New Year, New Mics

Happy 2019 y'all! Stuff that has happened since last October:

- Syringe flexi single came out. Woo!

- Gluetraps demo tape came out. I just remixed and remastered those sessions for release on 7".

- Did some mastering for the Watermelon Room studio here in Baltimore. Bigger Waves, Questionable Pancakes, and a few other things. Garret is a swell dude with a great studio.

- Remastered the commentary track for Midnight Crew Studio's slasher film "President's Day", due to be re-released on bluray soon.

- Currently working on the music/soundscape/soundtrack for a new stage production of a new adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN! I created a whole lotta avante garde morsels with my band Queen Wolf for this project. Opens Feb 21st in Baltimore!

- Both of my bands are currently recording albums as well, so that's taking up a fair amount of time.

- I bought some mics from ISK Pro Audio, and they are sweeeeeet.

A Wild Post Appears

I never post here, and I probably should.

I still exist:

Just delivered the masteres for the first full length Liberata album, which we did basic tracks for back in February at Heartwood Sound Studios with Edwin Huett engineering. Excellent studio and an excellent engineer.

I did a cast recording for the Baltimore Rock Opera Society this past spring. It was a toiiight schedule...69 hours over 11 days, and everyone has full-time jobs....but we got it done!

I did and album with Invincible Summer that was a ton of fun. I got to recoed an omnichord!

I did a harrowingl live recording for my dear friends Community Center. If I ever find that guy with the blue hat who made us lose all those tracks.....

Just did an ep with Gluetraps from Baltimore. I finally figured out how to best capture Tony Pence.

Somehow had time to record a new Infinite Pizza ep as well, coming out on a limited run cassette this fall.

The 7" ep I did with Syringe is out. I believe the flexi comes out very soon.

Also did some stuff that hasn't yet come out, thus can't yet be talked about.

Currently mastering an album for a local studio and helping BROS with a long-gestating project.

My bands played a bunch this summer. Some of those shows were fancy festivals. Cooooool.

Lastly, I bought this mic, which is very exciting for me. Hire me to mix or master your album this fall so I can buy more mics please.

I'm on Instagram @audioesoterica

I did a lot and blogged none of it.

I have been on Instagram more than anything else for awhile. Wanna get caught up?

https://www.instagram.com/audioesoterica/

There, now you're up to speed.

Just mastered an album for Unholy Sights, which was recorded at Developing Nations here in Baltimore. Kevin is a helluva producer and engineer, super fun to work on anything he touches.

I'll be going back to Heartwood Sound Studios to get the tracks for the Liberata album so that overdubbing can continue/ turn into mixing at my home studio. I'm very excited about how this album is shaping up.

Tomorrow I'll be recording two songs by my friends Syringe for a flexi. Stoked to finally have something on a flexi!

9 months between blog posts...several babies almost due. Not real babies. I mean, maybe....someone's probably having babies. Not me though. I meant musical babies.

Stuff that happened since then:
-the other guitar player in my band Queen Wolf quit to pursue musical theater
-the other guitar player in my band Infinite Pizza quit to pursue hanging out
-a badasskeyboard player named Yoko from Japan replaced both of them
-Yoko found out she had to go back to Japan from Dec-May
-both bands recorded about 20mins worth of material

I am currently mixing/mastering the new Infinite Pizza jams, which should see a cassette release in early spring. The Queen Wolf ep is being vocalized currently as well, and will see a CD release slightly after.

The Bueno Crusher ep was finally mastered a week or two ago. Bestial Evil was completed long before that, though I don't think it's been released yet.

 The Lotus Fucker 7" ended up being a split with Sete Star Sept, available here- http://sphc.bigcartel.com/product/sete-star-sept-lotus-fucker-split-7

The 7" by Sacrificio that I mastered is now available....
http://sphc.bigcartel.com/product/sacrificio-self-titled-ep

....as is an LP by Six Brew Batha that I mastered...
http://sphc.bigcartel.com/product/six-brew-bantha-intravenously-commodified-lp-us-press

...AND that ep by Hive Bent that I also mastered-
http://hivebentmd.bandcamp.com/album/dyatlov

additioally, cassettes of material by Invitational and Penis Geyser that I recorded came out. I found out months later. Friends...please tell me when you release stuff I did!

Speaking of which, the vinyl release of Sete star Sept's "Messenger From The Darkness" got an insanely positive review in the dec 2014 issue of Maximum Rock'N'Roll. The experience of walking into a bookstore, picking up MRR, and being surprised by a flattering description of my guitar playing was surreal. It was like a DIY version of the radio-play scene from That Thing You Do.

This summer, I did a series of sessions for a 4-way split 7". It's the first of a planned series from Girl Problem Records, and it features 4 awesome Baltimore bands: Wet Brain, Hive Bent, Curse, and Big Mouth. The release party is Feb 28th here in Baltimore at 5th Dimension, come get yourself a record and party down.

Since January....

....I have worked on many things. Here's a quick list:

-completed foley for Call Girl Of Cthulhu.  The film premiers in May at the prestigious Maryland Film Festival.

-mastered the "Dyatlov" ep for Hive Bent

-mastered a 7" for Mexican hardcore outfit Sacrificio

-recorded, mixed,  and mastered an ep for death metal monsters Bestial Evil

-recorded (with Kevin Considine), mixed, and mastered an lp for Infinite Pizza

-began editing and mixing a new Lotus Fucker 7", which the band self-recorded live (with some suggestion and direction from me).

My band band Queen Wolf also had a busy first quarter. As usual, blogging fell by the wayside while I was doing all this. I will have some pics and maybe a video from the Bestial Evil sessions to post....maybe I'll get to that tonight....

This week:
Monday - get a sign-off on the Bestial Evil masters (and upload goodies)
Tuesday - finish the Lotus Fucker 7"
Thursday - first session with "creepy folk" artist 20ooo
Saturday - guitar tracking with grindcore beasts Bueno Crusher

I'm sure this won't induce any cognitive dissonance.

More of last year's Sete Star Sept sessions are surfacing, including a vinyl release of the Messenger From The Dark lp that was culled from said recrdings. 7S7 will be back in the US this summer, and I expect we'll do some more recording. Should be awesome times.

NOT DEAD

Well, I have officially broken up with Linux and started seeing a Mac Mini. AND IT'S SERIOUS.

So I'm back to serious work for the first time since August. In between, I did two projects in cooperation with engineer Kevin Considine: recording/mixing/mastering an lp for Nude Massacre,and mixing/mastering and lp for Slowjerks. Technically, mastering Slowjerks was the first project on the Mini, but I haven't done a full band live tracking session with it yet. I consider it un-blooded.

I *have* done a bunch of foley for Midnight Crew Studios' "The Call Girl Of Cthulhu", currently in post-production. Conducting a basement of chanting "cultists" with a skull-topped wand is surely one for the highlight reel.

Tonight, more foley. Guess which mic is most crucial.

Linux, why do you hurt me so?

Lately, I've been fighting with the machine. I hadn't updated my OS in years (a previous bad firmware update made me waryk; but a crash forced me to try. Turns out my audio interface and soundcard  (RME Hammerfall pci card and RME Multiface II) aren't exactly "supported properly" by the Linux community anymore. So, a new soundcard was ordered (RME HDPe pcie card), which we're going to drop into a Mac G5 and hope for joy. Wish us luck.

I'm the worst blogger

Can I even remember the all the stuff I've done since that Cabbageheads session I last posted? Let's see:

-finished that Cabbagheads stuff. Some came out as their debut 7" this summer. The rest will surface as a split with Merciless Game later this year.

-recorded what looks to be the final Merciless Game song ffor the above-mentioned 7".

-remixed and remastered Lotus Fucker's side of the forthcoming Exit Hippies split.

-did a tour demo for Burning Axe

-had an epic session with the current reigning champions of noisegrind, Japans's Sete Star Sept. A full length and a limited edition ep are coming from those sessions this year, and probably more.

-we finally finished and released the Blood Horses ep.

-I mastered the debut ep from Baltimore thrashmasers Enemy Insects....

-...who share a bass player with Trashkanistan, for whom I mastered their side of a split 7".

-I did some vocal sessions with Persian guitar star Faramarz Aslani.

-I mastered an ep for Plurals.

-I mastered a 7" for Haldol, whom are either from Nashville or DC, I'm not really sure :3

-I mastered a forthcoming greatest hits LP for Boom Boom Kid from Argentina.

-I mastered the forthcoming lp by Nekromantiker from Norway.

-I just finished 9 songs for Spoilage from Baltimore.

-I have recorded, and am currently mixing/mastering an lp for DC's AntiZen....

-....as well as an lp for Wet Brain from Baltimore.

-Along with those records, I'm working on creature sounds and special music for Chris Lamartina's film "Call Girl Of Cthulhu", which just wrapped principle photography. I got to do the production sound (holding a boom mic on set) during a nekkid scene and a makeup fx scene. I got to be a Cultist extra in some scenes. Life = Sweet.

-I'm also getting ready to start recording with my band Queen Wolf next weekend (the bulk of the actual Recording will be handled by Noel Mueller, I get to just play guitar.).

-On top of all that, I recorded...then LOST...a dvd commentary for Chris Lamartina's forthcoming movie, "WNUF Halloween Special". I have NO idea what happened to it, the file straight disappeared :(

ADDITIONALLY, I moved; Queen Wolf also moved to a new practice space. So you see....I've been busy. Too busy to post. Sorry, y'all.

I feel like I'm forgetting something too....

Can's Stop Beach Punx!

Today I had the pleasure of recording The Cabbageheads, hailing all the way from Detroit. Noisey thrashy punky jamz were had, and we tracked the whole record in about 7 hours. BALLER. Great band, excellent people. I hope I get to hang out with them again soon.

Here's Dave recording some backup vocals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfXtfQ6TZoo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Gratuitous violinist

This past Tuesday, Faramarz Aslani came to AEhq for a violin overdub session with your friend and mine, Greitje Smid (renowned violinist for Pansori, Boatwater, and like 500 other projects). I took pictures, but they've mysteriously vanished. Weak. Trust me, it looked great.

I've usually tracked Greitje standing up, with an LDC/ribbon combo in a mid-side configuration. This time she decided to sit down, so I put a large ribbon mic in front of the violin and the large condenser a few inches abover her shoulder. It sounds fantasti, and surprisingly, so phase correction was needed. First try kids, one shot one kill! BOOM. I'm a little proud and cocky about it.

My lovely girlfriend gave me a found "partscaster" that they think her brother assembled, a fine blonde Telecaster body shape with a Duncan Detontor humbucker in the neck and a who-knows-what single coil bridge pickup. After a string change and neck/intonation adjustment, I can safely say that this is my new all-the-time guitar. My SG, The Crimson Queen, is sure to be jealous, but the new girl just sounds so RIGHT. As soon as I replace this pickguard, I'll share piccies.

Mixing is seemingly on hold for Blood Horses while they sort some grad school life stuff out. Burning Axe owes me some notes before we continue. This Saturday I'll be recording Detroit's Cabbage Heads at Barclay House with Lotus Fucker's  Dan MCgregor acting as producer and spiritual guide. Should be sweet times.

So bad at blogging.

In the time since I last posted, I have:

-finished mixing and mastering the debut album by Sweat Life
-recorded some demos with Matt Beale
-mastered a State Violence 7"

And today, I began tracking an ep with Baltimore's own Burning Axe for their upcoming tour. So far, it sounds as heavy as a very heavy thing.

Coming this week:
-finishing Burning Axe
-a guitar and violin Persian folk session on Tuesday
-recording an LP for Detroit's own Cabbage Heads at Barclay House, with producer duties being handled by Lotus Fucker's main man Dan McGregor

In February:
-a Queen Wolf ep
-a Matt Beale & The Shakes album
-some White Bear songs
-a Snake Fist Demo
-foley for "Call Girl Of Cthulhu", the soon-to-be-in-production Midnight Crew studios film.

There are even more possible awesome things lining up for the spring. Hot times y'all! Speaking of Midnight Crew, their magnificent film "Witch's Brew" is out January 22nd! I helped mix the film, and also recorded the drums for the soundtrack and the commentary. Yay me! Yay Midnight Crew! Buy this movie, because it's great!

The Germans are coming!

Greitje Smid, violinist extraordinaire, has come by to add her dulcet tones to the Faramarz Aslani tracks I'm working on. Beautiful stuff. She also brought her friends from home Mad Minority, who are here on tour from Germany. As soon as we're done tracking, I'm gonna learn me some Gerry curse words.

You know, like the dolphin.

10/14/12
Haus Of Leaves
3:38pm
Today I have the pleasure of recording doomsters Ecco, which is 3/4 of Chaos Destroy and an ex-Lotus Fucker. We're underway on the first take, and it will be about 10mins before we listen back (if all goes well).

10pm
3 songs, 10mins+ each,  all tracked and mostly mixed. Tomorrow, we finish!

Update Wolf

Several days late, here's a link to the finished Queen Wolf demo. Enjoy! Queenwolf.bandcamp.com

I'm also working on a track for Faramarz Aslani. Tonight is a cello/violin session for one of the songs, which should be exciting. I also have a vocal session for the Invitational jams tonight. Packed Haus!

Demo Wolf

I write to you from the center of the QUEEN WOLF demo recording process. We have a handful of vocal lins to record tonight, then mix/master/release. We did the instruments live in our tiny practice space, with all the mic bleed that suggests. We have methods for alleviating these headaches though, and it sounds better than it should already. Huzzah!

I'm also like a third through mixing the Sweat Life album. Skunk Jamz for the young youth, ya hurd?

Blog Break

A month and a half of no posts...yikes! In that time, I mixed and mastered the second Lotus Fucker lp, mixed a song by th band Sweat Life for a movie soundtrack, played two shows with Queen Wolf, got violently seasick, watched Thejus build a new recording pc, and moved my gear back to Haus Of Leaves. Being based at The Bambou is too inconvenientt, though I maintain a relationship with them and have an arangement  fffor booking their facilities. Sometimes you just wanna mix in your underwear, you know?

This weekend we'll be testing the new pc by mixing more Sweat Life tracks. Gonna have to keep the eye strain minimal and take breaks though. The crazy seasick barfing kind of exploded my eyes.

Midnight Crew Studios

Next week, I'll be recording DVD commentary with Chris Lamartina and Jimmy George for the triumphant DVD release of "President's Day". In the meantime, feast your eyes on an interview with the dudes about upcoming projects and their Artscape installation!

http://m.citypaper.com/film/red-tape-1.1344793

Lotus Fucker LP#2

Watch "Lotus Fucker tracking session 7-14-2012" on YouTube

There was a much longer, cooler video that was accidentally erased. Weak. We still have this lovely video of Dan doing vocals in the control room. 4 words:
Kung
Fu
Pan
Da

I'll have some pictures from this soon. Tonight, we worked on constructing the intros and outros, which involved varying degrees of sampling, musique concrete, guitar and synth playing, editing, and mixing on my part. I am Doctor Session.

My band Queen Wolf makes its debut on Sunday July 22nd at Ratscape. Stoked to melt faces.

More Mary Christ press! Also, Hivebending!

I like when people like stuff I worked on. :)

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/42965/one-track-mind-mary-christ-listen-to-absent-minds/

I also tracked bass for the new Hive Bent ep with Steph Fogle tonight. Sick lixxx were had, and rough mixes were made. I don't think I've posted about it at all, but last weekend we tracked drums/guitar/vocals for four songs. These are likely to appear on a cassette ep later ths year. It's coming along rather quickly, and I even learned a new room micing trick! Yay!

And on top of all that...I have a Soundcloud now! http://soundcloud.com/audioesoterica

Witch's Brew screening

If you live in California, take the chance to see Witch's Brew, a lovely horror comedy that I did some sound stuff on.

https://www.facebook.com/events/341130109295390/

There is no film with a finer dickripping scene that I'm aware of.