After enduring the ‘end of an eon’ that saw a significant portion of their lineup exit, The Ocean have taken the wraps off of their newly rebuilt lineup and their forthcoming new studio album “Solaris“. 2025 proved to be a turbulent year for the band, with the departures of vocalist Loïc Rossetti, drummer Paul Seidel and guitarist David Ramis Åhfeldt all occurring at around a series of planned farewell shows to the band’s then current lineup at the time.
The German post-metal collective spearheaded by guitarist/vocalist Robin Staps have since regrouped, with vocalists Enrico Tiberi (ex-EyeHate, etc.) and Lane Shi (Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Otay:onii) newly stepping in. Other newcomers joining the fold alongside Tiberi are guitarists Emmanuel Jessua (Hypno5e) and Marco Gennaro. Bassist Mattias Hägerstrand and drummer Jordi Farré of Crippled Black Phoenix fame remain from the group’s 2025 incarnation.
With that new roster cemented, the band set about charting out this new chapter, “Solaris“, which Pelagic Records will have out on September 25th. This new record takes inspiration from Andrei Tarkovsky‘s 1972 film of the same name, with its first single, “Light Pollution“, having just been served up. A press release stated of this new track, ‘”Light Pollution” explores the pitfalls of 21st-century technology and humanity’s growing obsession with simulated reality. But do the many technological and social advances of recent decades truly represent progress?’
Staps himself added:
“We’ve witnessed several communication revolutions throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, but have we actually become any better at communicating? Has there really been forward movement, or has the motion been orbital — have we merely been treading water? Light pollution symbolizes the transparency of the postmodern age, permeating everything and everyone. Everything is constantly visible; we’ve lost the darkness to hide in, and with the relentless glare of communication, we’ve also lost our privacy.”
The group worked with director Craig Murray (Mogwai, Converge) on the video clip that accompanies this nearly ten-minute track. Recording sessions for the album saw additional personnel involved, namely Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream guesting on synth, Orestis Zafiriou on keys, Simen Eifring on trombone and Jiawei Zhang on vibraphone. Mixing and mastering was handed by Jens Bogren (Devin Townsend, At The Gates).
“Solaris” track listing:
01 – “52°30’11” N, 13°26’12“ E“
02 – “Departure Song“
03 – “Light Pollution“
04 – “Simulacra“
05 – “Belligerence“
06 – “Ultima Esperanza“
07 – “Milk Of My Dreams“
08 – “51°28’30” S, 73°6’11” W“
Pre-orders can be found via orcd.co/theocean-solaris.
