We Are The Ocean

Known for their high-octane stage presence, the British rock outfit We Are the Ocean drew from the post-hardcore stylings of Refused, Hot Water Music, and Rise Against. Emerging in 2007 from the dissolved remnants of Dead But Still Dreaming, the group’s founding members included frontman Dan Brown, guitarists Liam Cromby and Alfie Scully, bassist Jack Spence, and drummer Tom Whittaker. Following their rechristening, the band cultivated a devoted audience through social-media channels, earning a Best British Newcomer nod at the Kerrang Awards even before issuing any material. Their self-titled debut EP arrived in 2008, after which they appeared at festivals such as New Jersey’s The Bamboozle and Donington Park’s Download; they then headed to Baltimore to record their first full-length, Cutting Our Teeth, with producer Brian McTernan of Thrice. After opening for You Me at Six, Funeral for a Friend, and Lostprophets, the album surfaced in 2010 on Hassle Records, with a follow-up slated for the next year. Go Now and Live, issued in 2011 and helmed by Pete Miles of the King Blues and Canterbury, marked that sophomore effort. Work on a third album was halted when vocalist Dan Brown exited, prompting guitarist Liam Cromby to handle all vocal duties on the 2012 release Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow. Following an intensive touring cycle, the band paused briefly before reuniting in 2014 with longtime producer Pete Miles to craft their fourth LP, the exploratory and riff-driven Ark, which reached listeners in early 2015.