I am finally moving in direction towards the new record that I’ve been talking about for a while now. I’ve got the electric guitars in the bag for the first two tracks (for the most part), and now I’ve got two new tracks to work on. There had been some distractions for a while, but I think that I’ve actually got things sorted now and I’m back on track to produce something that is going to hopefully be unique in today’s less-than-unique metal scene. Not super “new”, necessarily, but a new approach to familiar things. A blending of the music I love into something great.
I have yet to decide on a lyrical theme. Before I wrote the fourth track, I was pretty sure that I had one down, but now I’m not so sure. It makes the whole planning process a bit of a pain in the ass, but again, it’ll sort itself out. The recording process itself has been pretty fun for the most part. One major thing has been that I’m trying to keep things more raw. A lot of the reviewing and music listening that I’ve been doing has made me realize just how over-the-top the industry is with production right now. And while I like *clear* production I also like bands that sound like they went into the studio and played their instruments. In this case I’m trying to do most everything in one or two takes in order to have a more raw approach and I think it’s going to work out for me, but I guess you’ll be the judges of that in the long run.
Also, it’s not certain yet, but it looks like I’ve got someone else to play bass on this record. I think that this is a major development because bass is a completely underrated instrument in its importance. I love bands with good bass, think Steve Digiorgio or Martin Mendez or Jeroen Paul Thessling. Having a great bass approach on this music will definitely help carve its own sound, as well helping to pin up what I consider to be one of the weakest aspects of my own music—a lack of fretless bass.
Recording Under Way
So I can officially announce to the 18 of you who read my blog (thanks!), that I am in the process of recording a new full length record. What started as a 30 minute EP has morphed into something a bit longer (45 minutes roughly) and I think I am going to call it a full length. The release date of this record are completely unknown. When I am fully finished with a number of the tracks I will start demoing it to indie record labels to see if anyone will actually bother releasing it.
I have high hopes for the new material, because it’s a direction that I don’t think a lot of people have ever gone. While I can see some comparisons to Opeth or Edge of Sanity being made, I do really think that this is going to be a unique release, in tone, feel and musicianship. One that I think will be best approached with an open mind.
I have stated from the beginning that the point of Æthereal is to be an ever changing entity that helps me best express what I want to express through music. This means that the music will never conform to the standards of a genre and I think that this bothers some. But I truly believe that this new record will appeal to fans of progressive music and death metal and I hope that’s the case.
I can tell you this about the new record. As it stands right now it will be thematic, and this time it will be thematic musically as well as lyrically. And it will consist of 6 songs, one of which I have already posted a demo sample of.
I have also enlisted a fretless bass player to hold down the bass end for the final project and I feel strongly that this is going to be awesome when it’s finished.
Let’s hope this all turns out as well as its intended.