THE QUIET REBELLION OF COMPROMISE

Fans of dark progressive rock/metal music take heed: Norwegian quartet Oak have just released via Karisma Records their third LP The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise - a poignant exploration of themes related to mental health and suicide that draws from a diverse musical palette, including piano-driven progressive rock, chamber pop, dark electronica and hard-rock/metal. The result is a collection of songs that combine umbratile atmospheres, exquisite melodies and surprisingly sharp edges that will appeal to fans of bands like Porcupine Tree, Leprous, Katatonia and Gazpacho.

I have been following the Norwegians since their 2013 debut LP Lighthouse. That album caught my attention for its rather unique sound: moody piano lines and bass grooves laid the foundations of the songwriting, while guitars, sax and strings were used in a more complementary role, to inject splashes of colour and add variation to the arrangements. That gave the record an unusual feel, dark and airy at the same time, forming an ideal background for Simen Valldal Johannessen's deep, velvety voice. Oak's 2018 sophomore album False Memory Archives built on similar sonic ideals, but with a stronger sense of composition and better balance between accessibility and songwriting subtlety.

The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise does not stray too far from the previous two records, but lets the guitars take a more central role, adding much sharper edges to the sound and moving it closer to the kind of prog metal/rock that Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree have pioneered since the beginning of the century. The UK prog icons constitute a rather prominent influence for this album, much more so than for Oak's previous records. Wilson-esque melodies and vocal harmonies abound, while songs like "Demagogue Communion" embrace the kind of staccato chord progressions that are a trademark of Porcupine Tree's songwriting. Elsewhere, "Dreamless Sleep" and "Paperwings" take the direction of dark electro-rock that one can find in Steven Wilson's more recent solo work, like Grace for Drowning or Hand.Cannot.Erase. The latter record in particular constitutes a fitting reference point for The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise, both thematically and sonically. Both albums explore similar themes of isolation, mental struggle and suicide, using subtle shifts in intensity and dynamics, in an incessant play of light and shadows that projects a poignant emotional arc from beginning to end.

I normally try not to draw such overt comparisons between a band and their influences in my reviews, but this time I felt an exception was necessary, because the similarities between The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise and Steven Wilson's work are ultimately what holds this record back somewhat. With their previous albums, Oak had cemented a reputation for a band with a unique voice, which one could immediately recognize as soon as the first notes of a song were played. I feel that, by leaning a tad too heavily on its influences, the new LP somewhat lost that uniqueness. It is a pity because, in all other respects, The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise is a massive step forward for Oak. The band have managed to strike an almost perfect balance between immediacy and resonance here. The new songs float fluidly through a rollercoaster of dynamics and mood shifts, but eventually always coalesce around memorable hooks that give the music a sense of purpose and direction - something that the band had not always achieved on earlier albums. This strong sense of direction is maintained even when the music takes off towards more experimental soundscapes, like when a sax solo emerges from a dark forest of electronic beats on the Ulver-esque "Sunday 8AM", or in the almost rapped verses of "Paperwings". I really love the addition of these more left-field moments that push the album into more uncharted waters and yet do not perturb at all its core sonic identity. The album's production, curated by David Castillo (Katatonia, Leprous Opeth, etc.), and Tony Lindgren, is also terrific - crisp and clear, and packing a good punch too.

As I wrap up this review, I come to the realization of the paradox that The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise represents for me. It is album from Oak that I like the most and the least at the same time. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the most accomplished release from the Norwegian band, fully overcoming the slightly unfocused songwriting that had characterized some of their previous work. At the same time, it is the least characteristic and original of the three albums the Norwegians have released so far. Ultimately, though, what we are really facing here is a luxury problem. Oak are a phenomenal young band and The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise is a marvellous album, condensing in its nearly 50 minutes everything I love about progressive rock and metal music: it is heavy without losing sight of melody, catchy but deep, dark but not lightless, experimental but at the same time familiar. Fans of any of the bands mentioned in this review will do themselves a favour by checking this out.

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

OAK is the quartet made up of Simen, Øystein, Stephan and Sigbjørn, talented young musicians working in classical, electronic, folk and progressive dark metal since 2013; The cinematic aspect has since been added to talk about mental health at the heart of our world; a dynamic and melancholic sound drawing on RIVERSIDE, PORCUPINE TREE, OSI and ANATHEMA with major psychedelic wanderings.

'Highest Tower, Deepest Well' crystalline piano on a heavy riff, cosmic choirs, hovering break and baritone voice for a hypnotic tune where progression comes to light and; catchy explosive finale. 'Quiet Rebellion' eavesdrops on their singular shivering arpeggio sound, a classic bombastic mix where trumpets accompany military percussion; a soft- pop of TAMMATOYS in the background, a heady title with the slide guitar with proven spleen. 'Dreamless Sleep' with dark electro intro, sax synth pop tune to reinforce the meditative darkness; deep Gabriel voice and dreamlike crescendo on the disaster of dark thoughts; title that can shock by its metronomic air. 'Sunday 8 AM' again piano and military drums, hymn with incoming electro and jazzy sax; its apart you have to sit down to appreciate; the spleen guitar slope sinks on the post rock aspect, musical malmstrom in itself and the screaming sax at this moment for a sad and cottony finale; at the meeting between PINEAPPLE THIEF, AIRBAG and the dark-psyche cinematic, a whole program. 'Demagogue Communion' refers to ANTIMATTER for the voice, the bluffing riff between cosmic and sirens with divine harmonies; spatial break before returning to heady, vibrant and unstructured tunes. 'Paperwings' centerpiece therefore risk-taking; MASSIVE ATTACK again to show the breadth of the musical spectrum, vocals to RAMMSTEIN; it's going up on latest generation OPETH, angelic voice all of a sudden; it is hovering and latent; the gradual drift is modern, Achilles piano just to show the weakness of the start; as soon as the 5 minutes go up it just becomes enjoyable; the masters PORCUPINE TREE are not far off but much better than on their last album; masterpiece opening like a progressive tulip with drooping petals; dreamlike, grandiloquent, breathtaking end with a staggering growl, pulverizing the musical drawers, I am close to ecstasy. 'Guest of Honor' to conclude on a depressive, electro, hang pop rhyme with Simen who shows himself to the vocals bringing the foggy atmosphere in our heads and a spleen slide guitar. OAK hit hard playing between symphonic, psychedelia and neo dark metal prog... soft and hypnotic rhythms on the edge of pop then heavy wanderings; the themes on psychiatric health made me ask to chronicle an extraordinary album which will be a milestone in 2022, which risks planting itself like an oak tree in the best opuses of the month.

Yet another band from Norway churning out quality prog--this more of the atmospheric Goth metal like FIELDS Of THE NEPHILIM, though not quite as heavy, despite the mental health topics (including suicide) permeating all songs on the album.

1. "Highest Tower, Deepest Well" (5:58) the ehavy Norwegian folk vibe is very present in this--not unlike the stylings of Ivar Bjørnsen and Einar Selvik though not using anachronistic folk instruments. (8.75/10)

2. "Quiet Rebellion" (4:51) Again the folk metal strains in the foundational sounds and instruments here are too big to ignore, yet the music never ramps up into full metal expression, always remains melodic and atmospheric. A very nicely constructed and restrained song. (9/10)

3. "Dreamless Sleep" (5:37) a hypnotic vocal, rhythm track, steeped in atmospheric synth washes almost lulls one into submission before Simen's treated vocal ramps up for the chorus. A little bit of Mark Hollis in Simen's voice here. Interesting. I like presence of the uncredited saxophone just before the second chorus. (8.75/10)

4. "Sunday 8 AM" (5:55) SYLVAN Posthumous Silence-like in its palette--and power. I LOVE the brilliant use of space and pace over the course of the subtly-piano-based song. The second half conjures up a lot of KEVIN MOORE's CHROMA KEY stuff from 20 years ago. Again: Why aren't the saxophones credited? A definite top three song for me. (9.5/10)

5. "Demagogue Communion" (6:16) the harshest song on the album--but almost in a BROTHER APE or PORCUPINE TREE kind of way: very melodic chord structure and nice spacious and soft sections in which Simen's singing verses (which are very BRUCE COCKBURN like) fill. Some very compelling earworms. A great song--another top three song. (9.75/10)

6. "Paperwings" (13:52) long and rather boring music despite the compelling story/lyrics. Definitely not my favorite prog epic of the year. (24.5/30)

7. "Guest of Honour" (7:03) same drum beat/pattern as the previous song. Nice, sensitive vocal from Simen using nice chordal and melodic patterns. A song that sounds as if it comes from another album--far less proggy than balladic. My final top three song. (13.25/15)

Total Time 49:32

I am a sucker for this kind of Viking Goth music. The musical landscapes are often a bit unusual--almost seeming "poorly engineered" but I think the slightly off-kilter, unsettling effect is intentional.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of dark atmospheric folk metal (I guess) with some absolutely killer songs--a find for any prog lover's music collection.