Over the last two decades, Germany's the Ocean have spearheaded a particularly dynamic — and scientific — brand of epic post-metal. Their latest LP, Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic, the follow-up to 2017's Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic, wraps up what might be their headiest undertaking yet: an ambitious paleontologic concept double-album. To break down the concluding half of said concept double-album, the Ocean guitarist Robin Staps and drummer Paul Seidel went to the obvious place: the Natural History Museum in Berlin. Join them there among ancient skeletons as they dig into Phanerozoic II's opening cuts, and look out for the next two episodes of their track-by-track dissection of the album, which is out now via Metal Blade Records.
The Ocean at Berlin's Natural History Museum: 'Phanerozoic II' Track by Track, Part 1
Robin Staps and Paul Seidel break down paleontologic concept album
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"Chaos in a Bottle": Vio-lence's Phil Demmel Revisits Bay Area Thrash's Heyday
Guitarist on Exodus "kill poser" stunts, Slayer slam dancing, Forbidden feuds
Forbidden: 6 Things You Didn't Know About Bay Area Thrash's Second-Wave Standouts
From Robb Flynn's cafeteria jams to Paul Bostaph replacing his cousin on drums
Forbidden: Slayer's Paul Bostaph Looks Back on Debut Band's Early Days
From Hetfield critiques to broken fists
Mr. Bungle's Trey Spruance: "Everything We Ever Did Was Metal in a Way"
Guitarist looks back on high school days and ahead to 'The Raging Wrath' 2.0