Hello Metalheads! This is John back with another early album review! Whalefall are set to release their debut full length album on October 31st, 2025(Happy Halloween!). Ocean/Land is the title of their first album and I couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on this early and start listening.
I have previously covered the prequel to this album called Whispers and Cracks as well as the second single and track of the album called Exile from the Deep:
Whalefall operate within the Thall sub-genre of progressive metal. It’s grounded in Djent esque riffs, ambient atmospheric layers and lots of space between chugs. I tried to define this in one of the earlier pieces I did on them, but really tried to boil it down more after listening to this whole effort and more bands. Ocean/Land is broken up into nine chapters all of which connect lyrically and musically. This story is going to be continued across multiple albums, but not all directly to this story.
My favorite tracks off Ocean/Land is Forest Whispers. It starts with this super groovy but still incredibly laborious riff. It still have plenty of space and room to breath but very effective. But my favorite part is the breakdown that comes at the end of the track. It starts with a slow melodic build up before the wall of sound kicks in, it might be the most melodic passage on the entire album and it’s super noticeable.
There is one part I need to cover because it scared the crap out of me the first time I noticed it. On my second run through the album I was at work with both of my headphones in and on noise cancelling mode. After the ending breakdown in Echoes of the Past there is a whistle noise that caught me off guard so hard, it made me look around and say “What the hell was that?!” After I realized this was part of the album it made me giggle!
Overall I think Whalefall have given us one HELL of a debut! Ocean/Land gets a 9/10 on my personal ratings scale. I love how experimental and heavy this entire album is. I need to say thank you once again to the duo for giving me their album early so I can get my thoughts out! Whalefall is doing a livestream the night before the album comes out 10/30 with full visual effects, check that out! Don’t forget to give this album some streams, listen and even buy it if you like it as much as I do!
https://whalefallthall.bandcamp.com/
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/whalefall/1806777889
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6bYiDjIj4mSh38XVaOPHd0
https://youtube.com/@whalefallthall?si=JJimHLIhgd0WoTKv
https://www.facebook.com/share/16MCzfiMMv/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Courtesy of technicalmusicreview.com.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.