Ocean, The

2000 – 2004

In early 2000 guitarist/songwriter Robin Staps moved to Berlin with the intention to materialize his vision of the band THE OCEAN. In late 2001 the band leased the basement of a former aluminum factory from World War II and converted it into “Oceanland”, a complex that includes rehearsal, studio and sleeping rooms, where all of the band’s albums have been recorded so far.

In July 2002 THE OCEAN played their first official show at the sold-out “Eimer” club in Berlin accompanied by 3 classical musicians (trombone, cello and German flute), to a frenetic response. In October 2003, after a self-released album, the band launched its first official CD “Fogdiver” through Make My Day Records / Zomba. The German press reacted euphorically; Visions Magazine predicted: “There’s something huge growing here!” Metal Hammer wrote: “A grooving steamroller of sound, which in its finest moments unfolds soundscapes of cinematic splendor. This could be the future of rock music.”

In December 2003, after several shows and short tours in Germany and abroad, THE OCEAN won a band contest for the Riotfest held in Antwerp, Belgium. In January 2004 the band returned to the studio to begin work on not one, but two new full-length albums. During 3 months of sessions a whole orchestra was recorded, complete with six violins, five cellos, clarinets and flutes. The first half of these sessions was released in August 2004 by Make My Day (Germany) and Thorne Records (rest of Europe), under the title “Fluxion”. A singer, who had joined prior to the recording, made the album a far more direct and uneasy listening experience than the instrumental “Fogdiver”. “’Fluxion’ is something like the bastard son of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, NEUROSIS and DIMMU BORGIR conceived on a stormy night. One of the most brutal, complex and merciless mindfucks as of late.” (www.wasteofmind.de).

more info on www.theoceancollective.com