Oceanhoarse
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Ben Varon |
| Defunct | 2024 |
| Headquarters | Helsinki , Finland |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, singles |
Oceanhoarse was a heavy metal group originating from Finland, established in 2018. Over their career, they released three studio albums, beginning with The Damage Is Done - Live! in 2020. The band dissolved in 2024.
History
Oceanhoarse was created by Ben Varon, who previously played guitar for Amoral. The lineup featured bassist Jyri Helko (known from For the Imperium and Warmen), vocalist Tommy Tuovinen (formerly of MyGrain), and drummer Oskari Niemi.
Their first single, titled "The Oceanhoarse," premiered on Finnish Radio Rock in January 2018. This was followed by the live version of "Fading Neons" and the track "Waves." Both "The Oceanhoarse" and "Fading Neons" were included on the soundtrack for the racing video game Wreckfest.
By mid-2018, Oceanhoarse had played 13 concerts featuring a setlist of 11 original compositions and garnered positive critical attention. In August of that year, vocalist Tommy Tuovinen left the band due to hearing issues. Joonas Kosonen took over vocal duties starting in October.
Kosonen's first single with Oceanhoarse, "Death Row Center," came out in February 2019, followed by "Feed the Sirens" in June. Later that year, the band released the Voluntary Bends EP, which included a cover of Slipknot's "Duality" alongside original songs such as "Stitches" and "Maze of Death."
Throughout 2019, Oceanhoarse broadened their audience by performing at events like Tokyo Finland Feast and Finland’s Hyvinkää Rockfest. They also organized Hoarsefest in Helsinki, an event combining live performances with music workshops.
In early 2020, Oceanhoarse supported Marko Hietala on his European tour; however, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in cancellations, including their planned appearance at Helsinki's Tuska Open Air Metal Festival.
The band prioritized creating engaging live music that was refined through audience interaction before recording. Their debut full-length album consisted of live tracks captured during their February 2020 European tour. The lead single, "The Damage (Live)," was released in May 2020, followed by the full album The Damage Is Done - Live! in June. This release incorporated songs from the Voluntary Bends EP and earlier singles while highlighting instrumental solos central to their live shows. Recording was managed by Kimmo Ahola (FOH engineer for Nightwish), with mixing by Tuomas Wäinölä.
On 31 July 2024, Oceanhoarse publicly announced their decision to disband to explore new ventures.
Musical style
Dominik Rothe from metal.de characterized the band's sound on Dead Reckoning as a fusion of metalcore and 1990s groove metal, drawing comparisons to bands like Machine Head and Killswitch Engage. Their choruses are recognized for being both catchy and suitable for radio play. Vocals alternate between aggressive shouting and clean singing techniques. In contrast to Amoral, Oceanhoarse avoids using backing vocals or synthesizers, emphasizing a straightforward metal style designed for live performances.
Personnel
Current members
- Ben Varon – guitar (2018–2024)
- Jyri Helko – bass guitar (2018–2024)
- Oskari Niemi – drums (2018–2024)
- Joonas Kosonen – vocals (2018–2024)
Former members
- Tommy Tuovinen – vocals (2018)
Discography
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Voluntary Bends (Released 15 November 2019)
Studio Albums
- The Damage Is Done - Live! (Released 5 June 2020)
- Dead Reckoning (Released 20 August 2021)
- Heads Will Roll (Released 17 February 2023)
Singles
- "The Oceanhoarse" (January 2018)
- "Fading Neons" (February 2018)
- "Waves" (April 2018)
- "The Intruder" (July 2018)
- "Death Row Center" (February 2019)
- "Feed the Sirens" (June 2019)
- "Duality" (November 2019, cover of Slipknot)
- "Maze of Death" (December 2019)
- "The Damage (Live)" (May 2020)
- "Locks" (September 2020)
- "<<REW" (November 2020)
- "One with the Gun" (February 2021)
- "Reaching Skywards" (May 2021)
- "Only" (December 2021, cover of Anthrax)
- "Fading Neons" (March 2022)
- "Heads Will Roll" (May 2022)
- "Nails" (August 2022)
- "Help Is on the Way" (October 2022)
- "Pryopen" (November 2022)
- "Carved in Stone" (December 2022)
- "Brick" (January 2023)