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Hailing from Finland, prog metallers Oddland release their third full-length album Vermilion on March 11th via UPRISING! Records. Founded in 2003 in Turku, the band has enjoyed a stable line-up over the years, comprised of singer/guitarist Sakari Ojanen, guitarist Jussi Poikonen, bass player Joni Palmorth and drummer Ville Viitanen. Mixed and mastered by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland (Rivers of Nihil), Vermilion possesses all the slick sonic qualities of modern prog metal productions – with a big, swelling sound that plays equally on rhythmic grooves and melody, and uses dynamics to achieve powerful cathartic effects.
The PR blurb drops names like Tool, Leprous and Pain of Salvation to describe the album – and the comparisons are spot on. Oddland play a djent-infused, modern blend of progressive metal that builds on grooves, atmosphere and dynamics more than intricate playing and dazzling displays of technicality. The mood is dark, accentuated by powerful, down-tuned guitar riffs and Ojanen’s sombre and expressive vocal delivery. The juxtaposition of fat, nervous riffs and melodic lines played by the second guitar or the keyboards is very effective, achieving a good balance between muscular grooves and deft melodicism. Subtle folk influences constantly lurk in the background, adding an unusual slant to the proceedings. There are also a few daring arrangement choices – like the backward vocals on “Vermilion Pt.4: Feed the Void” or the use of the saxophone in a few passages - , showcasing a slightly more experimental side of the band that help distinguish their sound from other contemporary prog metal acts.
Most songs eschew standard predefined structures, as Oddland prefer instead to let their music ebb and flow between moments of quiet contemplation and passages that are louder and more intense. The song structures are loose, especially in the first five tracks that form a long, multi-part opus tied together by common musical and conceptual themes. The second half of the record is instead more standard, with standalone pieces that are more compact and easily accessible. The album single “Unity” is the best piece among these standalone tracks, featuring particularly strong and catchy melodies.
The album flows away pleasantly and is well produced, and Oddland clearly show strong potential. If I were to nit-pick, I’d have to point out the lack of big, attention-grabbing moments on this record. A track like “Unity” stands out here because it is one of the few that contain truly memorable melodies that remain in the listener’s brain long after the music has ended. The rest of the album is rarely so accessible and momentous, and it becomes harder to distinguish between its different tracks. This may be intentional, as the five-part, interconnected title-track suggests. However, there is an inherent risk of losing the listener’s attention here, which a few more sonic peaks could have averted.
Nevertheless, Vermilion is a good record that fans of the aforementioned bands, as well as acts like Soen and Wheel, will surely appreciate. The Finns are certainly a band to look out for. With a touch more personality and a slightly bolder and more streamlined songwriting, Oddland could aim big and carve their own special place in the busy landscape of modern progressive metal.
[Originally written for The Metal Observer]