so i recently asked my friend who got me into dev if he could suggest some other albums similar to 'ocean machine'. he suggested 'metridium field' by giant squid (which i already knew) and 'how to measure a planet' by the gathering. both are decent albums, but they don't compare. they don't have the depth of sound or the constant impact. OM has such a unique sound and in all my musical experience, i've heard nothing like it. it just doesn't quit and the quality is so high. there's not a mediocre moment and it's supremely satisfying to listen to because you can almost literally crawl inside of it and get lost for the duration. 'terria' is the only other album that has come anywhere near it. i'm afraid that my quest for MOAR is going to remain unfulfilled.

perhaps the forum has suggestions. it's probably worth noting that i dislike female singers.

[swervedriver]

The only albums that have come close to sucking me in completely would be Ayreon's The Human Equation and Porcupine Tree's In Absentia, but I don't think they've stood the test of time as well as OM since I rarely listen to them in full these days.

And both contain female vocals.

[Octillus]

The only albums I've played remotely close to as many times as I've played Ocean Machine over the years are Bloody Kisses and Painkiller, and they're not remotely in that place sonically. By all means, if anyone finds anything let me know, but that said...

I think we're fucked, Novack.

the search has led me to some pretty sweet discoveries, but still. BOOOOO.

[JuZ]

I wish, I wish, oh how I wish.

Never found anything that can touch the atmosphere and perfection of OM.

Waaah.

[djskrimp]

I'll hear an album, and I'll hear elements similar to what I liked about OM. Then, I'll listen to OM and the other album becomes a skeletal shadow in comparison. Xerath, Unexpect, Ananta, Skindred...lots. Sonically, there are some echoes, but they're merely the monkeys throwing bones at the monolith that is OM.

I'll hear an album, and I'll hear elements similar to what I liked about OM. Then, I'll listen to OM and the other album becomes a skeletal shadow in comparison. Xerath, Unexpect, Ananta, Skindred...lots. Sonically, there are some echoes, but they're merely the monkeys throwing bones at the monolith that is OM.

same here... xerath came up on pandora the other night. pretty good stuff. i'd probably classify them more on the SYL side of things because they're so aggro. good vocals.

[djskrimp]

I'll hear an album, and I'll hear elements similar to what I liked about OM. Then, I'll listen to OM and the other album becomes a skeletal shadow in comparison. Xerath, Unexpect, Ananta, Skindred...lots. Sonically, there are some echoes, but they're merely the monkeys throwing bones at the monolith that is OM.

same here... xerath came up on pandora the other night. pretty good stuff. i'd probably classify them more on the SYL side of things because they're so aggro. good vocals.

Yeah, I was referring primarily to the symphonic elements that Xerath use to give their songs a bit more texture and space. I agree that they're a lot more SYL than OM, but they stick in my head when I hear the more spaced moments in OM.

I've never heard anything like Ocean Machine.

Ever.

Sorry, I know that's not what you're hoping for...

But I think there will never be anything like it.

Peace.

I really like 4 songs made by a former forum member I think, if you can find it somewhere (crap, the songs aren't on his soundlift page anymore), his pseudo was Tidal and he made 4 songs called Tidal, Nevermore, Soulfright and When Oceans Switch.
Closest thing to OM I've heard.

(not really like OM, but the 4 songs by Dosa Jhana (by another former forum member I think) was a pretty interesting Buddhist-metal project if it works : http://www.myspace.com/dosajhana )

[djskrimp]

I really like 4 songs made by a former forum member I think, if you can find it somewhere (crap, the songs aren't on his soundlift page anymore), his pseudo was Tidal and he made 4 songs called Tidal, Nevermore, Soulfright and When Oceans Switch.
Closest thing to OM I've heard.

(not really like OM, but the 4 songs by Dosa Jhana (by another former forum member I think) was a pretty interesting Buddhist-metal project if it works : http://www.myspace.com/dosajhana )

Ooh, it DOES sound vury nais!

http://www.soundlift.com/band/music.php?id=101825

can't seem to find any audio from the correct project.there's another tidal on soundcloud and bandcamp that does some rather nice ambient stuff, but i doubt it's the same.

maybe i'm tripping balls here, but i'm throwing filter's 'title of record' out here.
it excites me in the same way OM does because it's so... full of sound. it's not really bound to it's genre and it's epic as fuuucccckkk. got some similar guitar tones happening. richard patrick had a fucking righteous scream too.

[youtube]pGMebdzFFmc[/youtube]

Heh, you're onto something. I remember seeing some really old (from like '98) usenet posting about SYL's City being like angrier Filter. Feeling's different but if you look close it has familiar wall of guitars, drop tuned riffs, good vocals and general disregard for guitar solos. Not OM but close, right?

Can't remember anything close to Ocean Machine, save some forumers music which is similiar for obvious reasons :>. Probably nobody was bold enough to feed delay effect into delay effect and sing about abstract shit with such intensity.

[Octillus]

You know what? It doesn't sound that much the same, but that Bruce Dickinson Skunkworks album has some similar guitar tone and reverb in places.

I guess the search is hopeless.

But the "closest" thing that came to my mind is "Om" (hah!) by Negura Bunget. It's very atmospheric and diverse folk-black-metal. I know, it's a different genre.

It's miles away from anything Devin ever did, though.

I know people who experienced that "special impact" with Katatonia, Opeth or Tool. I like these bands, but they never "did it" for me.

Edit: Just heard Ocean Machine again - it's hopeless! Forget about Negura Bunget...