Ocean Grove: The Rhaposdy Tapes
Anyone who’s vaguely plugged into the –core side of metal knows Australia’s been a hotbed of distinctive and powerful acts in that scene, from Parkway Drive and I Killed The Prom Queen in the 00’s, to Northlane, In Hearts Wake and Thy Art Is Murder. Ocean Grove are the latest addition to this canon, despite being active since 2010, they’re releasing their debut album in 2017. Nu metal has been making a slow and steady comeback over the 2010s yet has never quite reached the same level of ubiquity it enjoyed in its heyday. Ocean Grove fit into this nu metal with added -core revival trend, yet they’re able to add a fresh and innovative spin on it in a sea of Slipknot riffs and Linkin Park inspired choruses. The main thing that stands out about this record is the diverse range of influences at play, a grab-bag approach reminiscent of Faith No More. The typical influences you might imagine are clearly observable here, Limp Bizkit’s bounce, the futuristic crunch of Bring Me The Horizo