Oceans of Slumber

Oceans of Slumber, a Texas outfit, fuses progressive rock with death, doom, and groove metal while incorporating psychedelic elements drawn from an expansive array of influences. The multifaceted Houston collective formed in 2011, centered on drummer Dobber Beverly of Insect Warfare, keyboardist Uaeb Yelsaeb, bassist Keegan Kelly, guitarists Sean Gary and Anthony Contreras, and frontwoman Cammie Gilbert, whose soulful delivery defines the group. Their independently issued debut album Aetherial surfaced in 2013 and soon attracted Century Media, which signed the band shortly afterward. The label’s first release from Oceans of Slumber arrived as the 2015 Blue EP, an eclectic collection of covers including material by Pink Floyd, Candlemass, and Led Zeppelin. Their second studio album, Winter, followed in early 2016. Over time the music grew more aggressive, with 2018’s The Banished Heart functioning as a clear predecessor to the band’s blistering self-titled fifth album, which landed amid intensifying global social unrest.