Oceansize, ‘Self-Preserved While the Bodies Float Up’ — New Album

Arty hard rockers Oceansize will release the brilliantly-titled 'Self-Preserved While the Bodies Float Up' on Sept. 14. The title has a delightfully evolutionary bent, which vocalist/guitarist Mike Vennart expanded upon, telling Noisecreep, "I think primarily the over-riding theme is the irresistible lure of fame and all its little catches. Many of our peers have fallen foul to its charms, and whilst we've never hit the big time, we feel extremely lucky to have not been so caught up in the bulls---. We've stuck to our guns and got off on the music, first and foremost."

While the band holds fast to its sonic ideals, whether or not Oceansize will return to the U.S. to tour in support of the album remains to be seen, since they've been conspicuously absent from touring on American soil since 2004.

"It seems we've been arranging a U.S. tour since the last one in ... 2004! It's really sad," Vennart said. "We're itching to play over there. I think we've picked up a fair few fans since the last tour. We've been offered a couple of large supports slots, but they've been with the wrong bands. We really hope that the new record will generate sufficient interest to warrant the massive financial deficit that is a U.S. tour budget." In other words, the cost is great and must be worth the band's while. So here's to hoping the right band offers the band a tour slot.

In case you've not been exposed to Oceansize's forward-pushing rock, Vennart summed the band up efficiently, saying, "We write tunes that make your head question all the tunes you've heard before. We'll make you wish you had more feet to dance with and make your guts churn with funny chord changes and time-based head f---s. We love texture, dimension and depth. We try our very best not to suck."

And suck they do not.