After 10 years in the music scene, SHOCK OCTOPUS have just shared a retrospective compilation going by the name of A Decade Into Darkness: the best of Shock Octopus. Needless to say, we are loving it! Read on for our full review of the record.

Indie, underground, and slightly unorthodox, we have immediately fallen in love with A Decade Into Darkness from SHOCK OCTOPUS. Taking a look back on the last 10 years and putting together this compilation couldn’t have been an easy task, however the members have gone above and beyond in curating titles that truly represent their all encompassing sound.

Detailing the band’s journey from early electropunk beginnings all the way to their more recent orchestrations, all future listeners of this record are in for an absolute treat. According to the band on the background of the record, “The band has been through many changes in line up and seismic shifts in style since 2011 but the essence always remained – to plumb the depths of human existence and play like our very lives depend on it.”

We suppose that their sound could be labeled as experimental in ways, but at the least, it challenges the listener to think outside the box. As personal lovers of everything that isn’t in the musical mainstream, A Decade Into Darkness spoke to us in a way that immediately piqued our interest like none other. The band kicked off this particular record with an unreleased track titled “So Far From Home” that certainly set the tone, however, it’s rock heavy counterpart in the mix “Safe Room” switched gears on us immediately. We understand that this is a compilation of their best, but at the same time it kept us on our toes throughout the entirety of the listen.

Coming in at 16 total tracks, spanning an hour and eight minutes, music lovers across the entire spectrum are sure to resonate with at least a few songs. The incredible amount of stylistic choices, genre fusion, and stunning vocal displays are exactly what you need in your listening queue at the moment.

As “out there” as this album could be considered, we have no choice but to overwhelmingly recommend it as a must listen. As mentioned, it’s going to challenge the average music listener, but it’s 100% going to open them up to something they haven’t experienced before. So much of listening to music should be growing and adapting, this would be the best record to start. Enjoy!

For all things SHOCK OCTOPUS, to listen, and to keep up with all future releases and information, please check out the following links below.

Listen to A Decade Into Darkness

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SHOCK OCTOPUS highlight the last 10 years on compilation album, "A Decade Into Darkness"