14 replies to this topic

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

So, in the time while the final touches are being added to Hymni Abyssi, I decided to release the four-track EP, The World Passed By, a short sampler of songs from the album:

 

 

It is also freely available to download from BandCamp, and any feedback would be much appreciated!

[Pasidon]

As usual, I don't really have a valuable opinion when it comes to screamer metal (unless its that adorable little girl from America's Got Talent).  It's all just noise to me.  But I'm sure that's a real good one, it is, oh ya'.  

[duke_Qa]

I went through it yesterday, but I guess I'm of the same opinion as Pasi here. The furthest I usually creep is into older Opeth albums. Though I can hear there's a nice polish to the production here. The drums are clear and the Yügen song is more to my liking.

 

I'm more interested in the background of the artist. There seems to be multiple people around the forums now that have done some music of sorts, so its fun to see the quality rising around here. Only 18 and up to this level of quality and productivity is cool, even though it is within a niche business of black metal

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Yeah, admittedly I realized that perhaps Revora isn't going to be quite the right promotion platform for black metal, what with the fact that so few people listen regularly to that sort of extreme music, but I appreciate you both actually trying it This (as a part of a longer album), has been in the works since January 2014, spending most of last year writing and the last two month mixing it to the point where I'm happy with it, so I'm really glad you mentioned the production, it's probably the greatest creative uphill battle I've had, and until now really I didn't know if I'd won that battle.

 

However, when you mention background, what do you mean? As in a bio or suchlike?

[duke_Qa]

I regularly listen to various forms of metal, but melodic songs is usually a demand, which usually isn't very typical in most Black metal that I've had to try out. That's half the fun in metal for me, the combination of extreme sounds with melody. I can listen to this as I'm used to the elements, but it's not something I'd do more than a few times before I get hungry for melody.

 

Well most of it I can figure out by reading your profile and I figure there's a music school education in the works. I find it interesting to know why someone goes in the direction of Black metal these days, it seems so late nineties and oughties and imo haven't aged well... But I guess there's a bit of the "can't become a prophet in your own homeland" as a Norwegian prime musical export, very few Norwegians are consumers of black metal. Also, I'm having a bit of a shock as I'm not experienced at seeing high value creative productions popping up all over Revora, especially music

Edited by duke_Qa, 03 June 2015 - 05:04 PM.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

For the most part, the people I know who like metal are particularly deathcore enthusiasts, and that enthusiasm has introduced me to all the deathcore/sludge/ambient black metal grouping alongside my appreciation for lighter stuff such as Iron Maiden or Dream Theater. Generally nowadays if I make a playlist to listen to on a journey, it's composed of mainly rough-edged production, such as Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails, Job for a Cowboy, Whitechapel, etc. Really, tune and melody aren't necessarily the selling points of an album for me, but the overall feel of dirtiness and, more rarely, a genuine sense of grittiness. It's perhaps a difficult thing to pin down because I have different preferences for difference genres, within and without metal, but I think if there were any uniting factors that describe what I like, it would be hard-hitting brick wall mastering and a good beat you can jump up and down like a metalhead on a trampoline to, sitting around very sparsely edited guitars. Which ends up being not too far off most black metal bands, one particular example such as Behemoth's O Father, O Satan, O Sun (after about a minute of intro).

 

On the other hand, I have no music education, other than what I've taught myself (through trial and error largely), which is perhaps why my songwriting is generally rather makeshift, following more what interests me more than what conventional successful artists' writing would suggest. In fact I try to, as I'm well aware of the rise of djent and post-metalcore as supposed genres, and I've no intention of going down that route, on the basis of knowing that is what many bands are doing. It's possible that (somewhat unintentionally) my choice to write black metal as opposed to anything else was influenced by the fact that so few new bands are doing that type of thing, even less so in the UK. I know a fair number of the local rock and metal groups where I live, and there's absolutely nothing resembling black metal here.

 

By the way, I think it's worth saying that I genuinely appreciate your taking an interest too - it really does mean a hell of a lot that you're taking out the time to respond to this, especially that it's not your preferred taste  

[duke_Qa]

As an old and jaded creative goon, I do know its important to come with good feedback and well-wishes now and then. This certainly deserved a bit of a kudos, as even I manage to notice that there's some work going into it. 

 

No musical education either? More props for doing something creative with your spare time then. I wish I had that sort of drive these days

 

I guess I'm getting old, Iron maiden and Dream theater are the only bands I'd like to listen to among those listed, and Dream Theater is not the same no more. I see the logic of looking for something with a gritty feel to it, but I'd probably go for Silent Hill soundtracks and more industrial ambient things than something rocked up like metal to get it.

 

Oh well, this one has been simmering for a while, might as well just post it and get to bed.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

No musical education either? More props for doing something creative with your spare time then. I wish I had that sort of drive these days 

Well, I suppose considering that my main productivity is doing art, it makes sense to do something equally but differently creative, yeah. 

 

I guess I'm getting old, Iron maiden and Dream theater are the only bands I'd like to listen to among those listed, and Dream Theater is not the same no more. I see the logic of looking for something with a gritty feel to it, but I'd probably go for Silent Hill soundtracks and more industrial ambient things than something rocked up like metal to get it.

Don't worry, it's not an age thing as far as I'm concerned, Iron Maiden's still a favourite among my generation's metal-lovers, but for me Dream Theater's an every-so-often thing for me - I only am in the mood for it sometimes, probably because it's a taste which I haven't quite yet acquired. On the other hand, I agree that probably gritty suits ambient stuff well, though I haven't listened to the Silent Hill soundtracks for a long time (and last time I don't think I quite got ambient at that point). A bit of Gnaw Their Tongues is probably my staple ambient stuff, and I do agree that perhaps is more gritty, if not grotty, than any conventional metal.

[OmegaBolt]

Well it's definitely something. Can't say I've ever been a fan of this kind of stuff, it's just noise to me and I can't understand what the guys saying either. If it was a segment in a song done for poetic reasons then I'd understand it more.

 

Is this all electronic or did you play the instruments? Do you have a band? Did you do everything on this? With all the disortion I can't really tell, although I'd guess the drums are electronic. If you can play guitar then we should collaborate on something... do something with melodic and nice rhythm segments mixed with gnarlier electronic/metal stuff . Something with atmosphere about a kid being thrown out of home and becoming a homeless guy who prophesied the end of the world, and is right.

Edited by OmegaBolt, 05 June 2015 - 12:18 PM.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

The guitar parts are part-recorded (with me playing as much as I'm physically able) and part synthesised. I can't "play" guitar, but I can do enough instructional work based on synthesised guitars to make a recording. I'm not sure if that explains it, so basically what I do is I write it with my keyboard, transcribe it to guitar with synthesising software, then play as much of it as I can, in order to create real recordings. The drums are recorded using the same method, but playing snares and kicks in one session, toms in another, and hats and crashes in another, so I can mix them independently, and record them un-muddiedly. Unfortunately that makes it rather difficult to do 'proper' collaborations, and for that I'd consider myself a vocalist and songwriter more than a player :( however I'd love to give it a try at some point.

[Mathijs]

I'll record some guitars for you if you don't mind doing a punk rock song.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

I don't know if that's in reference to OB or me, but at some point I'd love to try that too. I'm open to experimentation

[The Smoking Man™]

Greetings,

 

I just discovered this topic. So these tracks are yours? If so then I'll listen to them.

 

If not then I won't.

[Irenë Hawnetyne]

Haha, indeed they are mine

[The Smoking Man™]

Interesting stuff, sounded clean on these extra bass headphones of mine.