Although San Diego (California) based Metalcore/ Post-Hardcore hybrid act Being As An Ocean (named after a quote from Mahatma Gandhi) only came in existence in late 2011, the vast majority of its members have a musical past in DeathCore act Vanguard which, having been formed in 2005, left us two EPs (2006 Dragonslayers and 2009's Bring Hope – both 5-trackers) and one full-length (2008's Erek And Ivor).
Then, in January 2011 (after posting demo versions of two new songs on their MySpace page), lead singer Joel Quartuccio, guitarists Tyler Ross and Ryan Ellis, bassist Ralph Sica and drummer Shad Hamawe, decided they'd evolved in such a way that a name change was due. The band subsequently recorded its debut album Dear G-D at an old hotel called The Palms, and sent the material to producer Brian Hood to be mixed and mastered. The end result was released through InVogue Records on January 3, 2012, and soon after that Ellis was replaced by rhythm guitarist Jacob Prest. Then, an intense gigging schedule started, which found the band play throughout the US, Canada, The UK, and Australia, touring with the likes of Counterparts, Hundredth, Sierra, Liferuiner, and Napoleon. In the end, life on the road and the tiring obligations that go with promoting an album turned out to be to much for both Prest and Hamawe and, wanting to pursue lives outside the band, left it during 2013. the rest of the band set forth to recording their sophomore album, at the same time auditioning new members. First to join was drummer Connor Denis (then still of Hardcore Punk act Sleep Patterns), and with him in the band new writing sessions and recordings were effectuated (at the Atlanta, Georgia based Glow In The Dark Studios). Later in 2013, the band also announced the recruitment of Michael McGough of the Post-Hardcore act The Elijah, as their new rhythm guitarist.
Released on May 6, 2014, the new album charted at #57 on America's Billboard 200, which is quite an achievement for such a “young” band! Then again, when one listens to the offering, one should not be so surprised of the positive outcome. As mentioned at the start of the first paragraph of this review, BAAO plays a hybrid of Metalcore and Post-Hardcore, the latter meaning you get some Ambient-like passages as well as some “heavier” ones! You might say some elements of Screamo are equally present, but what makes the band special, is the way the lyrics are delivered. You see, besides the screamed sung style in the heavier passages, there's also some very...dare I say, almost “pop”-sensitive...clean passages in the calmer parts, and to boot it all, almost every song has some spoken word as well (the latter relative longer or shorter depending on the song)!
With InVogue still taking care of the band in the US, a European distributor for the album was found in the Swiss Impericon Records, and on the BandCamp page of the latter you'll find bóth albums by BAAO posted for your listening pleasure. The band also has pages on Soundcloud (which I was unable to check) and Facebook [(www.) facebook.com/BeingAsAnOcean], and on the latter you will not only find audio for the new album's “L'Exquisite Douleur”, which is certainly representative for the “harder” side of the band. For possible Ambient passages, check out the incredible amount of videos (not all of which are with BAAO, and quite a few live) posted there (the info sheet delivered with the download promo of the new album tells me that it is a natural continuation of what the band did on its debut, so you shoùld find some similarities, eh?)
On a personal note, I found BAAO's HWBWP very nice indeed...even to the point of nominating it for addition to my 2014 year-lists! Check this band out if what you read so far was to your liking!