Burning Shadows is proud to welcome Matt Ibach back to the stage! Matt, Burning Shadows’ bassist from 2004-2007, will once again be crushing posers onstage with Burning Shadows, this time on rhythm guitar. He will make his live re-debut with the band at the Sidebar in Baltimore on November 17, 2011. Matt is currently playing guitar in the almighty October 31 and has formerly played in NWOBHM masters Acid Queen and thrash wizards Relentless.

Since the departure of former bassist Aaron El-Zeftawy, Burning Shadows has searched for a new bassist. When the bassist search turned up nothing, the decision was made to find a live guitarist instead and move Tim Regan to play bass live. “The studio side of the band was fine, but the live show has been suffering without a bassist,” says guitarist/bassist Tim Regan. “Matt already knew a lot of the songs, has the face-melting capabilities we need onstage, and we are good friends with him, so he was the first person we asked when the decision was made.”

Burning Shadows is continuing to search for a permanent bassist.

Below, Matt Ibach performs Saxon’s “Power and the Glory” with October 31 at Defenders of the Old Fest 2:

Day 20

Recording: Additional Drums, Keyboards

Tim

Drums? Did you do that forever ago? Yes. Yes, we did. The drums at the very beginning of the album simply weren’t thunderous enough, it was decided. So, we added 4 more layers of booming toms. There are something like 20 tracks of drums at the beginning now. You’re welcome.

As for the keyboards, this is one of the most interesting parts of recording. We generally don’t have anything entirely specific in mind for keyboards when we get ready to record an album. Dave has an incredible ear for this, thanks to his conservatory training. We added keyboards in wherever they fit. We definitely don’t try to shoehorn them into passages they don’t belong.

The amount of keyboards as the album progresses is the opposite of the background vocals. There are more keyboards as time goes on. I like to think of it as our protagonist lifting the veil and crushing the powers that be as he gains power and purpose.

As we were wrapping up, we stumbled upon two fantastic patches that fit perfectly at the very end of the album. One was a tremolo orchestra patch. Clearly this was perfect for the final note of the album. As for the other patch, you’ll just have to listen for it, also at the end of Part III. I will divulge that it was found under the “orchestral percussion” patch.

Day 19

Recording: Background Vocals

Tim

This recording session was one of the easiest we have had. Background vocals are scattered here and there on the album, but Tom had already laid most of the groundwork during the lead vocal recording sessions. We doubled some of Tom’s harmonies with Greg (pictured above), we doubled some more of Tom’s part with Tom, and of course I did my patented say-one-word-gruffly-so-I-can-get-a-vocal-credit-on-the-album move. Listen for it in Part II.

As the album progresses, the amount of diverse background vocals decreases. This was unintentional, but in terms of the story, it makes perfect sense, almost as if we planned it. (As the album progresses, the protagonist realizes the plight of the many and takes it upon himself to topple the Hierarchy.) The variation of the background vocals becomes less as you listen, but the complexity of Tom’s harmonies becomes much greater. It’s really a neat effect.