Some Morbid Angel fans lament or just wonder what it would’ve been like if Heretic had better low end. It seems that Steve Tucker’s bass track was not sufficiently mixed in. Well alright, here’s a “re-mastered” rendition with more low end. I AM NOT crazy about the idea of processing something that’s been processed/limited/dithered/bit-reduced such as a ripped audio track from a CD, but this is just to hear it in a different light; a small sonic experiment. I did some balancing with harmonics and little EQ. “Corrected” upper mid’s to let the instruments pop more; it’s like more “color” in some strange sonic way. If you can extrapolate the benefits of what was done here and try to ignore or understand the artifacts and side-effects because of the nature of the file then all the better. As an audio engineer and fan of [older] Morbid Angel I could only wish to have Morbid Angel raw mixes to properly master or even better raw tracks to re-mix!
[Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.]
Let me say the original master is problematic because of the mix. It could very well be, as fans were pondering, that Steve, again liked the sound of what they got as for a track or raw tone. But they didn’t mix in bass in a balanced way. So obviously with a done mix (and to make matters worse, a done master in this case) it’s extremely difficult to try and tweak something specific. The kick drum is very resonant in several octaves, that doesn’t help.
Here’s my personal take on the subjective and aesthetic quality of Heretic’s particular sound. I suppose the overall outcome of Heretic can render it having ”a sound”. — I kind of get it, you know? The whole sound and vision I think Trey Azagthoth was going for would kind of make you imaginitively depart to another time period in a sense. Really anaylzing Heretic you may realize it has somewhat of a vinyl LP sound. When they cut vinyl back in the day they had to do special filtering so as to keep extended low end to a minimum at risk of letting grooves get too deep. since low frequencies are big and intrusive (that’s what she said) they would also need more real estate on the medium. Heretic has this sound: low mid range forward, sort of a covered old school sound. even the guitar distortion is like a ripped speaker: buzzy and extended high’s with less biting mid-range. Modern sounds are just the opposite. Anyway, I think it was part of the idea of going back to a time where defiance, especially in the arts, had a place in creating atmosphere and sending a message. People may be appreciated creative things more because 1) they didn’t come by them as easy as we have it now and 2) things were not rushed then; they were introverted, more internal less distractions. So what better time to make an impact through music and dark music at that, than to put oneself in that time period where music and the like was not taken for granted. It also meant a dark and brooding style of music (think Black sabbath and their impact at that time!) had THAT much more impact; heretical atmosphere. Anyway, it seems this type of sound is something done with intent rather than relegated in this day and age. I do think the sound was an artistic decision.
“Psychoacoustic” is more or less a broad general term to describe any kind of aural phenomena. By this it means for example creating the perception of that which is really not there or such as creating various presentations of a mix of signals depending on their relationships. In Heretic’s case, because of the masking and interplay of the low-mid range, and because of the primary effects of low-mid’s, the songs come across as feeling sort of covered and one dimensional. Now back to the effect of lo-mids: here one could find frequencies that create body, present upper harmonics for lower frequency fundamentals, and warmth. But these decriptors are implying such characteristics when everything is in a particular balance. When the balance is out of whack, then expect to get the adverse effects of the given range. Like in this case, the body from these frequencies is turning more into “boxy”; the upper harmonics are dominating without the fundamentals properly intact (once again, insufficient bass guitar); and generally what should be warmth is now a stopped and bloated sound which in turn psychoacoustically would make you perceive even less lower frequency content, less punch, and less articulate high’s. Meanwhile, with the right “spectral carving”, you can make the same mix come alive by shifting these balances – or imbalances in this case. BUT all of this “technically correct” processes are implicitly precluded with subjectivity. Like I was saying above, it’s obvious to me at this point Trey really really wanted this particular sound for this record, it was total intention.
I’d like to share my thoughts about Illud Divinum Insanus because Morbid Angel after all was a huge inspiration and ‘spiritual’
outlet for me as a developing musician. My thoughts here are more of a philosophical analysis of what has happened to Morbid Angel
regarding this new album. Also I am trying to evaluate what has happened here not through opinion but through the relatively “objective”
sense of what identity is and why something is perceived to be what it is; that this aspect of identifying things for its particular character is
part of life and actually ensures richness and variety in life when that which known to be a certain way more or less retains its fundamental
character. Lest it be considered something else at that point!
Let me preface the bulk of my discussion with something at least somewhat humorous: I did repeatedly think a few times that the previews we’ve heard of this album
were part of an elaborate hoax and prank by the band. Logically a joke of this caliber would’ve illustrated the name of the album in a more profound and reinforcing
way! And i thought then on June 6th the real album would be unleashed! …anyway…
Yes I think Morbid Angel has “passed away.” By that I mean the Morbid Angel we all knew and loved is gone. Will some of these songs sound like Morbid Angel?
Will they be successful? Is it not the right thing to do to move on with the times? Respectively I answer: sure, parts here and there will hearken back to an allusion
of the Morbid Angel we know; I think they will probably be financially successful and yea it’s important to stay somewhat relevant. But I also add: does the Morbid
Angel spirit remain? No, I think that’s what is dead and gone.
Success can come from doing you’re thing and being prominent in the public eye and there’s nothing wrong with that. But is this the Morbid Angel, again, that we
have known to love? I don’t think so. Staying fresh and relevant is great! Experimentation as an admixture is important. But does one completely revamp themselves
in which the ethos, vibe, and spirit is just something else? Shouldn’t it then indeed be something else? When Metallica died after And Justice For All (but subsequently resurrected itself with Death Magnetic – although sonically that album sounds terrible), shouldn’t have been named and reorganized as some other band? The point I’m trying to make is that with anything, the true rendition of itself is always present and growing in its early form. Individuals, groups, artists should be all considered emergence; events rising; power centers. Within that power center all conviction, ideology, and thought is pushed and delivered through some creative means. But make no mistake about it, that’s what it is all about for them at the offset. With that there’s a certain brutality, harshness, and
detachment that comes with it but that’s the price you pay! Who here denies that there was such an engulfing feeling of the true Morbid Angel spirit back in the day?
Something that removed us from mundane perspectives, even for the atheist?! Morbid Angel did that to you; as an event they took you to other planes “beyond” yourself
with force, feeling, and a pure anger that was justified by the world around it. There was something truly dark but organic, evil but befriending, maniacal but intelligent,
detached but inspirational about the Morbid Angel we all knew. What I feel now is accessibility, something industrial, familiar, mainstream, more accommodating, more
extroverted, more plebeian, more – human.
I’m not casting blame onto Morbid Angel as if this weren’t some global phenomena that doesn’t happen to everyone. It happens every day and it will happen to virtually everyone.
(And yeah I suppose this is yet even more philosophical and impractical perspectives on my part: this doing away with free will). The time comes when an individual comes to an age
where conviction becomes simply a means to live and get along, not something strong thwarted to destroy and isolate, such as previous Morbid Angel. I can understand that, but this still
doesn’t mean this album doesn’t warrant heavy criticism. I get it, money becomes important as well as living comfortably but here’s the irony that kills me and may be you too: I think,
I truly believe that the proverbial Morbid Angel style and spirit would actually have stood tall amongst modern trends and times as we know it now. A tincture of seriousness, more
direct metal (with relevant updates), Vincent and co. in fatigues or cargoes, an organic, salubrious approach, and an utmost sense of a detached ‘spirtuality’ without a hot-topic, carnival flare to it. Imagine that, happening now. But forget it, that’s what is long passed and it can’t come back. It’s a falling power configuration as opposed to when they were younger it was ascending; into
more power; into no thresholds; unadulterated complexity that made Morbid Angel what it was. The symbolism of the change is all there with the [temporary?] departure of
Sandoval and the additions of Yueng and Thor and how ironic to say the return of Vincent. (Nothing against them personally, just illuminating a dramatic point in change).
But about Vincent I say that because Vincent’s intentions and focus is something else now; less pure and less prolific.
They will most likely be successful but in a different way. Not our way; not what we loved and what shook us at the core. Again, may be within the motley disarray of this
album the sonority of the once mighty Morbid Angel will shine through here and there or perhaps through a song or two. But the disappoint lies within the greater picture.
The small details that are dropped on us day to day to the build up of the album are mere symptoms. This fall; this degradation is an inner event…
Sorry if this is all overly dramatic but I’m saying what I think and it’s also cathartic at the same time as an “original” and long-time fan. The celestial
event known to us as “Morbid Angel” is over. it is something else now: an era for the neo-metal abstracted and unaware kids indeed…
Now what of the individual argument in favoring this new record and vibe or not? This is of course so ‘subjective’ but then again there is such a thing as a collective subjectivity of
like minds, is there not? Let’s think about it. Would there otherwise exist the concept of a “fan-base”? Would fan forums exist? Would any collective function such as concerts even exist?
One may find themselves defending the ethos of something from the past but the remaining question is does it stir something in you? Does it raise hairs or “take” you to another level
of thought? I can only answer for me but I can also remember that we are still a collective perception more or less about this. So I must also suspect that others feel the same way as I do
on some level. Some will show it others I think will fight it. This has been evident the past 2 months or so. And yes some off the beaten path will perhaps be in sync with this new Morbid
Angel.
Just to interject something here about David Vincent since I did mention his return in part as an obstacle to the more natural progression of Morbid Angel (note i say morbid Angel and not any individual such as Trey. I’ll elaborate on that more later). There’s some criticism impending towards the ideas of Mr. Vincent these days as he was recently asked why he does not play Formulas Fatal To The Flesh, Gateways To Annihilation, and of course Heretic material. I’m going to be quite frank and say I think Mr Vincent is skipping out on something that he otherwise
contradicts in his praise of Trey. Case in point: he is always calling him a freak for his creativity; a genius; a riff master, etc. You can find him saying this all the way back
to Domination. Then suddenly the material that Trey writes where Vincent is not involved is not good enough? Has “no hate” has he was quoted saying??? Come on! Aside from
the subjective absurdity of evaluating music as hateful or not, most die-hard Morbid Angel fans can agree at the very least Formulas Fatal To The Flesh is an amazing album.
And subsequent works had still, at the very least, an authentic visceral Morbid Angel vibe to them. Now coming from the figurehead of a time where Morbid Angel is falling short
in terms of that classic Morbid Angel aura where they were able to uphold in the past no matter what record, that the records he was not on is not good enough to play, I am quite
suspicious of. I’m finding Vincent more and more to be a diversion to Morbid Angel rather than reinforcement. Not to mention the muddying in values! You want to define “hate?”
I don’t feel “hate” or anger from these titles and lyrics let alone from what I feel and hear of Illud Divinum Insanus . No, I find this all an excuse to not perform an expression he
had no hand in [F - h albums] which is in direct contradiction to lauding Trey. It’s not about the music then, it’s about himself. That my friends is frustrating and limiting.
Now, there remains yet another popular question from a minority [not necessarily in quantity!] of fans which is “Why don’t we give it [Illud] a chance?! You aren’t true fans if you don’t support Morbid angel any way. Quit being so negative!”
I think they may be confusing “fan” with “sycophant”… There are a good number of very dedicated Morbid Angel fans who have been following the band’s work for quite some time now. Such as
myself and the good people at the excellent Mabb.us forum. we’ve been beguiled and captivated by everything surrounding the Morbid Angel vibe, the music, the attitudes, the power-centering philosophies. Whether these be indirect sublimation of power such as with the occult ideologies or the militant/philosophical perspectives like on Domination: they are/were all good, genuine, relevant, poetic, and classy. Now, for the sake of NOT circumventing this other notion being thrown around here that Morbid Angel records are all distinctive and this new one follows suite, I must say that in respects to the delivery of these ideologies; and yes the music even; the vibe, all Morbid Angel records shared a common thread. What bothers most of us veterans of the classic Morbid Angel camp is that all of that is missing so far with the new stuff. The idea that something must be glaringly different to be considered not “rehashed” is a dangerous and wanton attitude towards anything artistic! I mean, what kind of life-contradicting sentiment is this? Things are recognizable because they are what they are! To utterly remove that identity is to fabricate something else. MA, as I said before, is now something else. At times I feel like I am sensing, hearing, feeling some kind of electric-shock-industrial band who has influences of MA in it, not MA garnishing what MA should be! So I ask to those who ask the initial question above, have you considered the idea that this is indeed what has happened? That “The MA” ship has sailed? I feel almost suspicious that you are so overtly optimistic about the new stuff. Our “negativity” is a reaction not a culprit. To that end, I wouldn’t even call it negativity, just sincere backlash and to be honest severe disappointment. These are in good faith though: they only demonstrate how committed we were to Morbid Angel all of these years; the amount of ‘spiritual’ sovereignty it gave us – even if one didn’t believe in the literal meanings of the lyrical content. It’s a big insult to call genuine fans of so many years “close minded”. It’s actually irritating; it seems like side-stepping in accepting what is actually happening here. Our inveterate dedication all of these years in fact dictates our hypersensitivity to what we sense is coming – in many cases now, what has already arrived. All of their albums were distinctive, yet Morbid Angel. This thus far, even beyond the tangibility of it, is not Morbid Angel – as we knew it. It is something else. It is new in the sense that its identity is lost.
Another argument of “musical inspiration” is also propagated in defending this new record by some people. I say to you: you are using the blanket statement of “musical inspiration” and allowing it to mean ANYTHING. That’s a bullshit neo, new-age attitude of liberalism: another form of mental disorder. You want to allow flagrant and indolent expressions take root in an artists’ soil and you call that progression; you call it inspiration. I call it nonsense and chicanery. I notice this sophistry such as on facebook comments as well as personal insults towards fans who are antagonistic
to this new album. but we “antagonists” are not “buying” any of this; we’re not “buying” the new Morbid Angel. We of course admire and embrace the old stuff because they stayed true to what they are, not having shape shifted into a modern mishmash of lazy and uninspired crap that WE easily identify as having lost its identity! To this degree again this is not about opinions! I keep laughing to myself. It is short-sighted at best to think that this is a matter of a small stylistic question. This is a matter of core essence! Something of which is lacking and we are pointing out. And yes we are the true fans because we care enough to not allow just any offering be claimed as a work of art – this is the best kind of check and balance a fan could provide for an artist. Slowly it is evident this is NOT just my codex, this is a shared sentiment. I am simply a mouth piece for it
Being “original” is not doing something new. In fact, eventually, nothing will be new. There will only be scales and degrees of quality. Original should denote being yourself. If it stands out, it stands out. Morbid Angel were a force to be reckoned with and totally didn’t need a gimmick or something out of left field to be “good”. They were good by virtue of BEING THEMSELVES; being morbid Angel. It’s not cool or original to try and redefine what you should be, it’s lame. I said it before, all of their previous albums are distinct but contiguous. There was a natural evolution and flow with their stamp still on it. Illud jumps the shark. Better yet, Illud is the symbol and sign of having jumped the shark: the indicator of something else occurring.
I really do not like the reviews and praise from other peer classic Death metal bands that recently emerged. It’s a simple case of peer ingratiation and lauding, nothing else. The scratch each other’s back syndrome. Do you really think these closely knit people would speak poorly about each other’s endeavors? Especially now? I suspect most of these people are sensing the 11th hour so what else could be done! “Back in the day”, it used to be colder and more detached. It was about writing aggressive and brutal artistic music and that sense of detachment pushed an artist (MA) to respond with the same sense of aggression and brute through their music. These coerced peer reviews are arguments from authority at there best. There’s an innocent flaw here that was prevalent in the hearts of MA fans: to assume that anybody, even a person who has done it before, can potentially create great music at any given point in time. Then to assume that that person or band who has done it before has automatically done it again is also I think a mistake. We could say it’s a result of an egalitarianism type of thinking. That is why it’s even better to use these famed figureheads in making claims and appealing to their authority instead. Coupled with the flawed sentiment of long-time, long-awaiting fans it’s a crude tactic. but in truth the general atmosphere is too relaxed; too happy-go-lucky. Anything good comes from pressure and overcoming and this album sounds like the antithesis to that: just lazy. The consideration of Morbid Angel’s earlier works is so important as it precludes the opinion-argument that is trying to be pushed by those liking the new record. And as I said my main argument was never about opinion. One only needs to question whether or not this is MA (as we know them) by listening, taking in the vibe, the lyrics and so forth. Without interjecting any opinion, right? So by virtue of these statements and peer reviews, they are apathetic towards the quality of this album and merely want to give Morbid Angel good press. Because they are doing away with any marker that gives rise to identifying Morbid Angel (again no singular individual, Morbid Angel as a collective identifiable unit). If there is nothing to identify then you are not loving anything but everything so long as it has a name and stigma attached to it. That’s absurd just as these mini reviews are. If it’s the case that they actually like it then they too have lost the sense of discerning identity in what’s been established as Morbid Angel. Either way they put themselves in a very inimical position for their own reputations and image with their remarks. They just don’t realize that there will be those who will dissect these types of comments in their transparency. BUT – they’re doing their peers a deed, OK, I get it. Doesn’t make any of it more true because they say it.
There are small parts here and there on this album that are reminiscent of Morbid Angel but that’s not what I like a band for. I like an album and band as a whole not like the top 100 charts culture where singles and one-offs rule. In the past we got brutal, aggressive, profound Morbid Angel with additive experimentation as filler no less. Now it seems we get the opposite and bad mainstream versions of it!… Like their previous work, I want to hear not only what makes Morbid Angel as we know it but I want it consistent all throughout. This includes lyrics, themes, music of course, even image, and vibe. I don’t want to pick and choose a track here and a track there. Since when is Morbid Angel a flea market in music??
Modernism is some ways is a pandemic. Why? It gives way to unprecedented ways of thinking which makes man feel good because he seems to be coming up with a new line of thinking, right? Makes sense. But, sacrificing meaning, coherence, and identity for the sake of new fashionable ways of thinking is HORSESHIT to me.
All in all friends, this is not related to opinion or “subjectivity”. Insert any foreign element from whatever genre and it is the same conclusion. It has to do with identifying something for what it is based on what it had set out to do and has done. Morbid Angel has always been distinct with every album but every album builds upon that similar foundation. You’re getting the same infrastructure structure, which is the structure that drew you in to begin with, with variations. Without surprise, this retains the quality in identifying it for what it is: Morbid Angel. I mean it’s becoming illogical to assume that something identifiable should be something else. I get it to a certain extent when the pseudo-new-age ideologies declare that an event has the meaning you give it. OK fine, but we certainly don’t give the identity of something we only interpret it. The finer points of that interpretation is “subjective” and personal as well any liking or disliking of it. But we don’t exist in a vacuum where the external world doesn’t impress upon us a “something” that gives rise to a collective and shared idea of identities; recurrence to continue to identify it. To deny this as the foundation to life would mean one wakes up every day in literal chaos. Very simply, none of us do. To take this element of identity and do whatever at your own whim and still try to label it just the same is absurd. That also signifies again that life is a free-for-all, wholly and that once more is not true. Most of the vibe and music and lyrics of Illud Dvinum Insanus would not even be identifiable without the ease of the given identity of the usual creators involved (trey, etc).
The “pushing the boundaries” argument is tiring too, while it relegates itself to this absurdity of going beyond the identity of something but still calling it the same thing. Had they released this with a different moniker, I would’ve heard it and made my personal call about it and left it, that’s it. But it is assuming the Morbid Angel moniker and it’s history and repertoire as its own and it’s a misnomer at this point. Am I saying this is not what Trey is or what he feels genuinely? No, not at all. This is what I was referring to earlier. We can say it’s all him as a person; that this is his life path! But the name and impression of “Morbid Angel” this is NOT. Like it or not.
Liking this style has absolutely nothing to do with the error in identifying this as Morbid Angel, which is what my point is all about.
To that end I can’t really debate what one thinks Illud Divinum Insanus sounds like. I can only say I am quite skeptical that it is being identified with unadulterated perception simply because of who is involved.But more importantly the only objective proof not based on perception is the isolated nature of this album opposed to other works. I mean on that point anybody can agree on it. Whoever says it’s not totally different is on another planet. Therefore aside from my personal opinion that it isn’t an MA album – and as an exemplar of the collective identification of things due to others simply feeling the same way – I must say based on all elements Illud Divinum Insanus is not a true Morbid Angel album. It’s an estranged effort of Trey Azagthoth and David Vincent immersed in other personal agendas. Trey, if at all possible, get back up on the horse and give us a searing slab of true Death Metal the classic Morbid Angel way, please. If it’s no longer in you that’s okay, hang up the gloves with some integrity and do what you feel under a different moniker.
In this video I explore the underlying occult elements that can be found since Altars of Madness. Trey Azagthoth has been masterminding more than you may have even realized.
And for fun, I give my forecast of the new album’s release date based on numerology as well. Check out the video here, and don’t forget to comment and rate over at youtube too! Some time before the release date and posting this video I added a date reversal of my forecast which would make the new Morbid Angel album release date 6/3 or June 3rd as a possible date too.
EDIT: ok, so it turns out the release date is 6/6/11 Yea this was off by 3 days but I think in this case it was a coincidence. This forecast thing was only for fun nay way. The rest of the numerology pertaining to the other previous albums is totally legit though! There was definitely an unraveling of some mastermind work giong on there by Trey. \m/
VCult – Unique Distortion – New Nebula Library Available!
VCult is here finally!
VCult is inspired by a unique distortion/coloring box like the The Vulture Culture. It can range from subtle distortion to more obvious color and character. The distortion is derivative of multiple tubes including 6AS6 as the main source. This library will give the flexibility between adding weight and color or obvious tone shaping. Both presets, on all settings, will create “fullness.”
Preset “P6” is inherently darker, rounder, warmer, and even fuller than preset “T”.
Use P6 for solid and thick vibe with obvious tone right off the start. T is more subtle but also has the potential to be more obvious but differing from P6 in that it maintains certain “fidelity”. Here, fidelity is a loose term and a relativeone at that because generally warming things up sometimes means rounding of high-end fidelity and accuracy and accenting the track elsewhere. It’s not just a frequency thing however! Frequency, harmonic, dynamic, and phase interactions change the perception of what something sounds like.
Two separate library presets included at a little over 100 MB Free Demo available: limited to the “T” preset with up to +3 ‘Bias’ adjustment and +3 dB ‘Drive’ adjustment. Distortion response, etc., all otherwise intact. Free Preset Demo: http://www.divshare.com/download/12729553-db6
Intended for mastering (of course though, feel free to experiment), i.e. full stereo mixes or instrument bus groups; especially with low end content, this is based on a custom analog/digital chain that is intended to “clean-up” low end while mostly intensifying lower level harmonic content. Although primarily aimed at low level low-mid frequency content, subtle higher details are also brought to the forefront.
The purpose here is to hopefully bring about fuller and more forward sounding programmaterial albeit in a non-traditional sense of compression or dynamic controlling. Aconsequence and benefit of this psycho-acoustic processing is the saving of a dB here andthere, sometimes more depending on the specific material at hand: fuller sounds at a similar output. A similar characteristic of the preset “So Transcited”. Very simple however: 3 processing levels, with the “Drive” parameter but better explained in the Read-me.
The demo is definitely subtle and with the full version (posting soon) you can get even more fullness, richness, etc. But give it a shot, leave comments, let me know what you think of this crazy little bastard.
Not Feeble is inspired by the J0e meek “Q” series. There is a total of 141 MB ofprogram separated into three 10K presets: LO, LOMID, and HIMID. The best way to describe this EQ is that it possesses somewhat the open aggression of a “British” sound but also a tightness that could be found in a reputable american EQ. It’s somewhat of a hybrid. There is a set broad musical Q of about .9. There are demos of each range fully featured but limited to one frequency in each file.
“Xformer Verda” – transformer driven low frequency EQ
Xformer Verda is inspired by the J0e meek “Q” series. However this is an input transformer driven low band EQ. The demo is limited to one frequency with full tonal character intact. A perfect compliment to ‘Not Feeble’ EQ.
‘Top Dog 100′ – free guitar preset library for Nebula
Top Dog 100 is based on a custom signal chain focused around the old Boss 100 Guitar preamp. This is an all analog driver with different modes of operation. You will find that using this as a front end driving Pre before your main guitar emulation Pre, will tightened up the sound. It will impart an almost 3-D quality to flatter sounding digital emulation, letting the strings shine and enhancing the relative guitar mid range without harshness. Listen to the examples and also try it for yourself!
This is completely FREE for all Nebula users with all [10k] Kernels intact. I’m considering a more extensive, involved release possibly in the future.
It doesn’t seem too long ago when one of my previous bands Randall Flagg was banished from Myspace for some time. By doing our part as a band and promoting ourselves, we were “flagged” as SPAMMERS and had our profile deleted for a significant amount of time. This signified that when a band does some actual leg work to enhance their status, they must be admonished. Well, Myspace’s (and Facebook) hyprocrisy has come full circle now. It seems that all along, as I said 2 years ago, that these corporations want one thing. Exorbitant amounts of traffic, oceans of users and self-made emperors stroking and catering to the ego that pilots them and their haughty profiles, and revenue to generate the money. All this at any cost apparently. Now putting these subtler crimes of ”do as we say but don’t do anything that truly individualizes you or you will be marked as SPAM” aside for a moment, let’s focus now on the more apparent atrocious acts on their part. It turns out these social sites such as Myspace have been giving out personal information of their users. See the article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100521/tc_ynews/ynews_tc2189
For the sake of knowing what happened thereafter, we did fight back! We had a pretty immense petition and fans who backed us up, as well as legal representation. And even though initially Myspace denied that they deleted our profile of 4 years or that they could make any sense of what was going on or that our profile even existed, they were “able” to magically restore our profile after a month and a half down-time. After this personal experience Myspace has always infuriated me. Their ingratiating fork-tongue “smile” along with their greedy paws extended to shake your hand and welcome you into some empty promise of social happiness and achievement by joining their website. All along toting the lies that they are the platform for you dear reader to express yourself as an “individual”. And when you took the initiative to utilize this tool of what you thought was nourishment for thwarting yourself into higher status amongst fans of your art or music, they clamped down on you as a SPAMMER. But who turns out to be the biggest con of all?? Precisely the accusers. I myself even in using Myspace – as the momentum and presence of the majority of the world makes it impossible to not use it lest it’d be a personal harm and stupidity – I’ve always wanted their demise. I can only hope for it.
One last note: I’m not sure how many people know this but Myspace started as a SPAM company. It’s genealogy is that of SPAM!! Read Trent Lapinski’s perspectives on this. Pretty interesting stuff and all the more reason to take Myspace down:
Well, here is some of my original music for you guys to check out. My band/project has completed a few songs and I’m just posting them gradually here and there like myspace and youtube, etc…
So far, I posted 2 songs on our myspace page and 1 on youtube. Now although I can’t say we sound like our “influences”, we’ve definitely drawn inspiration and excitement from certain bands. When we were growing up it was Metallica and further down the road Morbid Angel. In the past 10 years or so The Dillinger Escape Plan and Every Time I Die definitely do it for us. Another band that I’ve discovered I do enjoy listening to and found some likeness in some elusive way would be French metal band Gojira. Just recently somebody made a cool comparison of us with Candiria. Funny thing is I actually have never listened to them before but the insight led me to check them out and I do dig their metal/experiemental jazzy stuff quite a bit. At any rate, I can perhaps elements of these bands coealsce in our collaborative minds and we create our style, rendition or whatever you want to call it of metal.
An interesting thing I noticed is that each character’s name in some way reflects their character. Some examples include:
Daniel Faraday: scientist/physicist – electromagnetic shields these days called “Faraday Cage” are based off of the actual physicist Michael Faraday.
Jack Shepherd: based on the word “shepherd”, as a sort of watchdog; one who watches over others. From the offset, as a doctor and as the show progressed as an implicit leader on the island, this name seems pretty befitting.
Desmond Hume: most likely based on the 18th centrury philosopher David Hume, who incidentally happened to be Scottish (Desmond is also of Scottish decent based on his accent). David Hume was all about explaining man as a naturalist. That man’s feelings fuel his decisions and choices, which is what this show is based on as well as mentioned above.
I could go on with the others… I’ll get to them at some point. Leave some feedback if you really would like to know I can get to it sooner than later. Some are actually sort of obvious when you are aware of it.
You hear people say “it’s not musical, it has no direction”. Actually, there is most definitely direction. If a human being does not explore the outskirts of the “common”; common pulses or common “gravity” of melody, then Dillinger will sound foreign. It will sound as if there is no purpose and only noise. Underneath it all, there is absolute purpose. Using Dillinger Escape Plan’s infamous track ”43% Burnt” as an example, without even being technical or too verbose about this, the dissonance is sculpted from the natural tendencies of half-whole diminshed scales. From the intro, the main dissonant chord, all through out, even at the point of the quick interlude at 0:35, you can consider a modulation occuring but still based on pivot notes of this “darker” mode the song is based around. Subtle rhythmic motifs keep surfacing as the song is unfolding. I don’t know 100% if learning the songs and performing them on a personal level (which I do) helps connect with the music that much more, but even if you don’t play an instrument, having this kind of art-music exposure over and over will perhaps help one understand it better. Notice I didn’t say help one like it. Liking it is always and will be always a subjective projection.
Many are looking for “musical direction” based on a presumption of what the direction should be or what the “color” of the melodic/dissonant (dissonance is still identifiable, hence it’s validity) movement should be. If you have no grasp of this musical pallette that creates this art-music then you will ostensibly feel misdirected listening to it. So listen to it more! Analyze it, not to death, but enough to start seeing the connective tissue of it all. You will eventually start hearing how things are connected throughout the music.
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…anyway…