Being As An Ocean “PROXY: An A.N.I.M.O. Story” Album Review

By Diana Peterson

- in Album Reviews, New Music

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The Band

Being As An Ocean formed in Alpine, California back in 2011 with frontman Joel Quartuccio, lead guitar Tyler Ross, bassist Ralph Sica. Rhythm guitar/vocals, Michael McGough joined in 2013.

Album

Being As An Ocean just released their fifth studio album Proxy: An A.N.I.M.O. Story, a concept album from the mind of frontman Joel Quartuccio. Produced by grammy nominated Zakk Cervini (Blink-182, Poppy, Halsey) and the band’s guitarist Tyler Ross.

Review

An album created with apparent passion, the listener is taken on a transitory journey creating an array of emotion both lyrically and auditorily. Proxy: An A.N.I.M.O. Story begins with Intro (The Envoy) an electronic mix of highs and lows, meticulously flowing into Play Pretend. Accompanied with a music video, the song puts you in a post apocalyptic world, possibly self created as Joel Quartuccio (vocals) is seen whipping himself in the video. It is obvious that Joel has dug deep to bring out an emotional performance as seen in the video and displayed in his writing. Perhaps gearing towards self blame in uncontrollable circumstances, the song sets a premise for the rest of the album. It tells a story of what seems to be centered around loss, relationships, tragedy and hope. Followed by the third track Find Our Way I get a sense of the band’s capabilities and style. I hear some underlyings of hard screams hidden in a decoration of electronic sounds and melodic guitar riffs. The song made me feel that no matter what I’m going through, I do not have to do it alone. The fourth track Brave slows down into what appears as a painful song of a lost relationship. Beautifully written and relatable as it is in terms of losing someone or something, this song is missing a moment. A moment where I would have liked to have heard a release of aggression, to scream out against and along with. However, listening to the album straight through there are plenty of chances to move and sing along with the songs. The fifth track Tragedy brings forth a sonic rollercoaster. Moving into the sixth track Skin, the writing is surprising whether it be metaphorical or in a literal sense, as one can view and value a heroin addiction with a love/hate feeling. Interlude (Circuit Bender) is the seventh track composed of an electronic mix leading into the eighth track B.O.Y., giving a taste of Joel’s aggressive vocals and Michael’s melodic tone. The guitar riffs and tempo will surely keep listeners moving in this track. There’s no stopping in the ninth and tenth tracks, Low Life and Demon, on how this album is making the listener think and feel. These songs exemplify societal issues with how we treat ourselves as a whole. The album continues to keep my attention with the execution of the eleventh track Watch Me Bleed and the painful lyrics to the twelfth track See Your Face. It is ironic the 13th track (typically an unlucky number) is A.N.I.M.O., illustrating an interesting dark sound of what could come of our world as we know it, or perhaps a rendering of what is to come, before ending with the 14th track Outro (What It Means To Be Human). After listening to this album I am feeling like I am revisiting the underpinnings of Linkin Park, topped with exclamations of Bring Me The Horizon, adding in the chillness of Mike Shinoda in the aftermath of loss with a dash of Fallout Boy. I am left wondering what more can this band do. I have since listened to their older albums and one should note that their much older work leans more hardcore, this could leave older fans not quite into the style Being As An Ocean is heading towards. What I love though is Joel Quartuccio showing us his vocal capabilities throughout his entire discography. What seems to not change throughout BAAO’s style is that their music WILL spark feelings and make you think.