Photo by Randi S.H.Veland

When cousins Sondre and Bastian Veland formed OSSICLES in 2011, and went on to self-release their debut full-length album “Mantlepiece”, which was largely written by the duo when they were 16/17 years old, the following year, few could have forseen the extraordinary response it was to receive from much-respected musicians such as PORCUPINE TREE’s STEVEN WILSON who said of it “I can’t believe that such young guys can make music like they do”, and MIKE PORTNOY, who invited the band to appear live as a result of hearing it.

As a taste of what to expect from OSSICLES in the future, “Mantlepiece”, along with some additional later material,  was itself re-released by Karisma Records in July of this year as a double album,  and now the band and label are ready to release OSSICLES sophomore full-length album “Music for Wastelands” which is due to hit the streets on the 16th of October.

All instruments and vocals on “Music for Wastelands” are performed by Bastian and Sondre themselves, with  guest appearances from Erlend Furuset Jenssen (saxophone) and Karin Mäkiranta (vocals).  Artwork for “Music for Wastelands” is by Randi Veland and track listing for the 14-track album is as follows:

1. Halfway Homes
2. Darkroom
3. Tectonic
4. Will It Last?
5. Family Tree
6. Exit Wound
7. Pale Summer Nails
8. The Red Heart
9. Goodnight Ghosts
10. In the Stereo
11. Girl with the Glass Eye
12. Pandemonium
13. Porcelain Doll
14. Music for Wastelands

The two Veland cousins had this to say about the album:  “Music for Wastelands”  has a concept and a story that is told through the songs, and it’s composed as a single musical piece, which is something that will probably become clear the  more you hear it, because it’s meant to be an album in which you can hear something new every time you listen to it. The structure itself is inspired by DAVID BOWIE’s album “Low”, where the more immediate songs – the ones that are easiest to like –  appear first, and the more experimental songs come at the end.  There are few limitations when it comes to genres, and the album features a lot of different styles, something that was necessary in order to properly portray the concept and the story.

“Very importantly, we  both agree that with “Music for Wastelands” we have been able to define our own individual style and sound much more clearly, and we now sound more like ourselves rather than the music that originally inspired us”.  

More information about OSSICLES can be found on the band’s website at http://ossiclesband.wix.com/ossicles or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Ossicles

The official video for the track “Watersoul II” from OSSICLES debut album “Mantelpiece” can be seen at

The track “1400” from OSSICLES debut album “Mantelpiece” can be heard at

https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records/ossicles-1400?in=karisma-records/sets/karisma-records