The progression of the human species is something that is just as bewildering as it is terrifying to take into consideration for all that it has been accomplished in what has been described as a mere blink of an eye in the grand scheme of time. As such, it is all too easy for us as humans to forget our place in it all with all being just so overwhelming and far too grand for our minds to comprehend, and we’ve lost sight of where we came from in the process since. We’ve seen many throughout the realms of metal try their hand at doing so with not many really able to ascertain a true sense of scope in being able to do such a concept justice. With their debut effort, The Great Sea achieves what not many others can.

While it’s always tempting for me to try and build some sort of correlation between the concepts and themes of a performance with the style of metal in question, I feel as though that’s not much the case here. Despite being a strain of black metal, I can’t help but get the feeling that The Great Sea sought to do something more with the sound than simply adhere to many of the notions that the sound has become known for. Immense, striking, and primordial in essence, what’s been brought to the table throughout the whole of “Noble Art of Desolation” gives us a showcasing of deep understanding of the band’s craft alongside a meticulous attention to detail that’s as uncompromising as it is fascinating to behold. Embodying what it means to be as tall and majestic as mountains while still deep and foreboding at the depths of the ocean, these seven tracks tap into a sense of ancient wonder that the human soul is constantly longing for whether it knows so or not. The Great Sea makes it clear right out of the gate that “Noble Art of Desolation” is not some hopeful fumbling in the dark looking for something to stick. Rather, this is an album that has already seemed to have perfected its very stride with every footstep overloaded with meaning, substance, and purpose.

The Great Sea has taken a magnificent plunge with what’s only its first record, and to drown yourself in what this record has to offer is to find yourself utterly swarmed by a performance that’s distinct from much of the competition from top to bottom. Compelling and indicative of the raw talent that we’re dealing in here, “Noble Art of Desolation” is a true surprise whose excellence just keeps on giving no matter how deeply you dig into all that it has to offer.

LISTEN to “Noble Art of Desolation” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE The Great Sea on Facebook here.

FOLLOW The Great Sea on Instagram here.