We caught up with the prog-rock five-piece Oceans of Slumber to talk about the release of new album, The Banished Heart!
How are you feeling about the release of The Banished Heart?
We are feeling very good. Anytime that much reflection, focus, and work goes into something it is a release as more and more of it is shared. We’ve been fortunate that the first two single releases have been received strongly and we have the same hopes for the album.
Who were your influences when recording?
For me personally (Cammie) I had really gotten into deeper listening of bands like Katatonia, Primordial, Taake, and Soen…On top of that we were watching a lot of band documentaries and many of them focused on Black Metal. It got me thinking about my own southern heritage and vibes I wanted to focus on “a cultivating of my own” for this album, I really wanted to focus on where we came from with this sense of pride that I felt like these Black Metal bands displayed.
How does it compare to your second album, Winter?
The Banished Heart is a much more in depth, focused, consistent, and emotional album than the previous one, Winter. We feel like it is altogether a more mature and sincere album as well. Cultivating more elements of Doom and Blues, we harnessed a dark heaviness that is not as prevalent on Winter.
Winter only came out in 2016, after its release did you get straight back into writing?
Yes, we were not even back from touring when we decided to do a new album, and started outlining the concept of it while still on the road. We were already feeling so many of the effects of a long tour. Relationships were straining, and for many of us, significant life changes were taking place. We decided to continue with that momentum and not interrupt the focus when we got back. Almost immediately we were writing portions of the songs and shortly after that recording in the studio.
The Banished Heart already seems to be generating excitement, what does it mean to you guys to have people already hyped for the album?
It means a lot to us, I mean, it really means everything. We went out on a limb and took a risk in developing ourselves in a darker and heavier direction. A Lot of people had different expectations and assumptions of where our sound would go and we really wanted, we really needed, to just stay true to ourselves. It’s been refreshing and consoling then, to see people excited and so receptive to The Banished Heart.
Do you have any plans to tour the UK soon?
Absolutely, we are scheduled to go out with Epica and Mykur in April, as well as play with them for their 1,000th show in Tilburg!