Seeking a Cosmic Identity
Boone-based prog metal band As Oceans formed in 2011, featuring Logan Lawson, Joey Diehl, Bobby White and Nathan Dickens.
Progressive metal is a subgenre that fuses the loud aggression
of metal and sieves the melody of progressive rock, classical composition and jazz.
The
result is one loyal to its parents’ trademark instruments and focused on technicality and
theoretical complexity.
From Jan. 9 to 12, three progressive metal bands will tour throughout
the Triad in an “attempt to bring the scene back,” said Logan Lawson of Boone’s very own As
Oceans.
As Oceans, Aether Realm from Greenville and Wings Denied from Washington, D.C., are
“all relevant, hard-working, do-it-yourself bands in the regional area,” Lawson said. “For the past
five to seven years, there haven’t been very many bands putting forth the effort worthy of fans
connecting with them. Right now, these three are actually fulfilling that.”
As Oceans’
resonating melody with one guitar and grunt “djent” sound with the other gives their music a cosmic
identity. The lyrics descend into the disfigurement of cage-like society and ascend into scenes of
spiritual ascension.
They formed in November 2011, each member sifted through previous bands
in hope of creating a strong facet of the “counter culture,” vocalist Lawson said. He, along with
Joey Diehl (guitar), Bobby White (drums) and Nathan Dickens (bass) thrive on playing progressive and
djent metal because it is most “challenging,” Diehl said.
Their influences of Chimaira,
Messhuggah and Gojira are evident in the “primal side” of the gritty honesty, the “underdog” battle
and “inner strength” heightened by their music, Lawson said.
“We want people to feel
liberation through the energy, high intensity and aggression,” he said. “We’re taught sometimes to
stay away from emotions like that, but I’d like for the shows to be a chance for people to let go of
their inhibitions and embrace the music as they would chose to.”
As Oceans is currently
recording a five-track EP with Wings Denied, which both bands will be promoting on tour.
As
Oceans recently released a music video for its song, “Measured,” on YouTube.
The band’s
album, “Enough Light to Warrant the Contrast,” is available on http://www.amazon.com.
For more
information on As Oceans, including future performance dates, visit http://www.reverbnation.com/asoceans or
http://www.facebook.com/asoceansnc.
Tour Schedule
Jan. 9: The Drunk Horse Pub, Fayetteville.Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Cover is $8. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/thedrunkhorsepub.
Jan. 10: The Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh.Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Cover is $8 for 21 and older and $10 for those younger than 21. For more information, visit http://www.reverbnation.com/venue/theberkeleycafe.
Jan. 11: The Tipsy Teapot, Greenville.Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Cover is $5. For more information, visit http://www.reverbnation.com/venue/thetipsyteapot.
