Harsh. Sprawling. Primordial. Unforgiving. These words describe the band The Ocean, as well as its namesake. Formally known as The Ocean Collective, the band began in 2000 in Berlin under the direction of guitarist and main songwriter Robin Staps. They quickly picked up widespread critical praise, thanks to their mix of lush, ambient orchestration and crushing doom-influenced metal. Amidst several EP and smaller releases, the band has released three full length albums, 2004’s Fluxion, 2005’s Aeolian, and 2007’s Precambrian (the two latest albums have also featured vocal cameos by Nate Newton of Converge and Doomriders) and have toured throughout much of the world. In an ever-changing underground metal scene, The Ocean is one band that can only continue to rise.