REVIEW: Cetacean - ‘Dichotomy’ [EP]

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 16/11/2017

Label: Apes Who Looked Up

‘Dichotomy’ is dynamic, brilliantly composed and dense enough to keep giving you something new on repeat listens. It’s tough to nail down whether this is doom, post-metal, or something else altogether, but whatever label you want to place on it, it’s fucking powerful.

‘Dichotomy’ DD track listing:

1. Zephyrvs

2. Dichotomy

The Review:

The peaks and valleys approach isn’t an easy one to get right in a metal context. There are no shortage of bands implementing the soft verse/heavy chorus formula well, but where compositions are less rigidly formulaic; a lot of bands fall short or half-commit. Neurosis has been great at it for more than twenty years now, and there have been a handful of others too, but they’re exceptions to the rule.

Cetacean are a relatively new band, but they’ve absolutely mastered the art of building to big climactic moments. Right from this EP’s opening minutes, the band take their time, adding layers and heft as they go until the song explodes with scintillating melody and soaring lead guitar. From that point on, the music ebbs and flows; retracts and expands. When it’s loud, it’s some of the most beautifully layered heavy music I’ve heard this year. When it’s subdued, it comes at the perfect time, and it always does a wonderful job of setting the stage for whatever peak comes next.

Another area where ‘Dichotomy’ excels is in its use of less conventional instruments. The saxophone and organ work on the title track suits each moment perfectly. The saxophone comes in at the midway point, taking on a similar role to the instrument's used in Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them”, before returning in later heavier sections, providing musical unease when opportune. Even better is that these unique elements aren’t hamfistedly shoved into the mix of things for the sake of it, but rather as tasteful accompaniment and only under the right circumstances.

 Whether it’s bursting with color and melody or taking things into darker musical terrain, Cetacean take you on a journey over the course of these two songs and eighteen minutes. The valleys are alternately comforting or foreboding and the peaks are electric and satisfying. ‘Dichotomy’ is dynamic, brilliantly composed and dense enough to keep giving you something new on repeat listens. It’s tough to nail down whether this is doom, post-metal, or something else altogether, but whatever label you want to place on it, it’s fucking powerful.

Full Disclosure: Daniel contributed guest backing vocals to Cetacean’s previous release, ‘Breach | Submerge’.

‘Dichotomy’ is available here

Band info: Facebook || bandcamp

Cetacean - "BREACH | SUBMERGE" EP (Review)

By: TJ Kliebhan

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 29/01/2016
Label:  Apes Who Looked Up

Cetacean seem like they are still working on discovering their own personal sound and BREACH | SUBMERGE was more ambitious a project than they were ready for. The band is undoubtedly talented and Cetacean flash both technical playing and an impressive vocal range from Benigno, but creatively the band is not there yet

“Breach | Submerge” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Earth is a Whisper

2). Relationships Deteriorate

3). Outpour I. II. III.

The Review:

Progressive rock and metal are two genres that would have always blended together well. While both project an image of nerd culture both are also incredibly technical and have lots of crossover techniques such as time signature swaps and grandiose fantastical presentation. In order for this seemingly obvious formula to be outright successful the genres need to be integrated seamlessly and the transitions should feel rational and judicious. On Los Angeles act Cetacean’s most recent effort BREACH | SUBMERGE, the band never truly finds the ideal balance between the two.

BREACH | SUBMERGE is a three track record with all songs eclipsing the ten minute mark. While none of these tracks are necessarily bad, the tracks struggle to distinguish themselves as well as offer any moments of innovation or distinction. The three tracks offer trips through doom metal, prog rock, and rough aggressive vocal patches, but none of these elements are synced very nicely. Every passage of these songs feels like its own outlier rather than a sum of the whole. The transitions are clumsy and seem to come at random. The prog elements are just so miniscule compared to the doom tracks that it makes the progressive rock elements Cetacean go for seem forced. These tracks have ten to fourteen minutes of time yet the listener only experiences two or three changes in tempo. When this is compounded over such long tracks it only seems self-serving. The songs begin to turn into a bit of a trudge to get through.

BREACH | SUBMERGE is a banal record for too much of its extended run time. There are numerous acts that do many of these styles better individually and in a style that blends genres. Cetacean seem like they are still working on discovering their own personal sound and BREACH | SUBMERGE was more ambitious a project than they were ready for. The band is undoubtedly talented and Cetacean flash both technical playing and an impressive vocal range from Trae Malone, but creatively the band is not there yet. The tracks are too segmented and create a disjointed album with tracks that seem too sewn together.

“Breach | Submerge” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook