“Okular measures up to bands such as Obscura and Gojira.” – Rita K. Trondsgård (Scream Magazine) Oslo’s OKULAR have set March 4th, 2013 as the date on which sophomore effort and Progressive Death Metal tour de force Sexforce will be self-released. The brainchild of composer/lyricist Andreas Aubert, OKULAR again offers the balanced blend of technicality, melody, and brutality first heard on critically acclaimed 2011 debut Probiotic, and yet Sexforce is somehow more accessible and compositionally dynamic than its predecessor. The album’s appeal is further enhanced by the appearance of SUSPERIA’s Athera who performs half of the lead vocals on 7 of the 13 tracks, while BORKNAGAR’s Vintersorg makes a guest appearance on “The Greatest Offender.” Lyrically, OKULAR presents poetry describing aspects of the human existence, in a vital and experientially-based form, rather than as philosophical discourse. In a ringing endorsement of Aubert’s creation, BORKNAGAR’s Øystein G. Brun describes OKULAR as a “death metal parallel” to his own band. It doesn’t get much better than that. “This might be the future of heavy and relentless Progressive Metal. Okular is Death Metal's Nevermore mixed with Mercenary.” - Anders Peter Jørgensen (Voices From The Darkside, reviewing the debut album "Probiotic") Album credits: Andreas Aubert: composition & lyrics, additional & backing vocals Marius Skarsem Pedersen: guitars & vocals Bjørn Tore Erlandsen: drums Martin Berger: bass Session musicians Vintersorg: melodic vocals + some grim vocals on track 4 Pål Mathiesen aka Athera: 50% of the lead vocals on all tracks, except 1,2,7,9,11,12 Manoon Ploypradab (guitar teacher from Thailand): guitars on track 7 André Aaslie (Gromth, Images at Twilight): piano/orchestra/choirs on tracks 5,6 & 11 Bertrand Besigye (Norways bestselling contemporary poet): poetic narration on track 3 Drums & vocals recorded at Strand Studio, Norway, 2011 (Chrome Division feat. Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir, The Wretched End feat. Samoth of Emperor etc) Mixed at Strand Studio Guitars, bass & additional vocals recorded in the bandmember’s home studios, 2011 Guitars on track 7 recorded at Day One Recording Studio, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2010 Produced by Marius Strand & Andreas Aubert Engineered by Marius Strand Mixed by Marius Strand Additional mixing by Andreas Aubert & Okular Mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering - California - U.S.A (Sepultura, Halford, Yngwie Malmsteen, Daath, Armored Saint etc) Design concept & illustration concepts by Andreas Aubert Illustrations by Nop: nopponart08@gmail.com Design & Layout by Guanodesign: www.guanodesign.com Supervision of the illustration process by Guanodesign & Andreas Aubert Band member photos by Marte Aubert: marte_aubert@hotmail.com