Fostermother: The Ocean

Houston, Texas is the home of dark and doom riff masters Fostermother. The band formed in 2019, originally the idea of multi-instrumentalist Travis Weatherred. He soon found bassist Stephen Griffin and the duo released their self titled debut in 2020. All the pieces were put into place with the addition of drummer Jason Motamedi and the subsequent release of their sophomore effort The Ocean in 2021.

I have been listening to lots of doom/stoner/desert rock and metal these past few years and Fostermother have made one of the most enjoyable discs I have heard in the metal genre. This band has so much depth in their music, so much emotion and passion, the riffs vary from bone shattering intensity to moodier and calmer intonations. Another interesting facet of this album is the dystopian concept of depression and isolation, accentuated by the pandemic. The band takes you into the dark recesses of despair and there is certainly a melancholic fog cast over the album, but this is by no means a depressing listen. The lyrics and arrangements accent each other in near perfection.

The disc begins with the excellent “Sunday�, a catchy and ominous tune entrenched in slow, doom-laden guitar riffs and spacier elements, almost Hawkwind-esque at times. It has that hypnotizing effect, made even cooler by some well placed guitar synth, adding another layer to the band’s sound. The lead vocals are also excellent, very melodic and clean, a highlight throughout the album. The riffs are even heavier in the next track “Seasons�, fuzz drenched and absolutely massive. The relaxed, monotone vocals work brilliantly. “Hedonist� begins immediately with heavy and distorted riffing that just as abruptly switches gears into mellow, so artful with hints of melancholy. Then its back to that huge guitar attack once more. The rumbling distorted intro to “Dark Desires� gives way to dark and ominous riffs, a fuzzed out, doom-laden sound which conveys the lyrical message of hopelessness. Moody synths add a cool element to the excellent “Unholiest Of Days" and in the title track, the band mixes mellow and heavy and the result is outstanding!

Every fan of heavy music should listen to The Ocean and support this excellent band. Easily one of my favourite modern metal albums these past few years. Recommended!

Track Listing:
1. Sunday (4:27)
2. Seasons (5:12)
3. Hedonist (4:50)
4. Dark Desires (3:27)
5. Unholiest Of Days (4:08)
6. The Ocean (5:39)
7. Arrival (4:34)
8. Redeemer (5:14)
9. Solitude (6:37)

Added: February 6th 2023
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1476
Language: english

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