|
 KENT HAINES from metallers SILVER OCEAN STORM talks to LIAM GUY about their appearance at the Dead Of Winter Festival.
In 2007, one of Brisbane’s homegrown metal acts, Minus Life, abruptly disbanded. However, most of the defunct band’s members still had the eagerness to continue, feeling that Minus Life had only scratched the surface of its full potential. The members decided to continue with a new sound and a new moniker – Silver Ocean Storm. SOS have only played a small number of gigs in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but already the fan response to the ‘new’ group has been very positive. The band will be playing at The Dead Of Winter Festival, an event that bass player Kent Haines has been co-organising.
“[It has been] smooth sailing so far!” Kent says when asked about the festival’s progress. “It’s all been coming together well and the mix of genres seems to be working as far as ticket sales are going!”
Silver Ocean Storm’s appearance at the festival will be their second live gig in Brisbane. Since their formation, the band made their live debut at Brannigan’s Hotel in Gold Coast, before playing their first Brisbane performance at the Step Inn last month.
“We did one show on the Gold Coast last year as a teaser show and a live practice run for us to see how the material went over. We also did a show down there supporting Ne-Obliviscaris and Empyrean as they asked us to play and they are good buddies of ours. Our debut Brisbane show the other week was amazing, it was a packed house and we were all a bit nervous to see what the Minus Life fans thought, but it went down a treat and we got some VERY positive feedback on the night.”
The line-up of Silver Ocean Storm is comprised of Haines and former Minus Life members Travis Hendersen, Ryan O’Connell and Matt Bellete, with Mythology vocalist Toby Skeates completing the line-up. So while it contains a majority of members from Minus Life, how does Silver Ocean Storm differ from the former band?
“It’s a lot more mature than Minus Life and isn’t as constantly intense,” Kent explains. “There’s more light and shade and Toby’s vocals add much more diversity to the mix. If I had to compare it to anything I’d say it was a more like The Devin Townsend band mixed with Scar Symmetry.”
Silver Ocean Storm have no doubt been impressing fans with their live shows, and currently have an album in the works which Kent hopes to be completed by the Spring of this year. While Minus Life had a long and fruitful lifespan, including appearances at Metal For The Brain and support slots with Nevermore to Slayer, what are Silver Ocean Storm’s hopes for the future? Do they wish to achieve the same amount – or even surpass – the amount of success Minus Life had?
“We’re definitely going to take this one further” Kent replies. “Silver Ocean Storm has a much broader sound and I think it will appeal to not just strict metal fans, so I can see this entity eclipsing the success we had Minus Life. It’s the best most creative project that I’ve ever been involved in and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”
SILVER OCEAN STORM play the Dead Of Winter Festival at the Jubilee Hotel on Saturday Jun 20 with The Berzerker, Mz Ann Thropik, The Dead, Empyrean and a tonne of other worthy names. www.myspace.com/silveroceanstorm
|
| Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged. |
|
Be first to comment on this article
