Heliocentric (The Ocean Collective album)
Encyclopedia
Heliocentric is the fourth studio album by the German experimental metal band The Ocean, released on April 9, 2010, and marks the recording debut of vocalist Loïc Rossetti. It is the first part of a double album about the critique of Christianity
from different philosophical and personal angles, with its companion album, "Anthropocentric" which was released on November 9, 2010 in North America.
and Galileo Galilei
were the first popular ambassadors of this idea, although ancient Greek astronomers like Aristarchus
had already posited this theory centuries before.
The journey starts with the creation of the firmament
in Genesis 1:6-20 (Firmament) and ancient explanations of the movement of celestial bodies in 1 Enoch 72:2-5 (The 1st Commandment of the Luminaries). It continues with Copernicus and Galileo, the first propagators of heliocentrism who were not yet in conflict with the Church (Ptolemy
Was Wrong) and Giordano Bruno
, who was burnt at the stake of the Roman Inquisition
for being a heretic (Catharsis of a Heretic). Arthur Rimbaud's
's criticism of moral law in his essay Reasons Not to Believe in God and Nietzsche's
rejection of fundamental Christian values has inspired the lyrics to Metaphysics of the Hangman. The album concludes with the greatest achievement in the history of modern science, Darwin's
theory of evolution (The Origin of Species) and ideas inspired by evolution biologist and passionate atheist Richard Dawkins
(The Origin of God, Epiphany).
Its companion album, Anthropocentric, challenges the views of creationists and other modern fundamentalists who believe that the earth is at the center of the universe.
"Heliocentric" continues where the "Proterozoic" half of Precambrian
left off, with dense, epic songs and big orchestrations. The vocals are the biggest departure from previous albums; they are mostly "clean," and more soulful.
, Switzerland
, the highest city of Europe. The band decided to record and mix the album with the band's house sound engineer Julien Fehlmann: "We wanted to be in control of every single detail, and we have an amazing studio at hand here. Soundwise this is by far the best-sounding album we have done to date".
Samples of the tracks were released on the band's website in February 2010.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
from different philosophical and personal angles, with its companion album, "Anthropocentric" which was released on November 9, 2010 in North America.
Theme
The songs, art and lyrics of this album tell the story of the rise of the heliocentric world view - the idea that the earth revolves around the sun, and that the sun is stationary and at the center of the solar system. Nicolaus CopernicusNicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
and Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
were the first popular ambassadors of this idea, although ancient Greek astronomers like Aristarchus
Aristarchus
-People:* Aristarchus of Samos , Greek astronomer and mathematician* Aristarchus of Samothrace , Greek grammarian* Aristarchus of Tegea , Greek writer* Aristarchus of Thessalonica , Eastern saint...
had already posited this theory centuries before.
The journey starts with the creation of the firmament
Firmament
The firmament is the vault or expanse of the sky. According to Genesis, God created the firmament to separate the oceans from other waters above.-Etymology:...
in Genesis 1:6-20 (Firmament) and ancient explanations of the movement of celestial bodies in 1 Enoch 72:2-5 (The 1st Commandment of the Luminaries). It continues with Copernicus and Galileo, the first propagators of heliocentrism who were not yet in conflict with the Church (Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
Was Wrong) and Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno , born Filippo Bruno, was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. His cosmological theories went beyond the Copernican model in proposing that the Sun was essentially a star, and moreover, that the universe contained an infinite number of inhabited...
, who was burnt at the stake of the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
for being a heretic (Catharsis of a Heretic). Arthur Rimbaud's
Arthur Rimbaud
Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud was a French poet. Born in Charleville, Ardennes, he produced his best known works while still in his late teens—Victor Hugo described him at the time as "an infant Shakespeare"—and he gave up creative writing altogether before the age of 21. As part of the decadent...
's criticism of moral law in his essay Reasons Not to Believe in God and Nietzsche's
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
rejection of fundamental Christian values has inspired the lyrics to Metaphysics of the Hangman. The album concludes with the greatest achievement in the history of modern science, Darwin's
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
theory of evolution (The Origin of Species) and ideas inspired by evolution biologist and passionate atheist Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
(The Origin of God, Epiphany).
Its companion album, Anthropocentric, challenges the views of creationists and other modern fundamentalists who believe that the earth is at the center of the universe.
Music
Musically, 'Heliocentric' covers the largest range of dynamics and styles to date: "There are a few really calm songs with mainly piano and vocals, as well as some crushing heavy tunes. There is a very special atmosphere to it that pervades the album", comments guitarist Jonathan Nido."Heliocentric" continues where the "Proterozoic" half of Precambrian
Precambrian (album)
Precambrian is the third studio album by the German progressive metal band The Ocean Collective, released on November 5, 2007 through Metal Blade Records....
left off, with dense, epic songs and big orchestrations. The vocals are the biggest departure from previous albums; they are mostly "clean," and more soulful.
Recording
The albums were mainly recorded in the mountainous isolation of La Chaux-de-FondsLa Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss city of the district of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura mountains at an altitude of 1000 m, a few kilometres from the French border. After Geneva and Lausanne, it is the third largest city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the highest city of Europe. The band decided to record and mix the album with the band's house sound engineer Julien Fehlmann: "We wanted to be in control of every single detail, and we have an amazing studio at hand here. Soundwise this is by far the best-sounding album we have done to date".
Samples of the tracks were released on the band's website in February 2010.
Track listing
The Ocean
- Luc Hess – DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Louis Jucker – BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Loïc Rossetti – VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Jonathan Nido – GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Robin Staps – Guitars, electronics
Additional personnel
- Esther Monnat – CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Céline Portat – ViolaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Estelle Beiner – ViolinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Lionel Gafner – ContrabassContrabassContrabass refers to a musical instrument of very low pitch; generally those pitched one octave below instruments of the bass register...
- Vincent Membrez – PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Jérôme Correa – SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Robert Gutowski – TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Hans Albert Staps – TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- James Yates – VibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
- René Noçon – Vocals on "Ptolemy Was Wrong"
- Meta – Additional vocals on "Swallowed by the Earth"
External links
- http://www.theoceancollective.com/heliocentric