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.