In 2013 one of my favourite bands(The Elijah)disappointedly decided to call it quits. Their profound post-rock sound was one that completely drew me in and to say I was gutted when they disbanded was an understatement. Turns out their guitarist/vocalist Michael McGough had actually joined Being As An Ocean and I didn’t even know a thing about it. Michael was responsible for most of the melodic vocals on the last Elijah album and I stated in my review of their album at the time, that he had one of the best melodic tones that I’d heard in a long time.

Thankfully, Michael hasn’t ditched doing vocals since his departure of The Elijah. His vocal presence can be heard on quite a few of the tracks on this new album from Being As An Ocean and it’s fucking awesome. Sure, musically BAAO is a slightly different beast; they lean more on the post-hardcore side of things. But they do share some similarities on the melodic side of things and because of this McGough’s vocals work tremendously. Joel Quartuccio on the other hand brings a more abrasive vocal texture to the table and I think as the two contrasting styles unite it really adds another string to this bands bow.

Mediocre Shakespeare sets the tone for this album faultlessly; it has a great balance of hard-edged metallic riffage and thought provoking melody. The production job is also skilfully well-matched to the style of this band, the heavier parts really sever through the mix but the melody has softness about it that really opens the track up and lets it breathe.

L’exquisite Douleur and The Poets Cry for More balance the line between poignant lyrical waxing and post-hardcore heaviness. Both tracks slide all over the intensity scale, but when they find their groove the band locks it in skilfully. The band hit the catchiness nail on the head with We Drag the Dead on Leashes and McGough’s distinctive vocal tone really gives this track major impact.

This album is packed with a range of textures and intricacies and each time I listen to it I notice something I never noticed previously. I think the inclusion of Michael McGough to this bands fold has indisputably worked in their favour and it’s clear to see that even though this band were capable of writing fantastic music in the past, they have now moved into the upper echelon. If you’re a fan of this band or post-hardcore then you need to hear this.

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