Oughton Tanera's 'Leave the Marked Path' Album Review

It seems this album is about a conflicting relationship where one person is leaving and the other person is holding on for dear life. It is very inspirational, telling the audience that, despite the ups and down of life, there is always something to hold on to and it will be worth it in the end. A spectacular listen! I hope to hear more music coming soon from Oughton Tanera. I would rate this album 8.5/10!

1. 'Come Alive'

From the very beginning of this song, it caught my interest. The cool guitar in the introduction was mystifying. Then, Michael Stegh comes in with strong vocals, adding more energy. The dynamics are great. His vocals are crisp and on-point. I just wish I had an easier time understanding what the lyrics were. The guitar solo done by Heiko Arendt was mind-blowing. The guitar performance was clean, with no faulty notes. My favourite part of the song was the bass line by Michael Urbatzka. I personally find it very calming. Halfway through the song, drummer Peda Wohlgemuth began to show off his drumming skills. The rhythm and tempo of this song fits perfectly together. The mixing was well done, but I do wish the song had more depth. I think this song would benefit from a quick remastering. Lyrically, this song makes me happy. It is about a girl who is consumed with depression and has an urge to commit suicide. Then, she suddenly has a change of mindset and finally has hope to live. However, this would not be a song I would want to put on repeat. Overall, I would rate this song an 8/10.

2. 'The Storm'

This is the song that caught my attention and led me this full album review. I was listening to random blooming artists and it was one cruddy song after the other. Then, I came across this one. It was a breath of fresh air. I was exhilarated at how beautiful this song sounds. The introductions gave me a rush of happiness and serenity. The drums slowly become prevalent in the song, adding some dynamics, and then the song's energy is increased by making the vocals more airy and balanced from both the right and left side. The vocals in this song are much better than in "Come Alive." It is a lot easier to hear the lyrics. I love how much depth the bass line creates in this song. It is very hard to hear distinctly, but it really makes the song come alive. The mixing and mastering of this song is perfect. The story behind this song is sad, but true. It is about a man reminiscing about his childhood and how much better his childhood was. He is bracing himself for the hurdles ahead, or, in his words, "always waiting for the storm." I would not change a single thing about this song. The music and lyrics have a nice balance. All the instruments also blend with each other. I have actually been listening to this song on repeat for several days now and I am still not sick of it. I would rate this song a 10/10.

3. 'The Devil Comes'

This song has an awesome introduction. It sounds like it would fit perfectly into an action movie. Sadly, the vocals are very pitchy in this song. I do respect that his voice is not auto-tuned, though. The guitar line and the bass line are what constantly catch my attention. They sound so beautiful. The drums sound nice, but are nothing special. The recording is again very clean, which makes this combination nice to hear. I do feel like this song would only sound nice with high-quality speakers, though. The mixing and mastering is good, but nothing special. I like the way that, close to the ending, the sound moves to the back and became more distant. I wish this song had more of that. Besides the beginning and end of the song, it could use more depth. The lyrics tell of a girl betraying a guy with her lies. He feels she is deceptive and plain cruel. She is the "devil." He gave her his all and she did not appreciate him. He begs her to have a heart but she does not change, hence, "the devil comes to stay." This song is OK musically, but the lyrics are good. It is not something I would want to listen to regularly, but would be nice if I am in the mood for listening to lyrics specifically. I would rate this song a 6.5/10.

4. 'Forgotten Words'

There was barely an introduction to this song; it just went straight to the first verse. There is nothing wrong about that. I'm just letting you guys know. The ostinato really lingers in my mind. I like it a lot. It is extremely calming to me and the melody gives off a feel-good vibe. The vocals sound wonderful in this track. The tempo and beat fits the mood of this song fairly well. Close to the end of the song, the music overpowers the vocals and I can no longer comprehend what the singer is saying. Better enunciation would also be in their favour. The story behind this song is about reuniting with a loved one after a hard struggle of financial issues, among other hurdles. Overall, I would rate this song a 7/10.

5. 'Believe'

The introduction for this song is my favourite. It is such an easy listen and the guitar is crisp. This is what I call beautiful! The solemn introduction of the drums added so much depth. The bass is perfectly on-point. I thoroughly enjoyed the guitar solo near the end. The vocals on this track are flawless. The lyrics are clear and the notes are hit wonderfully. Both the mixing and mastering of this song are done extremely well. They really complement the dynamics in the song. The lyrics tell the audience about a man who does not believe in much, but believes in in the love of the woman he feels attraction towards. He is the type of person that lives in the moment and even during the hardest of times will take the effort to be a wonderful partner to this woman. He believes the two of them can create something beautiful together: that something is love. Overall, this song is rather simple. It does not have crazy tempos or beats, but the simplicity adds depth to the song. It is as if the composer wanted to show that his belief is plain and simple: the love of this woman. I extremely enjoyed listening to this song. I would put this on repeat and listen to it before I fall asleep. I would definitely listen to this song when I am down and in need of a boost of hope. I rate it a 10/10.

6. 'Don't Go'

In contrast to the simple sound of the last song, I am greeted by a more complex introduction by the electric guitar. The guitar riff goes on for a while, but sounds very relaxing and happy. It sounds like something you would hear in an old-school rock song. The drums add on more cheerfulness, and then the background music tones down dynamically as the vocals come in. I love it when the background music raises drastically in dynamic as the vocal's dynamic remains about the same. The vocal layer is clear and on-key. It pleases my ears. I love how the drums get most of the attention during the bridge. The guitar solos in this song are mind-blowing to me. It seems like this is where Oughton Tanera really starts to show off their skill. The mixing and mastering of this song are also done magnificently. The coda was nothing too crazy, but it was easy on the ears. It was a wonderful way to end a high-dynamic song. This song is about a man hoping that his love will not leave him. He is saying he cannot continue on the path of life without her. He has given this woman his all and is uncertain whether he will be able to survive without her. He expresses a great need and desire to have this woman by his side. I find this adorable. I absolutely love songs like this. It expresses how true love feels, or should feel. I could listen to this song on repeat and use it to help me have a good night's rest. Overall, I would rate this a 10/10.

7. 'All in Vain'

The introduction of this song is drastically different than the others. Instead of the "soft-rock" feel found in the other introductions, this one sounds more indie. The keyboard synthesizer is what gives off the cool feel and starts off the song, unlike the others, which use the electric guitar. The guitar solo is also good, like in the other songs, but it just does not stick out. This due to the lack of organization in the composition of the track. The vocals are somewhat clear and the melody sounds nice. However, it is nothing special. There is not enough dynamic in this song. The mixing is also odd to me. The synthesizer beat tends to be on the right side and then travel to the back. I truly believe this song could be fixed with better organization and more dynamics. The mastering is alright. It is hard to tell when the mixing itself is so greatly flawed. The lyrics are saying that the man is trying to move on; however, he feels as though his life and efforts have gone to waste. He feels as though all his efforts were pointless, since the relationship seems to have come to an end. I assume that he feels as though he deserves the woman he loves and cannot understand why she is leaving. I would not listen to this song on repeat. It was a nice pattern break from the rest of the songs earlier on in the album, but I would not even want to listen to this song twice back-to-back. Overall, I would rate this song a 6.5/10. It has great potential to be better.

8. 'Light and Shadow'

The introduction of the song goes back to the same style as the rest of the album. There is so much energy from the very start. I feel so cheerful and pumped up. The beat is rather nice for this tempo. The guitar is not very flashy, but is still enjoyable. The bass is heard slightly more in this song than the ones before. The vocals are clear and I can easily hear the lyrics being sung. It also stays in pitch very well. I really enjoy the instrumental solo in this song, especially because there is a balance of all the instruments. It isn't just the guitar taking all the attention. The mixing and mastering is also well-done. This song seems to be about finding the good in the midst of the bad. The band is saying that whether or not something is good or bad is based on perspective. Even when it feels as though everything is going badly, there is always a good part that should be focused on. Basically, the band is saying to enjoy life as much as possible and everything will turn out OK. They say to never give up and to keep trying because a positive aspect is always there to look at. This is a song I would enjoy putting on repeat, but not for a long time. Although there is some dynamic, there could be a tad bit more. I would rate this song a 7.5/10.

9. 'What If?'

Holy smokes! This introduction sounds so amazing. The calm and simple ostinato of the guitar embraces the audience with comfort. The bass creates a dramatic entry with a single pluck at the start of the song. Even though the electric guitar is only played in strums, it sounds nice with the plucking of the ostinato, plucking of the bass, slow beat of drums, and the slow tempo of the song. It fills the song with energy. The background vocals also aid in creating this amazing dynamic. The guitar solo creates a nice bridge for the song. The vocals sound great, just like in the other songs on this album. It is crisp and on-key. The lyrics are easily heard. Also, a standing ovation for the mixing and mastering! The first time I heard this song, I was using cruddy iPod earbuds, and the mixing and mastering still came out beautifully. With proper studio headphones, my heart melted. The whole song blended so beautifully. The band is saying that people should learn to break out of their typical habits because it could result in a better life, more conformed to their liking. They basically tell the audience to imagine how different life could be. Things could be worse, but things could also be better. They are reminding people that change in not always a bad thing that people should always avoid. Taking chances in life is how to live a full life. If things go poorly, there are always people to help make things better. I love this song a lot. I would put it on repeat. This is something I could sing along to, fall asleep to, or dance to. This song deserves a 10/10.

10. 'Life (Reprise)'

All I need to say about the introduction is, "Wow." It starts off extremely relaxing, then changes up a bit to get more of the "rock" feel. The introduction gives off a nice, fresh vibe. The bass is heard the most in this track and I personally love it. The dynamics are created by the switch between a very calm style and a very upbeat style. This mashed version of the different tracks on this song is amazing. The guitar solo is, again, great. It's very calming to the ear. The purpose of this song is to calm someone down when the person feels likes giving up. The lyrics tell of a person giving full support for the hopes of the other person, and apologizing for mistakes made. The song is about believing and trusting in yourself and the journey through life, even when it becomes rocky and difficult to withstand. I would not listen through the full album and still listen to this song, but I would switch out playing all the other songs at a party for this one song. It is a great addition to the album. It's new, and fresh. I would rate this a 9/10.