Ocelon – ‘To Ocelon’ (demo 2014)
Rating: 7/10
Release: 24 January 2015
Label: Independent
The Spanish band Ocelon has had quite some turbulent years. After a large number of changes in band formation, drop-out and aborted projects, Ocelon finally began to take shape in the form of a Celtic folk-metal band in 2012. In 2014 the band releases its first demo called ‘To Ocelon’.
The music that Ocelon makes can be traced back to a great number of folk-metal bands, which makes it far from being original. However, the band manages to give the songs a unique twist which makes the music interesting enough to listen to. The first song on the demo called ‘The Moon Hunter’ starts with a beautiful acoustic intro in which traditional folk-instruments such as the violin and whistles can be heard in addition to the acoustic guitar. But before we get a chance to let ourselves drift off on the soothing tunes, the music swells and bagpipes, drums and electric guitars turn the song into a more metal-like variant. The lyrics that mainly put the focus on themes such as nature, are convincingly done by the raspy voice of vocalist Luis and give a nice contrast to the music. It instantly becomes clear that the quality of the mix on the demo is above average, and that there is great alternation between the different sorts of instruments. Just like its predecessor, the second song on the album called ‘Among Mountains’ starts with an acoustic intro that quickly picks up the pace and starts to bend more toward folk-metal. The backing vocals strengthen the song and ensure a smooth transition between verse and chorus. The song might be a little less catchy than its predecessor, but is otherwise fine in terms of instruments.
Although the music of Ocelon might not be very original in a genre that has been exploited so much, ‘To Ocelon’ has become an excellent demo. There is a lot of variety in the instruments and the vocals are easy on the ear. I am curious to see if we will hear more of this band, because the music is definitely promising!
Tracklist
- To Ocelon – The Moon Hunter
- Amongst Mountains