i dreamt the sea - set an open course

I Dreamt The Sea

Set An Open Course
self-released; 2013

3.6 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

Looking for a cathartic release in the form of hardcore metal? Look no further than the recent EP from I Dreamt The Sea entitled Set An Open Course. The band combines insanely impressive drumming with distorted guitars, bass and blood-curdling vocals. Their non-stop purging of sounds is not unlike bands like Worthwhile, Blood Brothers and Deafheaven. The five songs on this EP sound exceptional in regards to production. Everything from the drums to the vocals sits well in the mix and is competitive with other commercial releases in the genre.

The band doesn't waste any time on their first track “Outlook” proving they can create a wall of sound that can knock your conscious into oblivion. They pack a ridiculous amount of carnage into a song that doesn't eclipse the four-minute mark. There are a lot of changes and the band never seem content to meditate on one riff for too long, They mix it up, thrash it up and won’t leave you bored. 

The drumming on “Bon Voyage” barely makes sense for a person with four limbs. My head was spinning just by what Jon Oldham was doing to his snare drum. You are also treated to separate vocal parts, which create more variation to add to the mix. 

On “Lion's Mandible” the music is so intense you may not even pay attention to the inventive lyrics sung by Kelly Arasa. He sings; “Consume me, blur my vision, with the air surrounding you. Half memories of betrayal all around my mind. Racing through the hallways so sterile. Trying hard to save my life.” 

Set an Open Course is an impressive EP with well-crafted songs that will appeal to an audience who appreciates hardcore. You will most likely have a good idea if this type of music is your thing after listening to the first song.

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