Stumblers upon and people from the future going back to read this, it shall be written that these are adventurous times indeed. Strange Horizon has shifted from being a practically dead studio project to a solo project in planning to an actual working band. Or at least, that's where we're headed and it's been in the works for a while now, just needed to sort out some practical details. We now have a rehearsal place and are working on material for both the first single and the planned first EP. First up should be one or two rough demo tracks so people can get an idea of what we're about and we can feel like we're actually doing something.
Line-up and other details will be announced later. Fingers crossed now. Believe...
onsdag 28. februar 2018
søndag 22. mai 2016
Time to reboot
So, maybe not dead yet, huh? Just a bit different than originally planned. "7" single in the planning stages. One bouncy and groovy song and one slow, heavy and slightly mellow. Should provide an idea of what this project was about all along. Let's see how it turns out then...
Stay strange!
Stay strange!
fredag 11. mars 2016
A recap...
Had almost forgotten about this blog/journal. Every now and then I thought about it and thought that I should utdate myself and future readers on what's going on. But always forgot to do so. Well, here's a short recap.
Was in the band mentioned in the last post from early 2013 and intil last week. About three years. Played eight gigs in various formats and venues. Published two songs in late 2013. Recorded an album which is to be finished these days and released hopefully within the year. I already recorded bass for most of the album and might drop by the studio to add some backing vocals if the other guys want me to. Wrote three songs for the album. One which is catchy and cool, but really a throwaway song from before the band started. Another two that was written specifically with this band in mind. None of these really showcase what I think I am really capable of as a songwriter, but they are all right.
As I predicted in may 2013 the band got more serious for some of the people involved and already in late 2014 I was beginning to feel that this wasn't really what I wanted to do. All the same, I would rather start something new than push this band in my direction. After all, the style and sound of the band developed rather naturally (which I think is a cool thing) and the other three seems to really enjoy it. So it was more about finding a natural time to leave and for them to find a proper replacement. Ideally, recording the album and then doing a few gigs to support the release before leaving would have been the preferable option. But recording took (as one could imagine I suppose) longer time than we had planned and the band started gigging again after spending all of 2015 doing rehearsals and studio work. With that, I felt I had to change something and say that enough was enough. I had lots of fun and really developed as a player and even somewhat as a singer. I'll look back at my time in this band with fond memories, but at the same time I feel I have made the right decision.
Thankfully the other guys were very understanding and nice about me leaving. Surprised I think, but so far no drama. Hope we can keep it that way. It might even be that they already have a replacement. Which would be great, since then they kan keep going at the pace they want to without me holding it back. I look forward to hearing the finished album and seeing them live as a fan somewhere down the line.
February last year I also joined another band who really wanted me as a bass player after having seen me performing live with the aforementioned band. Flattering, right? I was sceptical at first, but it has worked out well indeed. I would not say that I chose this band over the other one. After all I was in both for over a year. But I did feel after a while that being in two busy bands where certain members of both really wanted to raise the bar further was psychically exhausting and kept me from doing other things and being creative. So one had to go unfortunately. And I chose to stay in the band I enjoy the most right now, which is this one. It's kind of punked up hard rock sung in Norwegian. Not a joke band, but not taking itself too seriously either. Suits me! It's not really a place where I will get to expose my songwriting a lot, but I get to incorporate all kinds of influences in the bass playing, which is fun. Great way to rehearse regularly, play some live and just have a good time with friends. We have been arranging songs as a group recently and the chemistry within the band is awesome right now. We also did one gig on relatively short notice and the feedback from the audience was great!
Not mentioning any band names at the moment in case they google it, but namedropping will happen when time is due :)
As for Strange Horizon, the project as it was does not exist any more. The sound and concept might live on in the shape of some doom metal solo release from me at one point, but other than that, it's over. And I firmly believe that sometimes it's better to end things and start over than to keep going just for the sake of it. Because, it does look like something similar will happen soon with me and one guy I've been playing with for some time. Studio project at least to begin with. Taking it one step at the time. I suppose you could say that it takes one aspect of what I wanted to do in SH and expands that aspect further. We will probably use some SH tunes as well, but the first two songs were written by me over the course of last year, so it's fresh stuff. More on that the next time. For now, just note the new name of the blog and that the description below the name remains. Cheers!
Was in the band mentioned in the last post from early 2013 and intil last week. About three years. Played eight gigs in various formats and venues. Published two songs in late 2013. Recorded an album which is to be finished these days and released hopefully within the year. I already recorded bass for most of the album and might drop by the studio to add some backing vocals if the other guys want me to. Wrote three songs for the album. One which is catchy and cool, but really a throwaway song from before the band started. Another two that was written specifically with this band in mind. None of these really showcase what I think I am really capable of as a songwriter, but they are all right.
As I predicted in may 2013 the band got more serious for some of the people involved and already in late 2014 I was beginning to feel that this wasn't really what I wanted to do. All the same, I would rather start something new than push this band in my direction. After all, the style and sound of the band developed rather naturally (which I think is a cool thing) and the other three seems to really enjoy it. So it was more about finding a natural time to leave and for them to find a proper replacement. Ideally, recording the album and then doing a few gigs to support the release before leaving would have been the preferable option. But recording took (as one could imagine I suppose) longer time than we had planned and the band started gigging again after spending all of 2015 doing rehearsals and studio work. With that, I felt I had to change something and say that enough was enough. I had lots of fun and really developed as a player and even somewhat as a singer. I'll look back at my time in this band with fond memories, but at the same time I feel I have made the right decision.
Thankfully the other guys were very understanding and nice about me leaving. Surprised I think, but so far no drama. Hope we can keep it that way. It might even be that they already have a replacement. Which would be great, since then they kan keep going at the pace they want to without me holding it back. I look forward to hearing the finished album and seeing them live as a fan somewhere down the line.
February last year I also joined another band who really wanted me as a bass player after having seen me performing live with the aforementioned band. Flattering, right? I was sceptical at first, but it has worked out well indeed. I would not say that I chose this band over the other one. After all I was in both for over a year. But I did feel after a while that being in two busy bands where certain members of both really wanted to raise the bar further was psychically exhausting and kept me from doing other things and being creative. So one had to go unfortunately. And I chose to stay in the band I enjoy the most right now, which is this one. It's kind of punked up hard rock sung in Norwegian. Not a joke band, but not taking itself too seriously either. Suits me! It's not really a place where I will get to expose my songwriting a lot, but I get to incorporate all kinds of influences in the bass playing, which is fun. Great way to rehearse regularly, play some live and just have a good time with friends. We have been arranging songs as a group recently and the chemistry within the band is awesome right now. We also did one gig on relatively short notice and the feedback from the audience was great!
Not mentioning any band names at the moment in case they google it, but namedropping will happen when time is due :)
As for Strange Horizon, the project as it was does not exist any more. The sound and concept might live on in the shape of some doom metal solo release from me at one point, but other than that, it's over. And I firmly believe that sometimes it's better to end things and start over than to keep going just for the sake of it. Because, it does look like something similar will happen soon with me and one guy I've been playing with for some time. Studio project at least to begin with. Taking it one step at the time. I suppose you could say that it takes one aspect of what I wanted to do in SH and expands that aspect further. We will probably use some SH tunes as well, but the first two songs were written by me over the course of last year, so it's fresh stuff. More on that the next time. For now, just note the new name of the blog and that the description below the name remains. Cheers!
søndag 12. mai 2013
Update may 2013
After a technical breakdown at the place where we recorded the demo, very little has happened with Strange Horizon. In the meantime I've joined another band on bass guitar. We play a kind of hard rock/guitar rock style. Not pretending to be in the 70s like a lot bands at the moment seems to be, but certainly inspired by classic rock from the last four decades. I'd say we're somewhere between swedens Hellacopters and the heaviest songs by Norway's BigBang.
The band has no name at the moment. We started out playing cover tunes including obvious stuff such as Paranoid, Breaking the Law, Come Together, and less obvious numbers like When the Screams Come (by Pentagram, guess who's idea that was?) and Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd). We have rehearsed three songs at the moment and are working on a fourth one. One our songs are written by yours truly and I even do the vocals on it (as well as the Sabbath and Pentagram covers). I feel that I'm getting better at singing as we go along, but I'm not sure if I'll keep doing the vocals in the future. I really want to sing, but I feel that I shouldn't be doing it if I cannot deliver a steady performance at gigs and such. We'll see. The important thing is; it's fun! And everyone is really easy going about it. We just play and have fun, and I like it. I enjoy it for as long as it will last, because experience tells me that at some point someone in the band is gonna want to get more serious. So I enjoy these days of innocence while they are still here.
Not that I don't wanna take it serious. I really want to go for a gig or two and maybe a recording, but I feel that our current material is not focused enough. But we'll see where it takes us. There's probably gonna be a lot of rehearsing this summer and that will be fun!
I wish for Strange Horizon to be able to enjoy itself in the same manner. Rehearse the songs, play live, record stuff, but not get carried away with arguments about style, sound and other stuff. Just have fun and get along together. Maybe some day...
I organised some of my ideas the other day. At the moment there are ideas enough for one EP (the one that's currently in the works), a debut full length and a second album.They need lyrics, rehearsing and probably some arrangement adjustments on the way, but I think there is potential in this stuff. I also have other ideas for EPs and side projects. The song that we play in my other band was a straight rocker that I initially saw as a SH B-side.
The plan now, that I have discussed with the others, is to go to the drummers studio to record the demo, which is now concidered a self financed EP. I really hope we can find the time to do this. I will be a focused studio session, but also a nice social get together. Let us hope this works out.
The band has no name at the moment. We started out playing cover tunes including obvious stuff such as Paranoid, Breaking the Law, Come Together, and less obvious numbers like When the Screams Come (by Pentagram, guess who's idea that was?) and Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd). We have rehearsed three songs at the moment and are working on a fourth one. One our songs are written by yours truly and I even do the vocals on it (as well as the Sabbath and Pentagram covers). I feel that I'm getting better at singing as we go along, but I'm not sure if I'll keep doing the vocals in the future. I really want to sing, but I feel that I shouldn't be doing it if I cannot deliver a steady performance at gigs and such. We'll see. The important thing is; it's fun! And everyone is really easy going about it. We just play and have fun, and I like it. I enjoy it for as long as it will last, because experience tells me that at some point someone in the band is gonna want to get more serious. So I enjoy these days of innocence while they are still here.
Not that I don't wanna take it serious. I really want to go for a gig or two and maybe a recording, but I feel that our current material is not focused enough. But we'll see where it takes us. There's probably gonna be a lot of rehearsing this summer and that will be fun!
I wish for Strange Horizon to be able to enjoy itself in the same manner. Rehearse the songs, play live, record stuff, but not get carried away with arguments about style, sound and other stuff. Just have fun and get along together. Maybe some day...
I organised some of my ideas the other day. At the moment there are ideas enough for one EP (the one that's currently in the works), a debut full length and a second album.They need lyrics, rehearsing and probably some arrangement adjustments on the way, but I think there is potential in this stuff. I also have other ideas for EPs and side projects. The song that we play in my other band was a straight rocker that I initially saw as a SH B-side.
The plan now, that I have discussed with the others, is to go to the drummers studio to record the demo, which is now concidered a self financed EP. I really hope we can find the time to do this. I will be a focused studio session, but also a nice social get together. Let us hope this works out.
onsdag 31. oktober 2012
A songwriter's perspective II
So I guess the actual songwriting for SH started around early 2010 and onwards. This was a very emotional time for me, but it was also the time when I saw Saint Vitus live which made a huge impact on me. One of those rare life changing concerts. So much happened at this time that I don't really have much memories of sitting in the room I had back then and actually working on these songs but it must have happened since I have recordings from that period. I worked on the songs that currently have the titles "Chains of Society" and "Divine Fear". Earlier this year I found a version of Divine Fear with the middle section from Chains as a verse part. I had completely forgotten that I used to play it that way.
Anyway, I'll skip song details for now since they aren't out yet. This period (winter, spring 2010) is a haze of alcohol, snow, melancholy, skipping school and feelings the way I remember it now. The kinda stuff that produces music I guess. I would often, as I still do sometimes, just pick up my guitar whenever I woke up and have a jam. Often playing my riffs to rehearse the songs and occationally change something here and there. After playing I would go for breakfast or go in the shower. During any of these, especially the shower since I had nothing better to think about, I would often go through the songs in my head and imagine them with drums, bass and vocal lines, playing as an entity. Yes, a lot of Strange Horizons material is arranged in the shower.
Anyway, I'll skip song details for now since they aren't out yet. This period (winter, spring 2010) is a haze of alcohol, snow, melancholy, skipping school and feelings the way I remember it now. The kinda stuff that produces music I guess. I would often, as I still do sometimes, just pick up my guitar whenever I woke up and have a jam. Often playing my riffs to rehearse the songs and occationally change something here and there. After playing I would go for breakfast or go in the shower. During any of these, especially the shower since I had nothing better to think about, I would often go through the songs in my head and imagine them with drums, bass and vocal lines, playing as an entity. Yes, a lot of Strange Horizons material is arranged in the shower.
søndag 14. oktober 2012
A songwriter's perspective
This is something I penned in late may I think, about how I startet writing songs and how I feel I've progressed as a writer.
Until early 2012 this project was really just me writing songs, occationally showing ideas to Andy while trying my best to explain how I envisioned the final result. Not always an easy task, let me tell you that. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if people thought my songwriting was just riffs and lots of talk, which is alI've been able to convey to others before we started pre-producing early this year. And what a huge relief it was to hear the first pre-productions with guitars in time, programmed drums and an arrangement very close to what I envisioned. Before that I didn't really know if my ideas would work practically. I recorded a lot of riffs, sometimes sequenced like in the final songs, just to remember them. But the final arrangements only existed in my head.
Ever since the first band I joined back in 2002, I've wanted to contribute creatively. I realise now that I probably wasn't ready for it back then, but it didn't stop me from having fun with bass lines (yes, I started out as a bassist) that I came up with. Whenever I showed my ideas to the others, the response was usually "cool, maybe we can use that in another song". I don't think it sucked, it just wasn't interesting enough. In the second band I played with we were going to be all democratic, everyone was supposed to bring ideas blah blah blah. Didn't work at all since none of us really knew what we were doing, but at least I got a couple of my riffs into the first song that we did. Except, the guitarist played it nothing like I did and in the end it was changed anyway before we dropped the song.
Still, I kept making stuff, dreaming of someday writing a good song or doing a solo project. The solo thing almost got serious when I, inspired by Bathory, wanted to do a black metal project on my own. I wrote music for two or three songs but nothing became of it. Later on, when both bands I'd been in were history, I started planning a death/thrash metal band and did at least two songs for it, one which I even rehearsed with a drummer, but we didn't keep it up. A major problem was that all the "songs" I wrote were instrumental riff sequences, there was no room for vocals in it. I had no idea how to deal with vocals. Still I kept penning thrash ideas for some time, but rarely finished anything. It was all intro riffs that was builing up to something that never came. Some were quite cool, but the style was just too technically difficult for me, and I could not do a thrash solo at all.
I remember very well the first time I did a riff in the Sabbath style. It was a simple very "War Pigs" inspired intro thing that lead to some more upbeat riffs and then back to that heavy intro. It was in 2006. I had just rediscovered Black Sabbath, which was now my favorite band, and I was getting into Candlemass and Pentagram. I have a recording of those riffs played on my BC Rich Jr-V (that I bought from a friend when I wanted to be a thrasher) with a metal-zone pedal through a cheap mini amp. Sounds like shit, and even worse, I couldn't play my own riffs right! I fucked up all the time. But it was the start of something, and those riffs are in a song that I hope we will record someday.
Still, I was ambitious with my ideas and didn't know how to finish things properly. I started on other ideas in the same vein and got further each time, but at some point I didn't know where the song was going. And I tried things that were too complicated for me at the time. After a while I actually worked out a solo part for the 2006-song so I was constantly progressing. The turning poing came in 2009 after seeing Pagan Altar at the Metal Merchants Festival. I have no idea why that did the trick, but their combination of Sabbath riffs and NWOBHM melodies just got me going. Suddenly I came up with a great ending part for the 2006-song, I started humming vocal lines while playing and I finished other ideas that I had. More and more the ideas seemed to come by themselves and fit together like actual songs.
I had a great time combining and finishing some of my first ideas during that spring of 2009 and it was about that time I joked with Andy that I wanted him so sing in my band. Except, I wasn't joking. After a break in songwriting that summer, don't know why, things happened again in late 2009. I was going through a lot of emotional stuff and so I used the guitar to escape a little from everything. And it brought out the best in me, really. A lot of the stuff on the forthcoming demo/EP was written at this time and arranged later. This was also the time when I discovered Count Raven, one of my favorite bands, and I became really inspired by Dan Fondelius' way of thinking riffs, melodies and arrangements. All my best to him!
I'll continue this story later on. Then I'll write about how SH came to be and the songs and ideas I've been working on the past couple of years.
- S
Until early 2012 this project was really just me writing songs, occationally showing ideas to Andy while trying my best to explain how I envisioned the final result. Not always an easy task, let me tell you that. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if people thought my songwriting was just riffs and lots of talk, which is alI've been able to convey to others before we started pre-producing early this year. And what a huge relief it was to hear the first pre-productions with guitars in time, programmed drums and an arrangement very close to what I envisioned. Before that I didn't really know if my ideas would work practically. I recorded a lot of riffs, sometimes sequenced like in the final songs, just to remember them. But the final arrangements only existed in my head.
Ever since the first band I joined back in 2002, I've wanted to contribute creatively. I realise now that I probably wasn't ready for it back then, but it didn't stop me from having fun with bass lines (yes, I started out as a bassist) that I came up with. Whenever I showed my ideas to the others, the response was usually "cool, maybe we can use that in another song". I don't think it sucked, it just wasn't interesting enough. In the second band I played with we were going to be all democratic, everyone was supposed to bring ideas blah blah blah. Didn't work at all since none of us really knew what we were doing, but at least I got a couple of my riffs into the first song that we did. Except, the guitarist played it nothing like I did and in the end it was changed anyway before we dropped the song.
Still, I kept making stuff, dreaming of someday writing a good song or doing a solo project. The solo thing almost got serious when I, inspired by Bathory, wanted to do a black metal project on my own. I wrote music for two or three songs but nothing became of it. Later on, when both bands I'd been in were history, I started planning a death/thrash metal band and did at least two songs for it, one which I even rehearsed with a drummer, but we didn't keep it up. A major problem was that all the "songs" I wrote were instrumental riff sequences, there was no room for vocals in it. I had no idea how to deal with vocals. Still I kept penning thrash ideas for some time, but rarely finished anything. It was all intro riffs that was builing up to something that never came. Some were quite cool, but the style was just too technically difficult for me, and I could not do a thrash solo at all.
I remember very well the first time I did a riff in the Sabbath style. It was a simple very "War Pigs" inspired intro thing that lead to some more upbeat riffs and then back to that heavy intro. It was in 2006. I had just rediscovered Black Sabbath, which was now my favorite band, and I was getting into Candlemass and Pentagram. I have a recording of those riffs played on my BC Rich Jr-V (that I bought from a friend when I wanted to be a thrasher) with a metal-zone pedal through a cheap mini amp. Sounds like shit, and even worse, I couldn't play my own riffs right! I fucked up all the time. But it was the start of something, and those riffs are in a song that I hope we will record someday.
Still, I was ambitious with my ideas and didn't know how to finish things properly. I started on other ideas in the same vein and got further each time, but at some point I didn't know where the song was going. And I tried things that were too complicated for me at the time. After a while I actually worked out a solo part for the 2006-song so I was constantly progressing. The turning poing came in 2009 after seeing Pagan Altar at the Metal Merchants Festival. I have no idea why that did the trick, but their combination of Sabbath riffs and NWOBHM melodies just got me going. Suddenly I came up with a great ending part for the 2006-song, I started humming vocal lines while playing and I finished other ideas that I had. More and more the ideas seemed to come by themselves and fit together like actual songs.
I had a great time combining and finishing some of my first ideas during that spring of 2009 and it was about that time I joked with Andy that I wanted him so sing in my band. Except, I wasn't joking. After a break in songwriting that summer, don't know why, things happened again in late 2009. I was going through a lot of emotional stuff and so I used the guitar to escape a little from everything. And it brought out the best in me, really. A lot of the stuff on the forthcoming demo/EP was written at this time and arranged later. This was also the time when I discovered Count Raven, one of my favorite bands, and I became really inspired by Dan Fondelius' way of thinking riffs, melodies and arrangements. All my best to him!
I'll continue this story later on. Then I'll write about how SH came to be and the songs and ideas I've been working on the past couple of years.
- S
onsdag 3. oktober 2012
Did some thinking today
About possible recordings and releases after the demo is done. Depending on interest from labels (if any at all) and who's gonna be in the band.
Anyway, so we have this demo recording all written and arranged, ready to be recorded properly. After that I have a couple of songs that I like but I don't see them ending up on a full length. I originally imagined saving one of these for a possible split release with another band, and then recording the other two for a "7 release. This could still happen depending on the interest the first demo spawns out there. If not, then these three songs are the next demo.
We planned on doing a cover song for the upcoming first demo. At the moment it doesn't look like it's gonna happen so maybe we'll do that on a possible second demo instead (or do two "7s if the split doesn't happen, the possibilities are endless ^^). Of course having a cover on the second demo could give people the impression that I/we are out of ideas, but oh no...
The three songs that I originally saw as the second demo are turning out to be quite complex and really interesting songs. Not technical, but certainly progressive in many ways. So instead of these being the second demo, I'm really hoping that we can save these for a full length! Wow, imagine that. So that's gonna be these three songs, one instrumental, a shorter song and then this long suite like composition as a finale. The way I imagine it sounding in my head as I'm playing the riffs, this could turn out to be very very solid stuff.
But it's gonna require a lot of work. We can still put together pre productions on a computer, but the songs should really be tested in rehearsal with a full band to make sure the dynamics work right. Also, I'll need to practice a lot if I'm gonna do the lead parts myself, which is what I want to do. And the lyrics need to be good. Damn. Well, we'll see what happens. First things first I guess, but I really feel that I have something exciting in the works here.
-S
Anyway, so we have this demo recording all written and arranged, ready to be recorded properly. After that I have a couple of songs that I like but I don't see them ending up on a full length. I originally imagined saving one of these for a possible split release with another band, and then recording the other two for a "7 release. This could still happen depending on the interest the first demo spawns out there. If not, then these three songs are the next demo.
We planned on doing a cover song for the upcoming first demo. At the moment it doesn't look like it's gonna happen so maybe we'll do that on a possible second demo instead (or do two "7s if the split doesn't happen, the possibilities are endless ^^). Of course having a cover on the second demo could give people the impression that I/we are out of ideas, but oh no...
The three songs that I originally saw as the second demo are turning out to be quite complex and really interesting songs. Not technical, but certainly progressive in many ways. So instead of these being the second demo, I'm really hoping that we can save these for a full length! Wow, imagine that. So that's gonna be these three songs, one instrumental, a shorter song and then this long suite like composition as a finale. The way I imagine it sounding in my head as I'm playing the riffs, this could turn out to be very very solid stuff.
But it's gonna require a lot of work. We can still put together pre productions on a computer, but the songs should really be tested in rehearsal with a full band to make sure the dynamics work right. Also, I'll need to practice a lot if I'm gonna do the lead parts myself, which is what I want to do. And the lyrics need to be good. Damn. Well, we'll see what happens. First things first I guess, but I really feel that I have something exciting in the works here.
-S
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