Oceans Ate Alaska

Uniting boundaries between multiple genres in modern metal, Oceans Ate Alaska—Chris Turner [Drums], James Kennedy [Guitar], Mike Stanton [Bass], Adam Zytkiewicz [Guitar], and James Harrison [Vocals]—made waves during 2015 with their full-length debut Lost Isles. Fusing unpredictable polyrhythms and a sporadic partnering of melodic and dissonant passages, Rock Sound and Revolver both pegged Oceans Ate Alaska as a “Band to Watch,” while they landed on Alternative Press’s “100 Bands You Need To Know” list and covered HM Magazine. The Birmingham, UK, technical metal quintet’s second full-length album, Hikari, translates to “Light” in English and represents their current mindset, illuminating major strides in the group’s sonic vocabulary. Following a lyrical and musical theme rooted in Samurai mythology, the 11-track album blends traditional Japanese instruments with Oceans Ate Alaska’s dynamic flare. Ultimately, Hikari means both a new “light” for Oceans Ate Alaska and heavy music at large.