Ocean Mind- Underwater

Track 1. THE MAN WHO COULDN'T BE TOUCHED BY TIME- Sounds from all over bleed into the track, inaudible, as well as things that seem halfway frightening. An alternative instrument plays a very odd melody as the vocals enter the fray. They have a warm yet creepy quality about them. You are crushed by the sudden distortion washes over the track, but things quickly descend back to the alternative instrument where they fade away ending the track. A very odd intro to say the least.

Track 2. ETHER- Thick wonderful distortion kicks things starting right off well. A well crafted groove carves it's way through the track. Eclectic melodies, a decent amount of crunch, with subtle amounts of alternative instruments as well. The vocals are clear and raspy with that warm creepy quality, though there is a slightly subtle issue with the vocals in the mix. It sounds just a bit off. The song is decent, but it never really gets going long enough for you to thoroughly enjoy it.

Track 3. UNDERWATER- A heavy and punching drum begins the track. The timing is quite decent. I am noticing the same issue with the vocals as far as recording quality is concerned. The harmony vocals also don't sound particularly well with the lead vocals. I am wishing these guitar riffs were sharper and more enunciated in the music, they seem like a dirty crunch that you can't make out well enough to enjoy. The song also does not open up enough for you to really enjoy it. It really just sits there playing the same thing over and over riding the minimalist melodies. Lead vocals again warm and creepy, backing harmonies that were barely there, not seem worse.

Track 4. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN- Singing vocals echo nearly inaudible words into the track. A very interesting clean electric guitar riff plays. The drums roll into a powerful punching groove. An organ add's a simplistic melody, that has a classic flavor. A sweet ripping solo adds some awesome. The vocals feel as if they are a bit too far back in the mix. An eclectic groove of music to say the least. The song moves around with some hooks, but nothing that really impresses me. The song ends upon the laughter of a vocalist.

Track 5. BREAKLOOSE IN THE SUMMER- A heavier tone bursts instantly onto the scene here. I am wishing the guitars were sharper in the mix still. The vocals have a dark passion and expression but still feel as if they are just not in the right place in the mix. Some very eclectic crunching grooves, but again nothing that impresses me, recording quality somewhat questionable.

Track 6. MUSHROOM FEVER- Heavy ripping and roaring riffs open this track. The organ is once again there with a melody overlay. The drums seem really quiet in the mix here. Issues with vocal recording quality is still apparent, it seems either too close to the mic or too far away at times, possibly a mixing issue. The guitar riffs do not sound well enunciated they seem very fuzzy in the mix. The song has a slow groove that you never really get into.

Track 7. YOU AIN'T SHINING- An echoing vocalist sings words that fade quickly. A clean guitar part begins, but there is an annoying and fuzzy echo quality to the track. Vocals seem distant and weak in the mix here, and then moments here and there, you notice an echo effect added to the vocals. The song for a while has a somewhat interesting and eclectic melody but it dies too quickly to develop any massive momentum to even say it's great, a very weak track to say the least.

Track 8. CHAINED- An odd trickle of single piano keys leads into a stumbling bass presence on the piano. It's slow and full of dread something more fit for a horror movie to be honest. More weird alternative melodies. I do like this clean guitar though it's delicate and precise. Digital atmospheric melodies overtake the track, you can't tell if your in heaven,hell, or the in between. A crisp snare picks things up, way too late into the song, it also feels very weak in the mix. Was this recorded at a distance in a big room? Creepy vocals whisper inaudible words into the track. The band definitely has a psychedelic feel to it, here and throughout the album. The song takes on more of a darkness turning towards the worst, a definite foreboding feeling begins to sway towards something hopeful for a moment. It becomes shrouded with uncertainty and fear. Inaudible whispers enter the mix. Vocals in the backing track hum a melodic harmony both creepy and somehow creative. A very minimalistic feel here with the tapping on the cymbals. A long heavy lead guitar strains a note that forms an impressive METAL riff though slow it's flavor is absolute and intriguing. The minimalism on the cymbals rings on. The lead riff is the only enjoyable thing here, the cymbal tapping and inaudible vocals are frankly annoying. A light crisp tap of the snare brings you to a place in the track where you feel extremely lost. The so called groove of the song finally begins. This song feels VERY watered down. The song ACTUALLY wakes up, get's HEAVY and interesting but for how long? An interesting crunchy rhythm that has that annoying fuzz takes over, but hey yes this is a psychedelic heavy band. Still some recording quality/ mixing balance issues here. The song basically grooves on like this for a while, quite a while, where it finally dies upon the tapping of the piano.

Disc 2- Track 1. THIRD EYE EFFECT- Muffled vocals open the second cd. The words are warm yet nearly inaudible. The whispers are quite creepy. A minimalist beat begins. And it has the feeling of being stuffed in the back of the mix, but again VERY psychedelic in nature. To me the material is just very boring, minimalistic. Every once in a while an interesting tiny guitar lick enters the track, but that's not often. A very relaxed groove sets in. The slow electric heavy guitar riff is the only interesting thing about this song. Other than that I am not excited about this track or the music.

Track 2. GYPSY SON- The music brightens back up a bit with some distorted parts, as well as the crazed organ. The riffs become fuzzed in the mix. The loose vocals are at their usual beck and call. The groove if you want to call it that is slow, fuzzy with a tiny amount of crunch. For a brief moment an impressive lead solo pierces the mix, where it stays for a while. The entire song feels like it's set back in the mix a bit too far sound level wise. It's also a very relaxed feeling as well. Boring as hell.

Track 3. LUZ CONTROL- Some heavy riffs that seem half way interesting begin this, the only problem they are too damn muffled in the mix, so much to the point that you can't really thoroughly enjoy the riffs. The organ makes it's appearance as does the dirty weird direction turning creepy vocals. A slow fuzzed groove takes control with an occasional lead lick or organ melody that plays.

Track 4. STRIPPED- The song seems to jump straight into a heavy fuzzed groove. Not really a fan of the psychedelic stuff. The vocals sing on with their dirty expression, clarity is almost non existent. The song takes on a trippy groove of a straight up fuzz driven psychedelic nature, but then the entire thing dies pretty damn quickly.

Track 5. SOMEONE WHO CARES- A pounding bass and drum begin this. There's a slight muffled presence within the mix. The vocals begin and the clarity is not that good, but it has a slightly expressive quality about it. The drums have a subtle crisp quality to them but the beat is very generic sounding, and again muffled. The organ really is the only color to the song, and it comes and goes. Here and there in moments the drums pick up and become interesting. The entire song feels set back in the mix, I am not sure if this is a thing with this type of music or what, but I am not a fan of what's here.

Track 6. LONESOME TRAVELLER- A dirty riff begins this. The riffs seem halfway interesting but they are not very clear in the mix. A very loose groove plays. The drums feel weak in the mix. From what you can hear though, there are eclectic and psychedelic melodies here. Occasional interesting parts of heavy fuzz driven distortion, you only wish things were clearer. The vocals have an annoying echo about them, clarity is not good, but then again I think this may be part of the way this style of music does things, just not my sort of stuff. The electric guitar riff that burns its way through the track that I can actually hear, that's my sort of thing! The solo is sweet and magnetic, though low in the mix just like everything else. With the exception of the creepy vocals here. The track finally begins to fade away more to it's ending and then it's gone upon the last sounds of its crazy presence.

Track 7. ERASED- A very clear piano part is played, it alternates between lighter and heavier parts for a moment until the vocalist chimes into the mix. The vocal melody here is pretty damn creepy, the lyrical subject matter can partially be made out. The song takes on a bit of a minimalistic approach and then it kicks back into the piano laden journey that is a heavy toned one.The piano plays on for a bit longer, but nothing really captivates your attention or overly impresses you.

Track 8. BOWSHOT- A melodically atmospheric setting surrounds the track. It has both peaceful and creepy qualities to it. The vocals echo on until the trance induced groove begins. It's a fuzzy time warp feel like maybe you've woken up and landed some forty years in the past. Some of the same recording issues linger, as do mixing balance issues. Very strange melodies here. The drums sound very generic though they seem well timed. It's a slow eclectic and minimalistic groove. The song changes a bit though when the organ stammers into the mix along with the heavy fuzz driven guitar. The vocals that you can barely make out have an odd expression to them. It's almost creepy, peaceful, and half asleep all rolled into one, again it's not something that excites or impresses me, more like something I would purposely avoid. The minimalistic groove takes over, included with it's thorough psychedelic melodies that really just boggle the hell out of your mind. You can very subtly hear an electric guitar stumble away in the mix. The vocals stammer on with their warm yet creepy quality. This track feel's just as over extended and watered down as the end of the first disc. WHY? The slow rocking crunched groove is partially interesting but its too fuzzy and drawn back in the music. To begin to try to even enjoy. Overall this has not been a thoroughly exciting review, not easy to listen to. I'd barely call it heavy psychedelic music. The so called heavy parts are very fuzzy and not intelligible, the lead guitar which at times does rock with it's masterful leads is few and far between. The vocals in my honest opinion suck and sound creepy as hell. I'd say it's between bad and mediocre at best. I just could not get into this music. The first disc was just a little bit better than the second one but not by much.

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bandcamp.com/album/2-ready-2-live Rating 3/10