REVIEWS

Avenue in Oceania
Avenue in Oceana

Posted: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
By: David E. Flick

While much of today's vocally driven industrial music is catered more to the clubs and dance music, the California trio that make up Avenue in Oceania are carrying on the torch of the '90s coldwave movement (along with bands like Cyanotic), which fuses rock/metal guitar with the programmed drums and rhythms and layers of keyboards. One thing that sets Avenue of Oceania apart is the clean vocal delivery by front man Jason Katz. While there is enough heavy guitar work and driving drum tracks, there is also a sweeping, almost Sisters of Mercy style of delivery where one cannot help but wonder if Katz is influenced by Eldritch's vocal style. While some of the tracks are dark and dreamy enough to keep the goth music fan happy, there is also a strong balance of synth work that will keep electronic music fans interested as well. Andy Frazier, Jason Katz, and Kamyar Livari work well together and with their self-titled album, they all seem to find a balance of songs that are synthesizer driven and those where the guitars provide the main melodic delivery, capping it all off with Katz's vocals. While Avenue in Oceania should appeal to any industrial rock fan, there is one minor problem in the mix of certain songs; this could be due to the mastering or just a production budget, but on a few of the tracks, the electronics seem to be really clear and in the front, but once the guitars kick in, they lose their stance in the mix. Also, the drum tracks seem weakened at some points instead of actually "kicking in" on the heavy parts. Of course, this is always a very tricky thing to deal with when mixing and mastering music that combines guitars and electronics. This is but a minor production issue and should not stand in the way of Avenue in Oceania's solid delivery of industrial rock. With catchy synth work, in-depth drum programming, fist-pumping guitar chords, and intelligent and clear vocals (something rare in the genre), this is a great release to keep the world of industrial rock contemporary and alive.