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BLACK MAJESTY “Oceans of Black”
BLACK MAJESTY “Oceans of Black”
By Bob Burner
Here we have the 8th album by Australian Power Metal band BLACK MAJESTY titled “Oceans of Black”. These guys have been together for over 20 years. I remember picking up some of their earlier albums way back in the 2000’s when I was on a huge power metal kick and would buy almost anything that looked power metal or by certain labels. The band is very talented and have a great sound but there was always something lacking with their albums that made me go back and listen to them more than a few times or even keep up with them over the years.
Here we are now and it has been for me at least 15 years since I have listened to the band. Like a lot of power metal bands many don’t really evolve or update their sound outside of singers changing over . It is like ordering from your favorite restaurant, you know what you are getting. That is one thing that I loved about power metal, you always know what you are getting. Let’s see how BLACK MAJESTY is in 2025.
It seems not much has changed for this band over the decades. They still play mid-tempo melodic metal with vocals that are channeling Kai Hansen ( HELLOWEEN / GAMMA RAY ), which isn’t a bad thing. The first song titled “Dragon Lord” starts things off with a more upbeat start to a long album. If one did not know who was playing one could assume it was a Kai Hansen project of some kind. The screeching high vocals have a kind of monotone style to them that fits the mood of the songs well. Sadly the first song is good but not one that grabs the listener. It is your standard power metal fare with a semi catchy chorus and a song that is a perfect one to sum up the band if you had to pick a song to do so. This isn’t really a bad thing but I think what is missing from this opener is a catchier or grand start to an album almost pushing 60 minutes in length. I was really hoping they would come out blazing with the first track to really pull me in.
The next four or five songs which are good but sadly all kind of bleed together into one long song. From “Hold On”, a more emotionally charged song, to “Lucifer” which is a more mid paced song while each being different in their own way kind of all sound the same. Even with different tempo and speed there is something lacking to make these songs really stand out. After listening to these a few times I would lose track of where I was at on the album. The BLACK MAJESTY sound is there for each and the band definitely has a style but one that does not allow variety in the music. It could almost be what holds them back from moving to the next level.
The seventh song, ”Only the Devil” is where the album kicks into high gear. This song should have been earlier on the album to really get the listener committed to wanting more. This is more of a faster song with a catchy chorus and a lot of hooks that really stand out. This is a high point of the album and if more of the songs were like this one it would be a really solid release. I have gone back and listened to this song a few more times after the initial listening’s and there is a lot of cool things for one to enjoy. It really brings back memories of what I loved about power metal in the early 2000’s.
The fast pace of the songs continue on with the next song “Hell Racer”, which is a more speedier track compared to the earlier half of the album. Lots of great solos and vocal melodies that make this one really stand out. I think this one would be a killer song to hear live. It hits all the marks of what a great power metal tune should be. Catchy chorus…check, blazing solos…check, and lots of melodies that stick with you after…check. I really think if they would have cut some of the earlier tracks and moved this one up it would have really been a great start instead of having these songs near the end of the album.
The speed stops with “Got A Hold On You”, which is your typical power metal pseudo balladish slower emotional song with a lot of guitar wanking and soloing with more brooding vocals. This was always something a lot of bands did on their albums back in the day. While the song is not bad it is just not memorable. I always get these odd flashes of checking my watch when bands played these types of songs live. I was doing the same when listening to this one. I kept watching the counter get to the end. I get slowing the pace down but this one just took a lot of the power we just got from the last two songs and really put a damper on it. With these slower songs you really need a hook and this tackle box was empty for this track.
“Here We Go” is the next song and by the title one would assume this is going to be the one super catchy sing a long song full of catchy hooks and chorus. While it is kind of that but just lacking the punch and power I was hoping for. While it has all of the elements for this to be there, sadly it was not. The chorus was just standard and lacking of that something special to make this a super great song. I think that is the best way to describe this album. All of the elements are there but just something also there keeping it back from being an amazing album.
“Ghost in the Darkness” closes of this long album packed with power metal goodness and some generic faults as well. I really hoped the final song would have been a more powerful one that would have left me wanting more or even to go back and want to listen to it again. But the song is just a standard cut and paste power metal song with nothing new to offer or excite. Not the best way to end a long album. If you end on a high note it will make the listener want to go back and listen again and again. Not having that causes one to go and find another album to listen to and file this one away to be forgotten about. This song really needed a final punch to make the close to 60 minute run time worth it.
While it seems I am coming down hard on this release, I am not. It is a solid release and will please many who love the genre and the era from the early 2000’s. For me it reminded me why I never continued following the band over the years. I think cutting 3 songs from the release would have made this a better album since it maybe would seem more powerful and not drawn out. With albums this long it better pack a punch and this one kind of starts with a fizzle but picks up in the middle and the fizzles a bit near the end. I do recommend it to fans of power metal.
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