On April 26th OCEANWAKE are going to release their 4th album and Lifeforce Records debut “Lights Flashing In Mute Scenery” and if you are looking for fast access and smooth entertainment, you are in the wrong place. OCEANWAKE challenge listeners.
The five musicians from the coastal town of Luvia attract uncomfortable and unpredictable attention – initially by all means. The way of the Finns’ never continues in a straight line. Permanent branches, parallel tracks and hardly recognizable paths secure the progress. Therefore it is important to remain attentive and pay attention to all signs, and sounds.
OCEANWAKE, founded in autumn 2009, have already released three albums: “Kingdom” (2013), “Sunless” (2015), and “Earthen” (2017). Over the years, the Finns have found to an experimental as well as progressive and all-encompassing organic heavy Sound that stands for itself. Deciphering and understanding “Lights Flashing in Mute Scenery” demands work and time, yes. But the examination of the seven finely composed and orchestrated songs is worthwhile.
The multi-layered art of OCEANWAKE comprises music, lyrics, concepts and staging. The whare size and significance of the band’s approach is only revealed in the interplay. It is in the nature of things that one repeatedly encounters supposed contradictions. The musicians from Luvia keep following their instincts and free-spirited creativity. On “Lights Flashing in Mute Scenery” you don’t even have to look for conventions or genre boundaries. OCEANWAKE are everything and nothing at the same time – wonderful!
If you put all this together, it’s not surprising that the influences OCEANWAKE point out to are widely scattered and leave a lot of room for surprises and border crossings: King Crimson, Emperor, Cult of Luna, My Dying Bride, The Ocean, Paradise Lost, Opeth, Isis, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath
First new track “Radiant Nightbreak” to be revealed on February 22nd.
“Lights Flashing In Mute Scenery” track list:
01. Radiant Nightbreak
02. The Occult
03. Season of the Rain
04. Travelogue
05. Titanomachia
06. Currents
07. Posthuma
ONLINE
LINEUP
Mikko Kulju - Drums
Martti Koski - Guitars
Eero Haula - Vocals
Jussi Rautio - Guitars
BIOGRAPHY
After two successful European tours, Oceanwake set out to write the final part of their ambitious trilogy of albums. The closing chapter, titled Earthen, will see the light of day on the 10th of March. Earthen consists of two lengthy and dynamic compositions, clocking in at over 20 minutes each.
Even though both of the songs bear the Oceanwake hallmark, one shouldn't be surprised to find the band once again visiting new, strange and unexpected territories. To tie the album with its predecessors musically, some unused fragments from Sunless sessions were given a new form inside these two meandering but naturally evolving epics.
On Earthen, Oceanwake continue their fruitful relationship with producer Jonne Järvelä (of Korpiklaani fame). The haunting images featured in the cd booklet were taken by a Canadian photographer, Chris Luckhardt, who travels around the world capturing abandoned places on film.
A music video for a 6-minute excerpt from A Storm Sermon was released on the 7th of February. The promotional clip was filmed by Vesa Ranta and Harri Haataja, who have currently been working with the likes of Dark Tranquillity, MONO and Sólstafir.
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Oceanwake was established in the autumn of 2009 in a tiny and idyllic Finnish coastal town called Luvia, where all the musicians were born in. Though everyone has since moved away from the town, the somewhat eccentric and unique spirit of Luvia is still strongly present in their music.
It is quite apparent that Oceanwake draws from a wide variety of influences, be it the music, the lyrics or the visuals - not to mention their live show which features a podium for the vocalist, situated upstage next to the drummer. But what's more important, they have succeeded in mixing all the ingredients so perfectly that it's almost impossible to find a specific genre to file them under.
There is an indescribable twist in their approach to metal music that it keeps the focus on the music instead of “metal”. It's melodic, fragile and soothing at one moment but raw, relentless and downright frightening at another. Like a hovering mist on a placid shore in contrast with a raging storm that sweeps across the ocean.
The debut album Kingdom (2013) gathered mostly positive reviews.
It captured very well the essence of their formative years, when they naturally were a new band in search of their own form of expression.
On their second album, the critically acclaimed Sunless (2015), the songwriting was far more together but not any less adventurous. With Earthen, they take another enormous step on a ladder where their only competition seems to be themselves.
DISCOGRAPHY
Kingdom - 2013
Sunless - 2015
Earthen - 2017
Lights Flashing In Mute Scenery - 2019