Ethereal Metal

Ryan Murray | Co-Owner | Chief Editor | Contributor | Photographer

r.m.music84@gmail.com

Four years ago today, on July 22, 2022, Oceans of Slumber released Starlight and Ash—an album that defied expectations, challenged genre boundaries, and quietly cemented itself as one of the most emotionally compelling records of the decade.

In an era where heavier often meant better and technicality frequently overshadowed feeling, Starlight and Ash dared to do something different. It stripped away much of the crushing progressive death/doom elements that had become synonymous with the band’s sound and instead leaned unapologetically into vulnerability. It wasn’t an abandonment of identity, but rather it was the evolution of it.

Some fans needed time to adjust, while others understood immediately.

Four years later, it’s difficult to imagine Oceans of Slumber’s catalog without it.

Check out my thoughts on Starlight And Ash!

The album remains a remarkable artistic statement, built around atmosphere, storytelling, Southern gothic influences, haunting Americana, and, above all else, the unmistakable voice of Cammie Beverly. Songs like The Lighthouse, Hearts of Stone, The Hanging Tree, and the breathtaking interpretation of House of the Rising Sun showcased a vocalist capable of delivering devastation with remarkable restraint. Rather than overwhelming listeners with technical displays, she simply made them feel.

That has always been Oceans of Slumber’s greatest strength.

While many bands attempt to sound emotional, Oceans of Slumber actually are emotional.

Every note carries weight.

Every lyric feels lived in.

Every silence is intentional.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Starlight and Ash polarized portions of the metal community upon release. Some expected another progressive/doom metal epic filled with blast beats and growls. Instead, they received an album built on melancholy, reflection, and deeply personal songwriting.

Yet that’s precisely why the record has aged so gracefully.

It never chased trends.

It never tried to impress listeners through excess.

It simply told its story.

Today, the album continues to find new listeners across digital streaming platforms, while Oceans of Slumber maintain roughly 25,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, a number that feels astonishingly low considering the extraordinary quality of their catalog.

And that brings us to perhaps the most frustrating truth about this band.

Oceans of Slumber are criminally underrated.

Not “underground.”

Not “overlooked.”

Criminally underrated.

Few bands possess this level of musicianship. Fewer still have a vocalist capable of conveying heartbreak, hope, despair, resilience, and quiet strength within a single song. The chemistry between Cammie Beverly, Dobber Beverly, and the rest of the band has always produced something that feels larger than individual performances.

It’s music with soul.

Perhaps that’s why their fans remain so fiercely loyal.

They’re not simply listening to songs, but they’re experiencing stories.

Commercially, Starlight and Ash was never designed to dominate mainstream charts, but it was met with widespread critical acclaim. Reviewers consistently praised its willingness to embrace melody over heaviness and atmosphere over aggression, recognizing it as one of the boldest creative pivots in the band’s career. Four years later, that gamble feels entirely justified.

Streaming numbers tell only part of the story.

Unlike albums engineered for playlists or viral moments, Starlight and Ash is an album meant to be experienced from beginning to end. It rewards patience. It reveals new layers with every listen. It’s the kind of record that quietly becomes someone’s favorite album without them realizing exactly when it happened.

Those are often the albums that endure.

Since Starlight and Ash, Oceans of Slumber have continued their journey with Where Gods Fear to Speak, proving once again that artistic integrity matters more than chasing formulas. The band has never been interested in repeating themselves, and that’s exactly why every release feels significant.

Outside the studio, life has also brought beautiful changes.

Fans have celebrated seeing Cammie and Dobber Beverly embrace parenthood—a reminder that the people behind the music continue to grow, evolve, and experience life’s greatest joys beyond the stage. It’s been wonderful watching this new chapter unfold, and supporters everywhere undoubtedly wish nothing but happiness for Cammie, Dobber, and their family.

As exciting as that is, it’s also impossible not to wonder what comes next creatively.

History has shown that Oceans of Slumber refuse to stand still. Every album represents another step forward rather than a repeat of what came before. That’s part of what makes waiting for new music both difficult and exhilarating.

Whenever the next chapter arrives, fans know one thing with certainty:

It won’t sound like anyone else.

It never does.

Perhaps that’s why anticipation continues to build.

Whether the next release leans heavier, softer, stranger, or somewhere entirely unexpected, listeners trust Oceans of Slumber to remain authentic. In today’s musical landscape, that’s becoming increasingly rare.

Four years after Starlight and Ash, the album feels less like an experiment and more like an essential piece of the band’s identity. It demonstrated that emotional honesty could be every bit as powerful as technical proficiency. It proved that restraint can be heavier than distortion. Most importantly, it reminded us that true artistry isn’t measured by chart positions or streaming statistics.

It’s measured by impact.

By the memories songs create.

By the comfort they provide.

By the moments they help us survive.

That’s exactly what Starlight and Ash has become for countless listeners.

So today, we celebrate four years of an album that refused to compromise.

Four years of extraordinary songwriting.

Four years of unforgettable performances.

Four years of a record that deserved far more recognition than it received.

Here’s hoping the future finally gives Oceans of Slumber the audience they’ve always deserved.

Because if there’s any justice in the world, one day the rest of the music community will discover what their fans have known all along:

Oceans of Slumber aren’t simply one of progressive metal’s hidden gems, they’re one of the finest bands of their generation.