Okay, I'm seeing a pattern here: I start writing with the intention of making black metal, the song turns out something very different. Although, this time it's not that different (unless you actually listen to metal). First time this year digging out physical pedals for guitar (bass I already did on "Johanneksen tapuliin" and I have the same Darkglass preamp pedal in use here), left rhythm guitar is Unsound Circuitry Shivver and right is Frank's Spaghetti (my own design), thanks to @emplate for letting me know they work well together.
As the writing progressed, I started sensing echoes of My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost and so decided to do a Stainthorpesque love song, contrasting pretty words with my death growl in an attempt to reach the sublime.
Edit (March 5):
I realize now that I have unwittingly incorporated a fair amount of The Decemberists' aesthetic in the lyrics, which is not all that strange, them being one of my favorite bands.
Over glen and field
Through grove and bower
Along the river’s bank
I carry these flowers
Fragrant and bright
To ornament thy quarters
Within a secret place
In passionate embrace
Two delicate creatures bathed
In amorous lunar rays
Spread thy wings and take flight
I hold aloft my heart for thee
Exalted in my sight
Cloaked in the fairest melody
Past crag and clearing
Through dell and hollow
Across stream and meadow
A gentle wind will follow
Bearing a song of love
As balm for age-old wounds
Cup thy hands beneath the stream
As I pour out my heart for thee
A glowing figure from my dreams
Cloaked in the fairest melody
Within a secret place
In passionate embrace
Two delicate creatures bathed
In amorous lunar rays
@wolfkier Mar 2022
This is rich and complex. Loving those quantum jumps in volume. Such an epic feel and the poetic lyrics only add ep to the ic! :)
I'm lead to believe that kind of vocal treatment is done without effects, is that true... I've been practicing yelling like that at one of my stupid neighbors like that and I wouldn't mind trying it in a couple songs. Well done. Transportive.
#tit4tat. Thanks for joining in, looking forward to many happy exchanges.
@timfatchen Mar 2022
Quite surprising at teh start, almost a bagpipe feel until the drums cut in. Sets the scene for a doomed ballad, you know someone is going to die, except...they're not...it turns out to be a ... different... love song. Even a deathmetal beast has love at the heart. I like the repeated fiths on the guitar, very beautiful in a dark way. I know this is long duration but it doesn't seem long at all. 3:35 or so, the change to come is hinted at well, and when it comes it's not at all unprepared. Then the brief period of gentleness. A real beauty/beast/life/death duality here. Impressed! And death metal is so far away from what I normally go for, I'm hugely surprised. (I would have loved to have heard the ending to this clear, at volume rather than in fadeout). Applause!
@cblack Mar 2022
Hell yes! Great track! That guitar tone is epic, but my favourite part was definitely the vocals. Such an MDB vibe. So good.
Really pleasurable listen. Thanks!
@howthenightcame Feb 2022
really great guitar tones, all gnarly and earthy, but somehow pummelled into the service of something very melodic
your growls are awesome, and sound like another layer of bass/guitar
the subtle keys are cool, too. i like that they are mixed quite low
was there a glitch in your exported file? - the tracks kinda jumps just after 30s
@sapient Feb 2022
Definitely doom, but with a wonderfully blackened guitar tone. Those are some pedals you have at work. I LOVE the sound.
It's a gorgeously heavy piece. And it has that hypnotic melody that I love. From a structural perspective it takes a number of very pleasing turns. The one around the 3min mark in particualr. Subtle, but it just suddenly gets even darker.
Damn, this is great stuff...
@emplate Feb 2022
Nice! I also got the Katatonia vibe. I dig your growls in this one, very brutal. Very well executed old school melodic death/doom.
@nadine Feb 2022
Uuuh this reminds me of the good old Katatonia stuff. There's still some doom and death influence, but I like that this song took a more melodic direction. Honestly, I love the contrast in between the soaring lead guitar and these growls. The lyrics are sooo epic! Great song :D
What exactly happened around 0:34? Sounds like a cut or an automation going wrong. Nothing super serious I just noticed.
@cloudhopper Feb 2022
epic!
@robynmackenzie Feb 2022
The contrast of the eloquent lyrics and the gritty music is striking. A fantastic metal ballad.