October Tide - In Splendor Below (2019)

Consistency is the name of the game for the Norrman’s brothers October Tide band. With “In Splendor Below”, the band continues to deliver classic Melodic Death/Doom Metal filled with superb guitar work, dark atmospheric passages and plenty of headbanging opportunities. Featuring over 43-minutes of music, this release continues the band’s legacy as one of the best in the genre.

The album opens with “I, the Polluter”, a song that features the band’s signature riffing and mid-tempo pace. There are some more direct Death Metal elements thrown into the mix, but the track always keeps that old-school Swedish Melodic Death Metal vibe going. The playful “We Died In October” shows a more funky and crafty atmosphere with intricate drum patterns and very engaging tempo changes.

On the heavier side we have tracks like “Ögonblick av nåd”, which feel more like bands like Centinex, Grave and even very early Entombed. However, we are all here for the melodic stuff and tracks like “Stars Starve Me”, “Our Famine” and “Guide My Pulse” shows the band at their best, filled with weeping guitar leads, harsh growls and very uplifting passages. While some might argue that the band’s style has not evolved much since their inception, we applaud them for being consistent and deliver exactly what the fans want without the need to overly complicate their sound.

Closing with the incisive “Envy The Moon”, we are left quite pleased with “In Splendor Below”. We expected non-stop Swedish Melodic Death/Doom Metal and that is exactly what you get with October Tide. The Norrman brothers have a great signature sound and this release maintains their legendary status since their early Katatonia days. If you like things to be consistent, direct and superbly catchy, look no further as you know exactly what to expect with this fine release.

Label: Agonia Records

Release: May 17th, 2019

Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal

Country: Sweden