Oaks – Genesis of the Abstract

Hidden Beats

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OAKS – Genesis of the Abstract

Recently Hidden Beats had the opportunity to review OAKS – Genesis of the Abstract, the debut album from the Paris-based instrumental progressive metal band. Inspired by the likes of Tool, Pink Floyd, and Mastodon, we were excited to check out what this trio has in store.

An Interesting Project

The trio that makes up Oaks -Thibault on guitars, Julien on bass, and Nathan on drums- have created a genre-defying conceptual project that mixes fat, fuzzy basslines with chunky rifftastic guitars, mixing in a dreamlike ethereal sound, and bookend it with some deep, poetic narratives, and you’ve got one helluva creation.

A Smooth Ride

“The Genesis”, with its slow build, sets the tone for this album. A deep, bassy, ambient sound lets you know this is going to be a dark, haunting ride. “The Void” comes in right after with heavy, solid drums driven by an intense bassline. Oaks have this fuzzy, burbling sound that lets them traipse between earthy, groove-based rock straight out of your uncle’s shag-carpeted van, to crunchy in-your-face grindcore.

I mean this as an utmost compliment; “Genesis of the Abstract” is amazing heavy metal meditation. I can put this album on and my mind can wander off and get lost in the ether. I can close my eyes, and let my mind wander in a million different directions, guided by Thibault’s deft guitar work.

An Etheral Ride

Oaks really know how to take the listener on a journey. “The Harmonist”, which is the longest track on the album, clocking in over ten minutes long, is a trip in and of itself. Much like the album itself, “The Harmonist” has a slow, deep beginning, before kicking into gear. And when it comes to kicking into gear, “The Chasm” is the one to go to for that in-your-face smash. Its crunchy, driven beat gives way to a soft interlude with “The Dawn” before the appropriately named “The Abstract”.

Embrace The Ambience

Oaks have created an interesting audio world with “The Genesis of the Abstract”. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, as it gave me a nice, heavy ride I could get lost on. As a fan of Kyuss, and Tool, I welcomed the ability to get lost in Oaks’ sound. The instrumental nature and smoothness of their music let me really unwind and enjoy their sound.

OAKS – Genesis of the Abstract is available to stream on your favorite platform now!

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