Oceans of Slumber – “Memoriam” [YouTube Song Stream]

On February 1st Oceans of Slumber self-released a progressive metal whirlwind called Aetherial. Labeling a band like Oceans of Slumber is never quite as easy as one would think. The Houston band features in its ranks the drummer of grind purists Insect Warfare (among many others), a degreed Jazz guitarist, and an all-around cast of “players’ players.” What results from this collective of skilled musicians and a broad cross section of influence is the adventurous Aetherial.

Musical classification is of no interest to the band however. Instead, Oceans of Slumber create waves of stimulating atmosphere and use their talents to exploit the dynamics of the music, thereby creating the undeniably epic wall of sound that has become the Texans’ trademark. The person responsible for the mixing and mastering of Aetherial, UK madman Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir, Evile), had this to say about his work with Houston prog-metallers: “Oceans of Slumber are of one of the top 10 bands I’ve ever worked with. The perfect mixture of sheer brutality with ultimate musicianship taking you on a journey through music.”