Off to record the new album!

[dj150888]

Currently feeling that mixture of stress and excitement that comes from getting ready to record. We're (Darkest Era by the way) off to Foel Studios in Wales, where Primordial, Porcupine Tree, Ozric Tentacles and, believe it or not, Showaddywaddy have all recorded. We've been fortunate enough to be picked up by Metal Blade records so we've been able to work at a higher budget than we ever have before, especially with us all being students! I'll be keeping this thread updated, sort of as my own personal diary for the memories, but if anyone takes a slight interest, feel free to join in a conversation!

Hopefully it'll work out well, we're taking a big gamble with putting an acoustic song on a metal album, but as soon as we're finished and so on and so forth, I'll stick a few samples up on here for critique and general comments.


Wish me luck!

[tangentmusic]

All the best on your recording adventure! Try your best to be as relaxed as possible. I know the nerves! An acoustic song on a metal album can go over well. Think "Laguna Sunrise" on Black Sabbath Vol 4

[faulknersj]

Congrats!! Who will be producing the album and what is his background?

[lowfreqgeek]

I know how you feel...

Sunday afternoon we start 5 days of recording an EP with Barry Goldberg engineering for us. Barry's credits include Fleetwood Mac, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few.

I'm good with it - ready to go to work. The guitarist/songwriter/co-singer worked with Barry at The Village in L.A., and our drummer went to high school with Barry and has remained friends since. Barry's doing this for free - well, for the cost of his buddies hosting him on a couch for a week, so I'm just along for the ride.

In the mean time, you can be sure I'm getting all my gear in order and making sure I know the material. It'll go by quick, but I love the recording process.

Good luck with yours!

[dj150888]

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Congrats!! Who will be producing the album and what is his background?

The album'll be produced by Chris Fielding who has produced material for Electric Wizard, The Stranglers, Napalm Death, Wildhearts and Porcupine Tree, amongst others.

I'm most excited about the fact that he's worked with Porcupine Tree, as Colin Edwin has had some of my favourite recorded bass tones in the last decade.

I'm also digging the fact that Dave Anderson runs the studio, he's the guy that Lemmy replaced in Hawkwind.

Flights are in several hours, I'm currently sat running through the demos making sure things don't clash at all.

[Lazylion]

Good luck, may the creative juices flow unrestrained!

[Kink Rimson]

My band recorded our last album at Foel, with Chris.
It'a wonderful place.

www.myspace.com/sonsofmerrick

[TheVoiceless]

Best of luck!!

[dj150888]

So, day one was interesting. Spent most of the morning getting the drum kit mic'ed and set up for the sort of tone we wanted, recorded the first song and somehow one of the lugs on the snare broke, had to get a different snare, reskin it, tune it and then re-record that track, as well as that, I've been hit by a bad dose of the cold, but we've a few drum tracks finished. We'll be spending the next few days on those and then onto the rest.


Chris has been an absolute gentleman to work with so far, a great mix of being laid back and relaxed, yet still getting the best out of everyone, and the welsh countryside is totally inspirational. We're up in the hills and valleys of the welsh countryside, miles from any semblance of real civilisation, with zero signal on mobile phones, so we've nothing to do but totally focus on recording, closing in the nights with a small beverage or two Spirits are high and the ambience and atmosphere are perfect for the vibe we're trying to capture!

Anyway, off to bed, early start tomorrow!

[Kink Rimson]

Originally Posted by dj150888

So, day one was interesting. Spent most of the morning getting the drum kit mic'ed and set up for the sort of tone we wanted, recorded the first song and somehow one of the lugs on the snare broke, had to get a different snare, reskin it, tune it and then re-record that track, as well as that, I've been hit by a bad dose of the cold, but we've a few drum tracks finished. We'll be spending the next few days on those and then onto the rest.


Chris has been an absolute gentleman to work with so far, a great mix of being laid back and relaxed, yet still getting the best out of everyone, and the welsh countryside is totally inspirational. We're up in the hills and valleys of the welsh countryside, miles from any semblance of real civilisation, with zero signal on mobile phones, so we've nothing to do but totally focus on recording, closing in the nights with a small beverage or two Spirits are high and the ambience and atmosphere are perfect for the vibe we're trying to capture!

Anyway, off to bed, early start tomorrow!

Have they fixed the sky box yet? All we could get was the History channel.

Our drummer had a bizarre experience in the drum room - he kept hearing a voice whispering 'louder, louder, louder' over his headphones. Spooked us right up it did.


Say hi to Chris, from Sons of Merrick!

[dj150888]

So drums are all finished now and sounding great. We brought our own kit, a pretty high end DW one, it sounds absolutely fantastic recorded.

My dose of the cold has developed into a chest infection, but I'll be damned if that'll hold me back.


There were some videos taken last night that could be used as very serious blackmail....including an acoustic/folk version of number of the beast, with three part vocal harmonies....

Times are good

[dj150888]

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

Have they fixed the sky box yet? All we could get was the History channel.

Our drummer had a bizarre experience in the drum room - he kept hearing a voice whispering 'louder, louder, louder' over his headphones. Spooked us right up it did.


Say hi to Chris, from Sons of Merrick!

Sky box isn't quite fixed....we've got around 12 channels, none of them the history channel