…And Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary
Release Date: 23rd May 2025
Label: Season of Mist
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Extreme Metal, Avant-Garde.
FFO: Sodomisery, Shade Empire, Dimmu Borgir, Samael.
Review By: Ceta
The Finnish avant-garde black metal act …And Oceans has quietly staged one of metal’s most intriguing comebacks in recent years. Their 2023 return with As in Gardens, So in Tombs demonstrated a band reborn – delivering a melancholic yet vicious take on melodic black metal that honored their 90s roots while forging new ground. Now with The Regeneration Itinerary, the group continues their creative resurgence, though not without some curious detours along the way.
This latest offering maintains the core DNA of its predecessor – those icy, Dissection-inspired guitar lines still cut through the mix with Scandinavian precision, and the vocals retain their tortured, otherworldly quality. However, the band has significantly amplified their experimental tendencies. Unexpected electronic elements surface throughout, sometimes enhancing the atmosphere, other times creating jarring tonal shifts. One particularly surreal moment finds a black metal onslaught abruptly giving way to what sounds like a 90s Eurodance interlude – an artistic choice that will likely divide listeners.
What remains undeniable is the strength of the foundational songwriting. When …And Oceans focuses on their signature blend of melancholic melodies and razor-sharp riffing, as on standout tracks like “The Collector’s Cabinet,” the results are compelling. The guitar work particularly shines, weaving intricate patterns that balance aggression with a strange, almost spiritual beauty. These moments recall why this band stood out in the first place during the late 90s black metal scene.
That said, The Regeneration Itinerary struggles with pacing and cohesion. While no individual track overstays its welcome, the album’s twelve-song sequence creates a sense of fatigue as similar ideas recur without enough variation. The production choices further complicate matters – the raw, almost demo-quality mix works for the more traditional black metal passages but renders the electronic experiments oddly flat.
Ultimately, this album serves as an imperfect but fascinating next chapter in …And Oceans’ unlikely second act. It may not reach the heights of their 2023 comeback, but it proves the band remains unwilling to simply retread past glories. For longtime fans, these new experiments – even the questionable ones – at least confirm that …And Oceans still has creative ambitions beyond nostalgia. In an era where many veteran metal acts play it safe, that rebellious spirit deserves recognition, even when it doesn’t fully land.
(3.5 / 5)
