Octohawk - Determinist - Metal Epidemic

Octohawk – Determinist
Release Date: 7th June 2023
Label: Crime Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Metal, Sludge, Stoner Metal.
FFO: The Ocean, Mastodon, IGORR.
Review By: Mark Young

Arcane Dawn kicks off Octohawk’s second album in a promising fashion. With vocals that remind of Troy from Mastodon and a tightly packed guitar sound, this is a no nonsense start from the Norwegian five piece. As their bio notes, they are big on combining riffs with a steadfast approach to building songs. As progressive sludge goes, it has merits, but even early on you feel that it could have been trimmed slightly, but they have gone for that length to be able to effectively tell the opening story. The arrangement does a good job of keeping you onboard and as mentioned they have pitched the sound just right, so the heavy parts are heavy without becoming a blanket that covers all of the good melodic ideas. It is a promising start that kicks up a little with Quantum Age, that drum / rhythm work carrying it forward in an insistent manner. What it shows is that they have a fair sense of what makes the song work, but it feels as though they are trying to squeeze a lot of words which results in it being forced which in turns affects the flow. Again, it is a minor note of something that stands out for me and affects my enjoyment of it.

Decode continues on that path, with little fills and licks here and there that keep it moving forward. I think the issue with my enjoyment is the phrasing, there is something off to my ears and I can’t get past it. Musically it’s great, there is a load going on amongst strong performances but once the vocals kick in the effect just pulls me out, which is annoying. Momentum has a filthy opening sequence that stomps and snarls that mutates into something else. This change in pace and arrangement is spot on, seamless and here it all comes together and finally the phrasing works. The under solo riff is quality, as is the lead break, as both sit together so well. It’s a cracking track that doesn’t stop moving forward, stamping over all in its path.

After this, they throw in a palate cleanser. Earthrise, with its building drums and synth noises, it’s there to provide a link into Beyond Tomorrow, which starts so well. It didn’t need it. This has a delicious build to it, going from the heavy and frenetic into a laid-back, subtle motif. You can hear why there are comparisons with The Ocean, it’s the little touches that make it the belter it is, and you know that this would be a stormer live.

Gateways brings the album to its close, and once again they have a pearler of riff pattern that makes this fly, managing to address the phrasing, so now everything is pulling together, increasing synths fighting with melodic guitar so that the whole thing flows so well. It’s a great track to end on and shows that they have a lot going for them in terms of future releases. The phrasing issue, is probably mine as opposed to anyone else’s, yet there is something in it that just doesn’t work. The latter three tracks are where the album really shines, where everything comes together and works. I don’t go out of my way to be negative with any music I review, and when it’s something I can’t get past, it annoys me to say it, especially here with the breadth of good ideas they have in each song.