Break The Cycle feels huge emotionally and sonically — what was happening in the band’s world when this song came together?

We were on the way to spend 7 weeks in America for our headline tour and our debut shows there. We landed in LA early enough to uber straight to Warped Tour to surprise and watch our friends Sace6, Lil Lotus & Point North play. We had always wanted to go to Warped Tour so it was surreal being there. The next day we went to Jon from Point North’s studio and wrote Break The Cycle.

The track taps into themes of repetition and self-destruction. Was there a specific experience or mindset that inspired the lyrics?

Lyrically it is about the struggles we faced trying to get outside of Australia and into the international touring market as an independent and self-managed band.

Ocean Sleeper has always balanced crushing heaviness with really vulnerable songwriting. Why is that contrast important to the band?

We love all aspects of the genre as well as pop music so it's just combining everything we love in music. Ionei is a great pop producer and that always shines in what extra elements he adds to the songwriting. We like to keep things personal and raw with our lyrics.

Australian heavy music is in a strong place right now. Where do you think Ocean Sleeper fits within the current scene?

Heavy music is having such a big moment globally right now and because Australia has such a high standard in heavy bands they all shine on the global stage. Wherever we fit in that, we are stoked to play any part and be able to bring international bands to Australian tours.

You worked with Jon Lundin from Point North on the track — what did he bring out in the song that maybe wouldn’t have happened otherwise?

Aside from being the best guy and knowing great local Mexican food spots around his house, Jon was super great to work with and was awesome seeing him and Ionei bounce from each other creating.

There’s a real sense of urgency in Break The Cycle. Did you approach the writing or production differently this time around?

This was the first time we have properly been in a studio and worked on a song with someone outside of the band. But we had a great time doing it and everything flowed so well!

Your music clearly resonates with fans going through difficult periods. Have there been any fan interactions lately that have really stayed with you?

Now that we have toured around the world meeting all our fans outside of Australia for the first time was really special. So many stories were shared, but the one thing that always stays with us is the distance people travelled throughout America to see a show or even multiple shows.

How much has touring internationally changed your perspective as a band, particularly coming from the Australian heavy scene?

Being able to perform more and on longer tours has made us much better musicians and makes us put on a better show. Australians never really have the option to tour for a month so we are lucky to get out and tour for a month or so.

What excites you most about this current era of Ocean Sleeper compared to earlier releases?

This era of Ocean Sleeper has us with more support than ever before. We have achieved so much on our own so we are excited for the future with Rise Records & BMG behind us too. The music we have been working on is so far above anything in the past.

If Break The Cycle is the doorway into what’s next for Ocean Sleeper, what should fans be expecting from this next chapter?

Lots of new music this year with lots of touring to go with it!