"Everyone Into Position" may have been late to take its place in North American stores, but tardy or not, the album still looks like a champion out the gates. Following up the impressive "Effloresce" (and "Music For Nurses" EP), Oceansize have undergone a metamorphosis of sorts since they were last properly heard and the complicated material found here is a proud display of it.

While admittedly still somewhat steeped in the space rock style, this time around Oceansize have made their craft much more condensed and insular. In turn, the songs are almost intimidating in a sense that the depth and density they pack requires multiple listens to sift through and truly digest. Such is the case, "Everyone Into Position" is an intelligently progressive album that may just turn off a few of the bands previous fans.

But given the proper amount of time, the enveloping melodies, off-time song writing and unique soaring harmonies the band come up with here should win over listeners in the end. With pulsing bass lines that contrast against the energetically intricate percussion, the rhythm section are inherently crucial this time out. Their performance leaves ample room and space for the searing guitar harmonics and sharp riffs to blossom into either esoteric melodies or tempered aggression, or even a combination of both.

Layered overtop of this all once again are the emphatic and sometimes somber vocals, whose slow and rich aesthetic pay massive dividends; almost serving as a guide through the highly-involved sonic labyrinth the band sketch out. The key aspect of the vocal performance here though is that they integrate themselves into the music as if they were an instrument of their own, rather than brashly sticking out. Aiding this are the scant few traces of electronic instrumentation and the like which add a bit of surprise.

While not a perfect album in the sense that it is easy to become lost or entangled within the sheer scope of what the band are trying to achieve; "Everyone Into Position" is still admirable on nearly every level. The band could have easily stuck with the sound of their last record but instead chose to forge ahead and mature to the next level. This decision has in turn not only put them in position with the likes of Cave In, Failure, Mogwai and more, but in some respects, also further ahead of them as well.