Based out of Berlin, The Ocean has consistently put out albums steeped in post-metal soundscapes, progressive lyrical arrangements, and touches of classical music. The band has described its sound as being "ambient soundtrack doom rock." The band was founded as "The Ocean Collective" in 2000, and nearly 40 different members joined and left before a stable lineup took hold, with guitarist and primary songwriter Robin Staps being the only constant. The band's earlier work was entirely instrumental, but vocals were introduced on later works Aeolian and Fluxion. Guest artists performed the vocals for both albums, with Nate Newton (from Finch) being arguably the most prominent among them.
In 2010, the band released two records, Heliocentric and Anthropocentric, which collectively represented a scholarly critique of Christianity. With the former being more "experimental and atmospheric" and the latter being "more straightforward," The Ocean's two 2010 releases have been viewed as legitimate contenders for "Album of the Year" honors by the greater metal community. Regardless of your religious leanings, the records' content is compelling, and the arguments set forth and sung/screamed compellingly by new vocalist Loïc Rossetti invite criticism and debate about some of the hallmarks of Christianity. In all honesty, it's a refreshing take on religious commentary by a metal band; Rossetti largely eschews the abrasive and sometimes violent rhetoric of bands like Whitechapel and Any Norwegian Black Metal Band.
Lyrical content aside, The Ocean's music is dense and intricate, requiring repeat listens with headphones. Heliocentric opener "Firmament" is arguably one of the better metal songs released in 2010, and several tracks from Anthropocentric follow suit. With the exception of the final line, "Firmament" is entirely taken from Genesis. "She Was The Universe" is a more dramatic song about a man reflecting on whether or not to turn away from his Christian faith.
Both records boast impressive album artwork and packaging, and before I leave you with the aforementioned songs, I'd like to include a John Mill quote from Anthropocentric that is as provocative as it is appropriate:
Christian morality has all the characters of a reaction; it is, in great part, a protest against Paganism. Its ideal is negative rather than positive; passive rather than action; innocence rather than Nobleness; Abstinence from Evil, rather than energetic Pursuit of Good: in its precepts (as has been well said) "thou shalt not" predominates unduly over "thou shalt."
Firmament
Lyrics:
And God said,
Let there be light
In the firmament of the heaven.
Let there be lights in heaven to divide the day from the night;
And let them be for signs, for seasons and for days, and years;
And let them be for lights in the firmament to give light upon the earth.
And it was so, and God made two great lights;
The greater light to rule the day,
And the lesser light to rule the night; the stars as well.
And God set them in the firmament to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night
And to divide the darkness from the light.
Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters
And God said,
Let the waters bring forth, abundantly, the moving creature that hath life,
And foul that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
...Or so do some people believe.
She Was The Universe:
Lyrics:
I had a dream which was not all a dream
The sun was extinguished
And the stars wandered darkling in space
Rayless, and pathless
And the icy Earth swung blind and blackened in the moonless air
And men forgot their passions in the dread
Of this their desolation; And all hearts were chilled into a selfish prayer for light: They did live by watchfires
And the thrones of crowned kings
Habitations of all things which dwell
Were burnt for beacons
Oh Lord, I lack the strength
To turn and leave you
There's no confidence
In my hesitation
Happy were those who dwelt in the eye of the volcanoes
Their mountain-torch: A fearful hope was all the world contained
Forests were set on fire
But hour by hour they fell and faded
The crackling trunks extinguished with a crash - And all was black
The brows of men by the despairing light wore an unearthly aspect
The flashes fell upon them; Some lay down and hid their eyes
And some did rest
Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled
And vipers crawled
And twined themselves among the multitude
Hissing, but stingless
They were slain for food
A meal was bought with blood
And each sate apart
Gorging himself in gloom: No love was left
The sun was extinguished
And the stars wandered darkling in space
Rayless, and pathless
And the icy Earth swung blind and blackened in the moonless air
And men forgot their passions in the dread
Of this their desolation; And all hearts were chilled into a selfish prayer for light: They did live by watchfires
And the thrones of crowned kings
Habitations of all things which dwell
Were burnt for beacons
Oh Lord, I lack the strength
To turn and leave you
There's no confidence
In my hesitation
Happy were those who dwelt in the eye of the volcanoes
Their mountain-torch: A fearful hope was all the world contained
Forests were set on fire
But hour by hour they fell and faded
The crackling trunks extinguished with a crash - And all was black
The brows of men by the despairing light wore an unearthly aspect
The flashes fell upon them; Some lay down and hid their eyes
And some did rest
Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled
And vipers crawled
And twined themselves among the multitude
Hissing, but stingless
They were slain for food
A meal was bought with blood
And each sate apart
Gorging himself in gloom: No love was left
