Océan is the first EP for French black metallers Sael, following a demo and a split release with Azaghal. 30 minutes of blasting meets atmospheric Black Metal is what's being offered here, and the result is addictive at the very least - I can put this one on repeat and never feel the urge to turn it off. Océan is not of the raw variety of Black Metal, the band having opted for a clean but not over-polished sound that delivers the goods - you don't miss a beat, yet everything sounds a little distant, as if you could hear your impending doom looming on the horizon.
Low rasps meet insane screeches in what is sometimes as relaxing, if not as "soothing" as the title of the EP, and what sometimes sounds like a blast of dark, fast and violent Black Metal. All this is tied together through an omnipresent dark, melancholic and calm atmosphere which helps seamlessly connect the various parts - be it the different songs or variations of style within a single song, making them all feel like an uninterrupted journey into darkness and hopelessness. An excellent little teaser while impatiently awaiting the band's first full-length album. Recommended.