The MetalSucks proverbial wet-dreams of early ’08 (we have a lot of ‘em) — aka The Ocean, aka The Ocean Collective, aka Robin Staps, aka NOT this horrible band or this even horribler band — have posted an update on their MySpace page [sent to us by MS reader "grobi wunder"] announcing they’ve found a new vocalist. As we reported a month ago, The Ocean have been in the studio working on a new album; but as it turns out, they’re actually working on TWO albums, a suitable move after 2007′s two-disc ball-buster Precambrian:

“Ladies and Gentleman,

after many weeks in the dark, THE OCEAN have finally found a new vocalist.
“We are happy to announce Mr. Loïc Rossetti as tour new vocalist. “We are looking forward to weeks and months of intense touring in the future and a new era in the story of our lives!”, comments Robin Staps.

“Having Loïc in the band enables me to do what I’ve always been wanting to do with this band. His voice is strong and expressive and his variety of tone and the ease with which he switches between different vocal styles really amazing. There are no limits anymore. His screams are devastating, but his most valuable quality is his singing voice, which we will employ much more on the upcoming album”.

Read the rest of the news post, including info about the TWO new albums (to be released separately, not together as Precambrian was), after the jump.

Comments Loïc Rossetti: “Being part of THE OCEAN is a great honour for me. I can utilize the full range of my voice, and the band is pushing me to do so… it’s a great challenge”.

Over the course of the past 6 months, the band has received more than 150 applications from people from all over the world. “Many have recorded vocals for ‘The City in the Sea’ and there was a lot of good stuff coming in. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to try out, we truly appreciate it!”, comments Jonathan Nido.

The addition of Rossetti marks the final step in a recent development within the band: after 8 years of existence, The Ocean has recently been transforming from a collective into a band. This doesn’t mean that there will not be changes of line-up ever again: “I have been playing music long enough to know that people are usually in this for a limited time”, comments Staps… “but the people I am working with now are the people I have always been looking for, and naturally, everyone else is much more involved than ever before”.

The collective is not dead. As a matter of fact, the upcoming album will feature the largest number of additional musicians to date, mainly classical players. The band has spent the better part of the year working feverishly on their upcoming 2 albums which are due for March and September 2010 releases. More news will follow soon.”

This is friggin’ amazing news, no??? I wonder what was behind Staps’ decision to release two new albums separately instead of together as a double-disc set? Some grand artistic scheme? Money? Neither? Both? I hope to have the opportunity to ask him if (when!) The Ocean return to the U.S. to tour. In the meantime my 2010 year-end list is already 2 albums heavier.

-VN