contrasts from the harder instrumentals but also fits perfectly with them at the same time. morable and powerful chorus. The composition in the bridge is a bit different and I love the way it builds up to the ending, making that whole section a huge highlight of the track. Following that is the upbeat single “Addicted,” adding in some of the more pop influences and mixing those with rock ones very well in the instrumentals while the vocals deliver even more catchy melodies, especially during the chorus. Speaking of catchy - the hook in the beginning of the next track, “Happy,” does the same thing, captivating the listener before the instrumentals come in and add more emphasis and drama, making the track bigger and better than it already is. The vocalist hits some higher notes later on, mainly from the second verse onwards, and that performance shows a lot of emotion, making it one of my favorite vocal performances on this record. Lead single “Silence Means Nothing” has a really captivating intro that once again mixes piano with the more rock leaning instrumentals, and the raw vocals in the verses draw you in, grabbing your attention even more. Despite the more melodic moments on here, this is one of the most energetic and easily the heaviest track on the whole record, especially with the feature from Cancer Bats’ Liam Cormier, who adds some screamed vocals in before a great breakdown; one of the best on the record. “Never Enough” is almost a polar opposite at first, starting off with more ambient instrumentals, before the hammering drums come in to bring the track to life during the pre-chorus, preparing for a massive chorus. The bridge of the track is just as powerful, building up in a similar way as the pre-chorus did to the chorus. “The End” begins on a very upbeat note, and synths are added in towards the end of the intro to make it bigger than it is before driving the verses. The verses are softer both instrumentally and vocally, but the melodies are just as catchy as the riff in the intro. Honestly, this song might be one of the catchiest ones and one of the most anthemic ones off the album, easily making it another favorite of mine. “Destroy Rebuild” is one of the most memorable tracks on here, being well-written as far as the structure goes and how well each song builds up to the next, and including some incredible melodies. following that is one of my favorites on this whole record, “You Said.” It’s very upbeat and catchy right off the bat, the drums pairing with the synths to provide that energetic rhythm, and the hook in the intro really drew me in. The album closes out with “The Fall,” which has a much softer intro that truly lets the vocals shine, and the brighter guitars accompanying it work very well. The impressive drums and dramatic orchestrals added in later on help build up to one more pretty big chorus, and the track as a whole makes an interesting closer. As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, this release was my first impression of this band, and it was a great one. I think this band has a very interesting sound that perfectly combines the use of synths and electronics with harder, rock leaning instrumentals and powerful vocals, all of which come together to create something truly special with the tracks shown on “A Motion Paralyzed.”
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