The Ocean, ‘She Was the Universe’ — Video Premiere

The Ocean are the leaders of forward-thinking metal. The German quintet released their latest album, 'Anthropocentric,' late last year to universally glowing reviews. The group comfortably balances the technical flair of progressive rock with the bite of modern metal, all the while retaining an ornate sense of melody.

Noisecreep just got its hands on 'She Was the Universe,' the latest video from The Ocean. "I've wanted to make a clip for this song more than for any other track on 'Anthropocentric,' because the images in the lyrics are so evocative," said guitarist Robin Staps to Noisecreep during a recent chat. Check out the video for 'She Was the Universe' below complete with an explanation from Staps.

"Most of the lyrics to "She Was the Universe" are adapted from a poem by Lord Byron with the title 'Darkness.' It is a pre-romantic and quite apocalyptic story of a man who has a dream -- which was not all a dream -- about the sun setting for one last time and then never rising again. It then explains how that ends up affecting the last days of humanity," explained Staps.

"The lyrics of the chorus link the poem with the general album concept, which is a critique of Christianity from different angles, and make reference to the main theme, the theodicee problem as discussed in the 'Grand Inquisitor' chapter in Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov' -- if the world is an uninhabitable, cruel place - how can there be room for the conception of a God that is both benign and omnipotent? Such a God would not accept such a world, and if he was omnipotent, it would be in his power to change it," continued Staps.

Watch The Ocean's 'She Was the Universe' video

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"Obviously, the world as depicted in this poem, is a dark, cold place where "men forgot their passions and all hearts were chilled into a selfish prayer for light" is "a dream, which was not all a dream"... it is left undecided whether the world actually is such a terrible place, or whether that is no more than a feverish vision of a man on the verge of losing his faith. This uncertainty is reflected in the protagonist's hesitation, as expressed in the chorus, again:

"Oh lord, I lack the strength to turn and leave you / there's no confidence in my hesitation"

Noisecreep couldn't have said it better ourselves!