Houston, Texas based progressive metal outfit OCEANS OF SLUMBER has announced that both guitarists Sean Gary and Anthony Contrereas have left the band. A statement on Facebook reads as follows:
“As many of you have seen, we’ve been having a rough patch over the last few years. Especially October. After Anthony decided to leave us (which was something we somewhat expected sadly), Sean informed us that he too would be exiting. He needed to concentrate on his personal life and career and that meant no more touring and band commitments. We’ve known for a bit about this and have auditioned a handful of people. We’ve got one of two covered now… Now the hunt begins for the next.
It’s all here, on Oceans Of Slumber’s long-awaited third album. The sound of shattered dreams and epic nightmares, every sinew alive and vital but never flexing far from death’s shadow. The sound of a blossoming creative force rising from pain’s pitch-black fog to blaze and rage in hopeful, starlit skies. The sound of The Banished Heart: an extraordinary record born amid troubled times.
“It was decided around the spring of last year that we should start working on our new record as soon as we returned from the Enslaved tour November of 2016,” recalls the Texan band’s drummer, producer and co-songwriter Dobber Beverly. “We landed in Houston on November 15th. I was right in the middle of a brutal and messy separation with my spouse of 18+ years, with whom I have a child, my pride and joy. Cammie [Gilbert, vocalist] lost her father to cancer about seven years ago and we both found a place of refuge with each other.
“Severing ties in a relationship is never easy. Losing two of the founding members of this band after 7 years of close proximity sucks too. Anthony and I have been in multiple bands together and have traveled all over the world together in them. Sean has been my right hand man from the get go. It’s taken a lot of work to get where we are. But things change. They always do. We will miss them immensely, but this house isn’t finished being built and we’re left with the task of completing it. Though there is an amount of hurt and sadness on our end, we will power through all of this and come out just fine. We must stay vigilant not to be dragged down with the daunting task of moving forward. With all of that said; goodbye to the two of you and we hope all of the things you want and need happen for you.
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