This album is a great listen from start to finish Buy it

There is nothing I've found so far mentioning that this album has been influenced by that other ambitious, oceanic classic, Tales From Topographic Oceans; however, Pelagial has the scope and exceeds the musicality of that album. I keep hearing the connection, except for the fact that this album exceeds Yes's effort in urgency and intensity by a long mile. I am sure current metal fans will find it too melodic, and prog, and give it demerits for those reasons. It's not an album you'll use as a soundtrack for endless online sessions of Call of Duty. However, Pelagial is a truly majestic effort, and becomes more and more exciting and terrifying the deeper it plunges into the murky depths. It's not often one can take a concept that is as huge as a plunge into the depths both musical, psychological and topographical, and make it work. It is positively Wagnerian in ambition. Here's the good news: it works, and holds together from beginning to end. And it is phenomenally great. I very much look forward to The Ocean's future efforts; they are the next wave of metal and prog both.

10/5 stars. Greatest piece of art I've ever heard. I would pay hundreds of dollars to hear something as great as this. Every album by them is great, but this is the best. Album of 2013.

This is very deep, thought out music that sounds just as good live as it does on the album. Well worth the buy

Album is incredible

I would literally pay three times the stated price for this music-- a compositional masterpiece. If you listen to progressive metal, buy it. If you're looking to buy one song to see if you like it, buy "Mesopalegic: Into The Uncanny" as a sample.

The Ocean has set the bar very high with Pelagial. I've been listening to this album, cover to cover for some time now, and can say with unwavering confidence this is the best progressive metal album of 2013 thus far. The Ocean have almost created their very own genre with their perfect blend of a straightforward approach, and still dominating with the technicality and complexity of their musicianship. Lyrically Pleagial takes you through all the layers of the ocean, and of the mind. Going deeper and deeper, and the album evolves as it passes through each layer, getting darker and heavier making you truly feel the emotions of poets soul. The vocals are without blemish. Finding the harmonious balance of clean and harsh/screamed vocals. And as for the 11 songs that are just the instrumental doppelgänger of the album, just wasted filler? Hardly. Despite being vocally outstanding on the album, these instrumental tracts display so much more emotion that could ever be sung. Hearing the clean riffs, intricate bridges, and progressive nature of the album without ever becoming boring or repetitive, all whilst displaying the theme and emotion of the album perfectly. This album, Pelagial, stands alone. An instant masterpiece and classic in my opinion. Pelagial, is A Perfect Metal Album.

The Ocean's PELAGIAL Album Review So, I’ve listened to these guys before. They’re good, I like them, but they’ve never really been a band I could listen to for hours on end. At least, that was true up until today. Now, I can’t stop thinking about their newest release: Pelagial. I really don’t know how to start reviewing the actual music. I mean, it’s a concept album. So, the concept is important to the music. And the album starts off pretty mellow, on the surface, and there’s an option to listen to the album with or without vocals. I’ve only heard the album with vocals, but I cannot wait to give it a listen when it’s just the instruments. However, the lyrics fit wonderfully, given that the album’s concept is a constant sinking into the oceanic depth zones, as well as the psychology of our wishes and desires. To quote: “Pelagial […] is a concept album with the track titles referencing, in descending fashion, the oceanic depth zones. Musically, the concept is explored by sequencing the music such that it is increasingly dark and claustrophobic in emulation of the diminishing light and increasing pressure that comes with oceanic descent.” Does that not sound positively fascinating? The concept is relevant to the name that signifies their collection of musical creation, to the individual listener, and musically reflects all of that, in addition to being freakin’ sweet. But seriously. If you like progressive metal at all, buy this album. There are musical motifs that run through the entire journey, and really, I’d venture to say that much like the body of water known as the Ocean is a giant expanse that humans have divided into zones, this album is much the same. All one expanse of music, divided into segments, divided into songs in order to classify and categorize certain sounds and how they reflect just how far you’ve made it into the album. I don’t think I have the words adequate enough to tell you how amazing I find that, and how carefully this concept album had to have been crafted in order to make music so resonant with everything they set out to do. It’s one of the most stunning pieces of music I’ve heard aside from Between the Buried and Me (and if you don’t like them, cool, The Ocean are a very different progressive metal, so don’t let that make you dismiss this band). Also. Two Bassists. Yeah. Two bassists. So, that might have something to do with it. My favorite tracks are probably the Bathyalpelagial tracks (3, 4, and 5), due to the increasing intensity throughout that segment of songs. However, the transition from those into Abyssopelagic I is jaw-dropping. I won’t even mention how soul-crushingly heavy the last couple of tracks on the album are. So, if you’re interested in progressive, heavy music, love psychological examination of the self (alongside some brief philosophy) in your lyrics, like The Ocean, or like the ocean, this album is almost definitely for you. If you hate lyrics, there is an instrumental version available so you should still check this out.

I don't write reviews. This is my first one. This is one of the greatest metal Albums I have ever heard in my life. I first thought a second disc of instrumentals would not be worth it but it paints a whole new picture and competely fits the concept of this record. The ocean is an amazing band and this is well worth the 14 bucks iTunes is charging for it.

This band is great, both studio and live. This album is sick