They’re one of the most spiritual bands on the melodic hardcore circuit, so it won’t surprise anyone that Being As An Ocean are still mainlining emotion on their third album.
There’s no slow easing into the deepest corners of Joel Quartuccio’s songbook, either; opener Little Richie is a heart-rending tale of a man overcoming his abusive childhood.
There are shades of A Perfect Circle, in both the lyrics, which touch on themes of religion and redemption, and in the ethereal, underlying hum throughout the album. There’s a heap more melody than on previous records; Joel’s screams are punctuated with Michael McGough’s clean vocals, and spoken-word passages – which could easily be corny, but they work – on Ain’t Nobody Perfect, The Zealot’s Blindfold and one of the standout tracks, Saint Peter. For all the positive messages of overcoming adversity and giving thanks, a sonic trip into Joel’s psyche isn’t an easy listen. Not because it’s bad – it’s impressively poetic – but because it’s so depressing. It’s testament to Being As An Ocean’s songwriting that this may well make you cry.
