Sacrament album update

[HeavyMetalThunder]

I'm going to put up a song tonight or tomorrow. The recordings sound sweet. I hope you all like them. Anyway, i'm still working on the art. Here's the lyric sheet:
<img src="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/lyricsheet.jpg" alt="" />

The album is probably going to be called Graven Images and it will feature 9 or 10 songs, depending on whether or not we record another one. We are NOT including the blatantly anthemic :D Travelling Song, because it does not fit the rest of the album, which is mostly hard rock and metal. It's actually less metal than I thought it would be. I'm somewhat disappointed and looking forward to writing new songs that are a little faster and more complex and a lot heavier.
Here's the track listing:
Can't Wait for Fear
Sinking Sand
S.S.S
Died Trying
Until I Fall
Judgment
Mirror, Mirror
Lost Lamb
Anger

As I said, I'll put up one of our pre-mixed songs. We did a rough draft mix to see how it sounded, so we could figure what the songs needed, so the mixes aren't complete, but very good nonetheless. Keep an out there will be a song or two coming your way in the next few hours.

[Micah Robinson]

Bring it.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

I'm about to post a link

[HeavyMetalThunder]

Ok, no link. My webhosting is not operating properly tonight. i'll keep trying.

[AlKindzSky]

I like the manaically laughing skulls. I hope you put up Judgement so I can listen to it as many times as I like without you getting grumpy, HMT.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

It worked, finally.

Here is Can't Wait For Fear
<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/CWFF.mp3" target="_blank">CWFF</a>

[HeavyMetalThunder]

Here's another.
DIED TRYING

This has a decidedly Christian theme, but it's not a praise song or a conversion tune. It simply tells the story of the crucifixion of Jesus from HIS point of view. One of the foundations of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.
So I wrote this song trying to figure out how Jesus would feel as a MAN. I used quotes from the Bible and everything and Scott sings it beautifully.
The song just needs more guitars in the mix. I hope you enjoy it.

<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/Died_Trying.mp3" target="_blank">Died Trying</a>

[Micah Robinson]

HeavyMetalThunder:
It worked, finally.

Here is Can't Wait For Fear
<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/CWFF.mp3" target="_blank">CWFF</a>Very nice. The main groove reminded me of Prong, because they specialized in mixing head-snapping riffs with somewhat groovy, but not "funk" drum and bass parts. The riff was catchy, too.

It was undercut a little, tho, by the somewhat jarring tempo changes. Without a drum fill or something a little more telling to narrarate the action, it just takes you out of the song.

Interesting middle section and solo. Sounds very much like the tres old Package chestnut "React," featuring the shredding of Carl Cunningham.

And it finishes with the great end part, where the background vocals very much remind me of Testament. AWESOME way to finish the song.

[Micah Robinson]

HeavyMetalThunder:
Here's another.
DIED TRYING

This has a decidedly Christian theme, but it's not a praise song or a conversion tune. It simply tells the story of the crucifixion of Jesus from HIS point of view. One of the foundations of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.
So I wrote this song trying to figure out how Jesus would feel as a MAN. I used quotes from the Bible and everything and Scott sings it beautifully.
The song just needs more guitars in the mix. I hope you enjoy it.

<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/Died_Trying.mp3" target="_blank">Died Trying</a>The music here wasn't bad, but starting at 1:01 or so, it just seems like the vocals kind of went on and off-key.

I agree about the needing more guitars. This is a song that practically begs for layering. I'd use a slightly dirty single-coil electric sound, and double that track with an acoustic AND a clean electric for the arpeggio parts. Then, I'd do two heavy rhythm tracks, and pan them hard left and right.

Also, I think the song just had too many verses. For a 6-minute song, there isn't a plethora of varied parts to draw from.

When you go to that length you either have to purposely make the song a droning, groove type thing - which I don't THINK you were going for here - OR you have to add a shitload of parts to keep interest up. I mean, all the rock/metal classics of that length follow that rule.

Not a fave, but I'll give it a few more spins to see if it sinks in a bit more.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

Man I was really hoping you'd like DT. It DOES need a lot more guitar presence, but I thought the initial go at it was pretty good. Oh well, fall down 7 times, get up 8...

I'm glad you like CWFF. It's kind of funny to hear you compare our sound to bands I/we know, but aren't really influenced by at all. It's sort of flattering. Your advice and input is always welcome, Micah. Thanks buddy.

Anyway, I may put up one more. I want to get a few others listening to these though.

Let's hear it!

[Micah Robinson]

You can ALWAYS count on me, HMT, for feedback, advice, constructive criticism, praise, etc.

I know exactly what it's like when you put yourself out there, so to speak.

[Assbag]

Hey HMT. I don't know if it's just me, but DT isn't working. Mind checking the link? CWFF worked, so something's weird.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

I took it down. I'm trying to upload anger.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

Another song if you'd care to take a listen.

<a href="http://home.attbi.com/~kirkrs/Anger.mp3" target="_blank">Anger</a>

Lyrics

Watch me Jesus, watch me closely
And guide me on my way
I need the strength to speak my mind
And not regret the things I say
So take this anger from my hands
And choke the fire it breeds
Anger is the oxygen on which the fire of chaos feeds
So watch me Jesus, watch me closely
As I set the wrongs to right

I could close my hand and scream out loud
Strip it all away
Or open my fist
Raise my eyes and say

This is my anger

[Micah Robinson]

I liked the music and vocals to this one a lot more than the last one. My only quip is that I felt like the song kept building and building, only to go nowhere. It was just like it kept going and then stopped. No great chorus or anything like that to seal the deal.

Still, even without that, I enjoyed it.

Just out of curiosity....how are you recording that guitar of yours? Are you miking an amplifier or plugging directly into the boards through a pre-amp or distortion pedal?

The reason I ask is that your guitar tone reminds me a lot of mine on a good bit of the early Package stuff when I wasn't using a cabinet simulator for my direct recording. Not a lot of OOOMPH to the sound, y' know?

I heard two rhythm tracks here, and they just sort of blended together. A good, midrange-y tone might help add some punch and heft to your parts.

Also, I hope your drummer tears parts of this one up live, as he seemed a little reserved here.

Despite that, I think this is one of the better ones you put up.

[HeavyMetalThunder]

I think for this one we miked the cab.
I know what you mean about really thin sound. My setup sounds pretty nice live, but I'm learning that the recorded stuff is really different. I knew that, and I thought I compensated, but I guess not.

As for not having a great chorus, well...I think maybe 2 of our songs (out of about 18 that we perform) follow the typical verse/chorus/verse format. For some reason, we just never write songs that way. Or if we do, we do some weird things to it that makes it not very obvious that it's just going back and forth. I don't know. I don't want to say we're original or anything, but we're definitely not cookie-cutter.
With a song like Died Trying though, the "shorus" is there 3 times, but it's a different chorus each time...thereby defeating the purpose of a chorus...but it's musically similar. That comes a bit from having studied classical music. As long as the melodic idea returns, you can do whatever you want with it. Variations on a theme and whatnot. Our songs just don't follow the typical format. I understand that it will take some getting used to for people, but EVERYWHERE we play, people come up to us and tell us how much they enjoyed our stuff, and that we're one of the best bands they've heard in awhile.
We just make the sound that we have. It's weird, but it's ours.

As for the recordings, these too are rough mixes. this our firt time doing this, so we wanted to check ourselves in the middle of the process to make sure things were going ok. We've got a good start, now we'll go back and fill in the spaces and fatten it all up.

Last thing: Yes, live shows are our best time. All of us really tear it up on stage. I guess that's why I'm not worried about making a perfect album. If people even like what they hear on the record just a little bit, they'll come see the show and love it.

[Micah Robinson]

I ABSOLUTELY understand the verse/chorus verse thing.

Aside from the "single" on my record, "Color Information," and the last song "Glory and Skin Evolution," almost none of my songs follow that tradition either.

I use long intros, long first verses, and put choruses and bridges all over the place.

And it's great that you guys do things differently. It's a wonderful approach. i was just noting that on this one particular song, it seemed to be building toward a climax that never came. Probably my ears and musical experiences at fault here more than your song structuring.

As for your guitar sound...it sounds like you're kind of inexperienced at amp/cab miking, which is perfectly normal. You MAY want to consider going direct for your next recorded outing. With multi-effects units these days, it's pretty easy to dial up a sound that's fat, punchy, and clear, yet uniquely yours.

MY particular tone is the distorted guitar sound you hear on the PKG songs "Grappling with Skeletons""Fade Me Out""Howard Phillips" and "Hot Corner." I tweak it here and there as the song calls for, but I'm pretty happy with it as a signature sound.