Ocean Sleeper

Ocean Sleeper, a metalcore outfit rooted in rural Victoria, Australia, delivers its sound through pounding percussion, colossal guitar riffs, raw vocal growls, and expansive sing-along hooks. The band surfaced in the underground circuit in 2016 via the release of Breaking Free, then reinforced its standing among the nation’s leading domestic acts with the 2019 full-length Don’t Leave Me This Way.

Drawn from the Gippsland countryside in southeastern Australia, the four-piece—vocalist Karl Spiessl, guitarist/vocalist Ionei Heckenberg, guitarist Stan Liagourdis, and drummer Jarred Robson—formed in 2016 and gained immediate traction with Breaking Free. Within six months they landed a slot at the 2017 Unify festival while issuing their debut EP Six Feet Down. Their blend of aggressive yet melodic metal resonated with audiences, prompting a sold-out national headline run and opening appearances alongside Stray from the Path and Deez Nuts. In 2018 the group journeyed to Portland, Oregon, to track their first album with producer Kris Crummett (Sleeping with Sirens, Dance Gavin Dance). Ahead of its release they toured nationally with Dream on Dreamer and the Getaway Plan, then played their inaugural overseas date headlining Taiwan’s Heartown Rockfest. Don’t Leave Me This Way reached listeners at the close of 2019, following the singles “Killing Me” and “Light in My Dark.”