OCTOBER TIDE are a five-piece death doom metal band from Sweden that started back in 1994 as a duo, and eventually evolved into a full lineup, which has been the same for a few years now. Guitarist Fredrik Norrman, who is still nowadays the main composer, was playing in KATATONIA back then and started the project along with his fellow bandmate Jonas Renkse, who was covering both vocals and drums duties for the first release, and drums and guitars for the second one, as he eventually left. The band, however, developed an identity on its own during the past decades, getting the credit they deserve: each one of their seven full-length albums is a stand-alone piece of art, and I cannot help but notice both an evolution and a strong signature sound in their works, throughout the years. OCTOBER TIDE’s latest offering, “The Cancer Pledge,” came out on October 6th, 2023, via Agonia Records, and it is by far the best soundtrack I could ever wish for, in such an iconically rainy and gloomy season.
I take full responsibility for this statement, as starting with the opening tune, “Peaceful, Quiet, Safe,” I immediately got the burst of energy I needed: one feature that characterizes the whole album is the tendency to include a melodic death metal approach in the songwriting, without giving up on melancholy as the main ingredient. Singer’s Alexander Högbom rageful, versatile, and intense chant paints a colorful landscape where guitars and rhythm section build a solid structure in a classic yet not ordinary death-doom formula. A quite unconventional lyric, written by Högbom himself, as for the other lyrics on the album, gives an extra kick to the song, and a kind of “old fashioned” guitar solo makes this opening tune one of the best in the band’s entire discography.
Both guitarists, Mattias and Fredrik Norrman, are by now to be considered absolute masters in the subgenre their band belongs to, as proved by their top-quality list of albums. OCTOBER TIDE’s talent in shaping very specific atmospheres, so deeply affected by autumn-related feelings as openly displayed in the band’s very own moniker, got a step further on this album, as it is less on the doom side and more on the melodic death metal side, but way far from any cliché: it is a fairly interesting and challenging balance the whole band has successfully managed, proving that evolving along with their trademark sound is possible, and sometimes necessary, I would add.
Take for instance the title track: its excellent drum work provided by Jonas Sköld has a central role and a prog-like aftertaste if compared to the standard patterns in the genre, and the softer general sound of the tune proves again that some bands are luckily not afraid to think “out of the box.” The previous track, “Blodfattig,” is the only one in Swedish on this album and took me off guard, in a good way, thanks to its intricated structure and delightfully well-placed black metal vibe. The fascination for death does have many shapes, and it is quite evident that some bands are particularly skilled at making the best use of it.
The opening riff on “I Know Why I’m Cold” was composed by Jonas Renkse in the late ’90s but never ended up on “Grey Dawn,” and it does give the entire tune a nostalgic flavor that long-time fans and music “nerds” will recognize and appreciate, I guess. The tune itself is rich and multilayered, and each one of its elements goes straight to the point, giving an emotional and energetic 6-minute journey as a result.
The second-to-last song, “Season of Arson,” sees bassist Johan Jönsegård as a composer, along with Fredrik: its engaging dynamic and rockish aftertaste does really add a lot of flavors to an already remarkable album. As for the closing tune “Breathe the Water,” its engaging pace does hit the right spot, as emotionally involved as it can be in its heart-wrenching wholesomeness.
I am quite sure that OCTOBER TIDE will gain a completely new fanbase thanks to this album, in addition to their long-time supporters, as they successfully managed to blend their past and their present in a new yet clearly recognizable way. Already looking forward to the next chapter…
Written by Licia Mapelli
Tracklist
- Peaceful, Quiet, Safe
- Tapestry of our End
- Unprecedented Aggression
- Blodfattig
- The Cancer Pledge
- I Know Why I’m Cold
- Season of Arson
- Breathe the Water
Lineup
Alexander Högbom – vocals
Fredrik Norrman – guitars
Mattias Norrman – guitars
Johan Jönsegård – bass
Jonas Sköld – drums
Label
Agonia Records
Links
Facebook
Instagram
Official Website
