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:

Facebook Event Page

Show info:

• Artist: Burning Shadows
• Date: Thursday, November 17th 2011
• Time: 9:00pm
• City: Burning Shadows in Baltimore, MD
• Venue: Sidebar Tavern
• Address: 218 E. Lexington Street
• Country: United States
• Age restrictions: 18+
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

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.

Day 17

Recording: Greg’s backing vocals

Greg

$2.49 Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce at Ikea? Best recording session so far.

Tim

Tom had fallen ill with the plague, so we laid down some backing vocals for Part 1 so as not to waste a day. Of course backing vocals never take as long as lead vocals, so we had plenty of time to journey to our local Ikea and feast upon Swedish meatballs of victory!

Day 18

Recording: Lead Vocals

Tim

Tom, having recently conquered the plague, returned to the vocal chamber with a vengeance! We started with Part 3, which has a vast “clean” part in it. These would require the best tone, so we laid down the vocals for this before the hours of epic intensity to come later had taken their toll on Tom’s tone. Part 3 also involves a large Choir of Tom later in the song. To his disbelief I insisted on recording many layered tracks of vocals in this part. We’re not on the level of Blind Guardian’s A Night at the Opera, but it is in reach. The end of the song and album involves a large crescendo starting with just Tom and a clean guitar, and ending in all out armies of sonic destruction. We spent a while on this part, as nailing this part would be important to tie the entire disc together.

After a refreshing lunch at a local establishment, we wrapped the up the day churning out Part 2. Paradoxically, Part 2 is simultaneously the longest song on the album and the one with the least vocals. The vocal parts are rather straightforward in a Primal Fear sort of way. There is quite a bit of variation stylistically in this song, as well, but not on the level of Part 3.

Recording: Lead Vocals

Tim

Greg and I have locked Tom in the Vocal Chamber. He will only emerge upon completion of the vocals for the whole album. Although it sounds to me like he’s forgotten the lyrics. Nowhere in any of the songs are the phrases “Help!”, “Get me outta here!”, or “You bastards!”

Tom

I told Tim to leave the goddamn armor, dragon innards, and various other spoils of plunder EXACTLY where they were, but does anybody listen to the vocalists? Of course not. So fine, have it your way, cur! I will stand here hold a C10,000 (it exists, look it up) until your chamber hinges shatter, like so many fragile posers! I demand satisfaction! Doubt me? I’ll do it all day! We won’t get a damn thing done! I’ve got water!

…It was at this point it dawned on me, we had neglected to install a bathroom in the Vocal Chamber (of Steel!) Forward thinking bastards….

Day 16

Recording: Lead Vocals

Tim

Isolation in the vocal recording chamber has begun to take effect. Tom has summoned all sorts of amazing harmonies that can only be conjured when one has spent days in a sensory deprivation-type booth.

[Singer Tom Davy] is really good and has a strong, melodic voice that cries out for the heroic American Metal by BURNING SHADOWS.

One could describe the band as a mixture of early ICED EARTH and not-so-early LIEGE LORD. The guitar work is absolutely outstanding and oscillates somewhere between thrashy gallop riffs and folky sections. 3 songs are over 8 minutes, and are consistently exciting. Of course, there are a number of breaks and tempo changes.

Not for the fast-food music freaks…. But it’s worth it! …This EP is already more than impressive.

Read the entire review in German here. (English translation here.)

Click here to download the Oathbreaker EP free!
CD (with bonus track) available here: Web Shop.

The latest info can be found on the Shredependence Day 2011 Facebook Event Page.

Show info:

• Artist: Burning Shadows
• Date: Sunday, July 3rd 2011
• Time: 2:00pm
• City: Burning Shadows in Frederick, MD
• Venue: Krug’s Place
• Address: 906 North East St
• Country: United States
• Admission: $10
• Age restrictions: All Ages
• Notes: Shredependence Day 2011 FB Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163771653686107 With: Fallen Martyr Strong Intention Exist As The Kingdom Falls Vitality What We Call Victory Condemn The Infected
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

Day 13

Recording: Lead Guitars

Greg

We had initially attempted to start recording leads and solos a week earlier with the same equipment used for the rhythm tracks, albeit with some minor adjustments to amp settings and the addition of an EQ pedal.  When the results proved unsatisfactory,  I decided to spend the week rooting through various amps, effects and guitars until we nailed down the right tone.  Ultimately, I managed to achieve this rather simply by swapping the ESP Viper for my neck-thru Mockingbird.  And so we were now able to resume our magical journey of…um, going on a journey that, like, involved magical things.  I mean, I guess it could have also been an incredible journey, except that most cats and dogs don’t really know how to play metal.  So perhaps not.

We spent about six hours completing all lead melodies and solos for the first two tracks and the cover.  To get a better idea of how things were coming along, we played the tracks for a random sampling of people to get their opinions.  I’d like to clarify that these interviews were in no way staged or edited for content:

Tom Davy:  Awesome!

Dave Spencer: Breathtaking!

Greg’s mom: Turn that down and take out the trash.

Grocery store clerk: Sir, will you be paying by cash or credit?

Some poser:  Mmmm hmmph mmphm hhmphm mmhmhp!

Sorry about that last guy.  He couldn’t speak very clearly because we’d just melted his face with our awesomeness.  But he seemed pretty happy for a guy who’d just been rushed to the ICU.

Day 14

Recording: Lead Guitars

Greg

SO MANY GUITARS.  HARMONY BONER EPICNESS OMGWTFBBQ.