German post-metal collective The Ocean have just put up a second taste of their forthcoming album “Solaris“. Due out September 25th via the band’s own Pelagic Records, that effort took inspiration from Andrei Tarkovsky‘s 1972 film of the same name. “Belligerence” is the title of this latest single, and according to the band:
“‘Belligerence‘ is a song about the culture of arguing and about the destructive force of contained anger and belligerence as a trait of character, often transfigured as an attribute of reason and a critical mind.”
A press release put forth the following of what fans can expect to hear on “Solaris“:
”Solaris‘ is an album that tells a story of cosmic escapism: journey on that ship, which is essentially a celestial rescue boat escaping from a metaphorically sinking Mother Earth. The rescue boat can be imagined as a historic naval vessel, and the lyrics and episodes of the album make reference to the real-life explorers of the past who set out to discover (back then) unknown continents and uncharted territories: Da Gama, Magellan, Sir Frances Drake, as well as the Polar explorers Amundsen, Scott, Rasmussen etc.
The stories of these historic journeys all share similar elements: Storms, disease, wreckage, power games, personal rivalries, egos, belligerence, mutiny, AND finally the quest for truth and justice. While most explorers initially had noble motives and were driven by a limitless spirit of exploration and discovery which was stronger than the many hardships suffered along the way, their legacy is often stained with cultural imperialism, genocide and tales of dictatorial leadership.
Far from being a glorification of male, white explorers who sought to colonize unknown worlds, or a romanticization of patriarchal constructs, ‘Solaris‘ draws a line between these extremely driven explorers and present-day political leaders. It poses questions of the shadowy darkness of being a “great” leader, it queries the very notion of a divine calling and the cost of following such an instinctive pull. It also traces the shape of these psychological patterns into the creative world and applies the same lines of enquiry to creative forces. Can exploration be redefined to be conceived as a process of silent observation, documentation and learning, rather than bequeathing our own ideas and values on others?
The album serves as a critique of the underlying motives and psychological dispositions of an explorative mindset and a thirst for power. It is an existential questioning, a probe of reason of the general purpose of technological advance, in the specific light of the destruction of our habitat. It’s a dystopian outlook into a future where Earth has become uninhabitable – not despite, but as a direct consequence of human intelligence, as the foundation of technological advance.’
“Solaris” features a dramatic lineup overhaul for The Ocean, with vocalists Enrico Tiberi (ex-EyeHate, etc.) and Lane Shi (Elizabeth Colour Wheel, Otay:onii), and guitarists Emmanuel Jessua (Hypno5e) and Marco Gennaro, all newly joining the fold.
The revamped band have laid plans for a European tour this fall to promote the record with Psychonaut and Hypno5e appearing on select legs. Likewise, The Devil’s Trade and Pothamus will split the opening duties.
With Psychonaut & The Devil’s Trade:
11/26 Prague, CZE – Futurum
11/27 Dresden, GER – Beatpol
11/28 Budapest, HUN – Barba Negra
11/29 Zagreb, HRV – Vintage Industrial Bar
11/30 Vienna, AUT – Szene
12/01 Belgrade, SRB – Zappa Barka
12/03 Athens, GRE – Gagarin 205
12/04 Sofia, BUL – Cultural Center
12/05 Brasov, ROM – Rockstadt
12/06 Bucharest, ROM – Quantic
With Psychonaut & Pothamus:
12/08 Krakow, POL – Hype Park
12/09 Warsaw, POL – Proxima
12/10 Riga, LAT – Angars
12/11 Tallinn, EST – Paavli Kultuurivabrik
12/12 Helsinki, FIN – On The Rocks
With Hypno5e & Pothamus:
12/14 Stockholm, SWE – Kollektivet
12/15 Gothenburg, SWE – Trädgår’n
12/17 Oslo, NOR – Parkteatret
12/18 Copenhagen, DEN – Lille Vega
12/19 Hamburg, GER – Gruenspan
12/20 Berlin, GER – Kesselhaus
