Dream Ocean – Lost Love Symphony
Review by Rainer Kerber
Dream Ocean was founded in 2009 by mezzo soprano Basak Ylva and guitarist Oz Khan. In the same year also the first demo “Missing” was published. Living in Germany since 2017, the first full-length album “Lost Love Symphony” has now been completed. In addition to musicians from Turkey and Germany, Borna Matosic is a Croat on the guitar. The compositions were written by the two founding members, the lyrics by the singer. The album was produced on its own. As guest musicians Marc Jansen (Epica, MaYan) and Jake E. Lundberg (Cyhra, ex-Amaranthe) could be won. So everything is ready for another Cocktail Symphonic Metal.
After the short bombastic intro “Inception”, the guitars bang out of the speakers on “Beyond The Greed”. Singer Basak Ylva Ceber makes her classically trained voice sound. The chorus is catchy, and the use of orchestral parts is not overdone. And the filigree guitar solo should ensure that Metal purists are addressed. Punchy it goes on, whether by rammer “Hain” or the epic “Ever storm”, the speedy “Forever” (with guest singer Jake E).
A resting point then marked the gorgeous piano ballad “Divine Light”. Later employ strings, backed by punchy drums. An ingenious guitar solo is the icing on the cake. And the singer soars clean up to the highest pitch. Epic but powerful continues with “The Last Dance” and “Somewhere Untouched”. In “Never Enough” Epica and Mayan chief Grunts Marc Jansen contributes his growls. Otherwise, the song is a very melodic rocker. In the ballad “Song To The Aurora” Basak shows once more her full vocal potential before the album ends with the nearly ten-minute “Island Of Dreams”. Once again, all the trademarks of the symphonic metal are put together to form a small masterpiece – a crowning finale.
Granted, Dream Ocean have not reinvented symphonic metal. But they skillfully set accents that ensure the band’s independence. The album is varied composed, produced modern and punchy and is never boring, despite the length of more than an hour. Musically they are on par with the big bands of this genre. I am looking forward to the further development of Dream Ocean.
DREAM OCEAN – Everstorm: https://youtu.be/DejcXZeRoXE
Lineup:
Basak Ylva Ceber – Vocals
Oz Khan – Guitars
Borna Matosic – Guitars
Sebastian Heuckmann – Bass Guitars
Sebastian Plück – Keyboards
Nils Kessen – Drums
Label: Painted Bass Records
Out: February 22nd 2018
Duration: 64:51
Track list:
- Inception
- Beyond The Greed
- Hain
- Everstorm
- Forever
- Divine Light
- The Last Dance
- Somewhere Untouched
- Wolfheart
- Never Enough
- Song To The Aurora
- Island Of Dreams
Rating : 8/10
MHF Magazine/Rainer Kerber
