#[VERSE 03 :: SONG OF LIFE]

[deadthehype]

I just thought about something...

By now, everyone should know that J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive and 4 Your Eyez Only is the same concept album with opposite endings. But if you don't know, I'll briefly explain.

2014 Forest Hills Drive is the biography of J. Cole. He talked about growing up in North Carolina and the pivotal moments that led to him leaving Fayetteville to pursue his dreams of becoming a successful music artist.

4 Your Eyez Only was about the life of Cole's friend who also grew up in North Carolina. But he didn't make it out of Fayetteville like Cole did. So he ended up in the streets trying to find his way and provide for his daughter. He ended up passing away. But before he did, he asked Cole to tell his daughter his story if anything happened to him. Hence the title of the album.

So to go back to my point, on the song "03 Adolescence," in the second verse Cole talks about his friend who was a drug dealer. They had a heart-to-heart conversation about their futures. Cole was going to College in New York while the friend was staying home and continuing to sell drugs.

So it just hit me that the friend in "03 Adolescence" is potentially the same friend that 4 Your Eyez Only is about. I haven't seen anyone point this out all these year later, but I think I finally put two and two together.

[poptivist]

metaphorical deaths across trench

the day trench was released, kerrang published an article which contained the following quote: “neon gravestones, tyler explains, is the heart of trench.”

and i just didn’t get it. we’d had jumpsuit, natn, levitate and my blood for months; all in-world, all not having very much detail about death other than showing the literal gravestones lit with neon.

in early 2019 i ran a small poll on twitter asking “do you think this is related to the narrative” for each song on trench, and of 132 voters, only 67% said yes, neon gravestones seemed related. i didn’t then – and still don’t now – know what exactly neon gravestones as a song has to do with every other part of trench the album.

here are some things we do know: ending your life is the goal of vialism. in the third verse of neon gravestones tyler lists reasons that someone might end their life (as a form of legacy, as a form of lashing out) and says as a counterpoint that our culture should glorify old age instead of an early death. in leave the city, the record’s last song, tyler says “in time i will leave the city; for now i will stay alive.” and we know it’s the goal of the vulture/bandito to turn death into life (be a vulture who feeds on pain).

with the “heart of trench” thing in mind, i’m looking for ways that neon gravestones relates to each other song on the album – because before there were articles, interviews, or music videos, these songs existed first on their own, together. i’m starting from here:

the first verse of neon gravestones gives us this:

what's my problem?

what’s his problem? he’s about to explain. excellent.

well, i want you to follow me down to the bottom underneath the insane asylum keep your wits about you while you got 'em 'cause your wits are first to go while you're problem-solving and my problem? we glorify those, even more, when they

(“lost ‘em,” presumably.)

so based on tyler’s description of song structure i’m looking for problem-solving as a point of conflict (specifically, losing wits) and death as a topic.

this is what i’ve scraped together -- i've categorized each song as wits kept, wits lost, and incorporating death into living.

jumpsuit. jumpsuit ends with tyler in a pose that definitely screams dead.

though “attempted escape should be honored,” considering tyler tried (with zero endgame) to run on foot from a bishop on horseback, i would place this firmly in the category of wits lost.

02. levitate “i am a vulture who feeds on pain”. vultures feed on carrion, so there’s some relationship between pain & death. in a sense he’s incorporating death into living.

03. morph. tyler can’t stop thinking about life after death, even though nico is always trying to stop him.

he takes this song to methodically reason out his thoughts about death. for that reason, i would categorize this as wits kept.

04. my blood says “if you find yourself in the lion’s den, i’ll jump right in and pull my pin.” taking the grenade with you is a one-way trip 💀 so i would categorize this as wits lost.

i noticed a bunch of these songs have high emotion in them, like for example jumpsuit's “i can’t believe how much i hate…” if there’s high emotion in this one, i would call it loyalty (but past the point of self-preservation).

05. chlorine. chlorine says "rebel red carnation grows while i decay." decay suggests a death occurring. “i’ll be back when it’s all complete” and “the moment is medical” says this leaving-of-the-city is temporary and necessary; it’s incorporating a death into living.

06. smithereens. “for you i would get beat to smithereens”. smithereens literally means small pieces, which is generally considered pretty dead. if there's high emotion here i would call it most likely rage. you could maybe say what he wants to save he'll kill: in jumpsuit, himself, in my blood, his brother, in smithereens, his relationship. i would call this one wits lost.

07. neon gravestones: is the song we’re talking about.

08. the hype. the hype music video shows tyler and josh getting shot up by invisible bullets, which according to the director symbolized the metaphorical death that took place before the band redefined themselves for trench. this is incorporating a death into living.

09. nico and the niners. this one does say we will win but not everyone will get out. that doesn’t necessarily mean death, but the whole rap verse is a half-assed plan at best. (still better than jumpsuit, which was a zero-assed plan)

10. cut my lip. the cut my lip visuals show the arms of the statues pictured in natn sticking up out of the ground as though drowning. so maybe wits lost? being buried in the ground/drowning is dying, and in the song he says explicitly this isn't what he wants.

(the cement people periodically turn yellow like the vulture)

11. bandito. in jumpsuit tyler’s death is preceded by a fall; in bandito the lyrics say “we know you don’t know to fall”. they also say “i created this world to feel some control; destroy it if i want”. wholesale destruction does seem death-adjacent. i would call both of these things incorporating death into living.

12. pet cheetah. no deaths here. tyler says “no, i move slow, i’ll sit here til i find the problem.” the squealing tires tell us there is an urge to move hastily, but tyler makes a decision to be patient with his problem. i would call this wits kept.

13. legend. during the live show tyler would say during legend “if i my grandfather taught me one thing it’s that it’s worth it to keep on fighting all the way to the bitter end.” he also says “you’re a legend in my own mind” and notably, dema maps have a compass rose, but no legend, so maybe his grandfather is an example for him? either way, “keep fighting to the bitter end” is a clear plan, so i would call this wits kept.

14. leave the city. “it’s only time before they show me why no one ever comes back with details from beyond.” this suggests he’s talking about a final death, a final leaving-of-the-city, the point of no return (assuming people aren’t coming back with anything else either, like cashews or scratch tickets or whatever). this isn’t incorporating death into living then, but it’s a plan to live. i would call this wits kept.

so that's my attempt to see neon gravestones as central to trench beyond what is explicitly said in the third verse. i'm basically full of question marks and this is the best i could come up with. any ideas? what am i missing?

[jzlily333]

🌺03/09活出美好LiveWell🌺

Your life will follow your expectations.                 

If you know God, you will have peace and blessings will come to you (Job 22:21).

03/09 Bible verses

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart results, And with my song I shall thank Him. (Psalms 28: 7)

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I find help; therefore my heart rejoices; I will praise him with songs (Psalm 28:7).

03/09Good words 

1. Every small decision affects the big decisions to be made in the future. Small choices��reveal our character and security.

2. Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do, you are a winner.

Poetry: The Greatest Blessing

https://youtu.be/FUMrok5yvWo?si=AaL0JzGw_70n-0Jp

🌺03/09活出美好🌺

你的生命會跟著你的期待走。        

你要認識神，就得平安；福氣也必臨到你 (約伯記22: 21)。

03/09 圣经金句

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. (Psalms 28: 7)

耶和華是我的力量，是我的盾牌；我心裡倚靠他，就得幫助；所以我心中歡樂；我必用詩歌頌讚他 (詩篇28: 7) 。

03/09金玉良言

1. 每個小決定左右將來要做的大決定。小抉擇顯明了我們的品格與安全感。

2. 成功不是快樂的關鍵，快樂才是成功的關鍵，如果你熱愛你做的事，就是一個成功者。

詩歌：最大的福分 

https://youtu.be/FUMrok5yvWo?si=AaL0JzGw_70n-0Jp

[bumblebeehug]

I love imagining characters and ships I like to songs.

Even if it's actually just like one verse of said song that fits them

Like this part of this song (mistletoe tree of reincarnation. English cover by ham from 03:50) reminds me so much of natsu when he thought Lucy died in the war arc.

"I'm crying out, I'm screaming out until my voice has run out, but I know (even if I cry) that no matter what (as I wipe my eyes) all the tears in this world won't bring back your life. The fire in your soul has dimmed, there's nothing more I can do. So I hold sins that I've atoned, yet unhealed with wounds. Finally, giving in to the full darkness of truth. Devoured by this flame of grief. My vision's clouded in red. I cannot stop my straying soul from awakening as it takes control and my sorrowful tears turn to rage Instead"

Well damn it’s always 1am here but let’s see

WELL DAMN

IM NORMAL ABOUT THEM WDYM

[thelensofyashunews]

Mach-Hommy Explores Diasporic Duality on New Album #RICHAXXHAITIAN

Mach-Hommy–the acclaimed and prolific artist who keeps his government name unpublished, maintains no social media presence, and covers his face with a bandana of the Haitian flag–releases #RICHAXXHAITIAN, his first solo studio album since 2021, out now on all platforms. Released in time for Haitian Flag Day (May 18th), #RICHAXXHAITIAN channels the troubled political evolution of Haiti, as well as its rich cultural inheritance. Galvanized by the country's turbulent past, Mach-Hommy presents a beacon towards a better future.

#RICHAXXHAITIAN is the fourth album in a tetralogy of albums that examine Mach-Hommy's relationship with his homeland and provide a wide-ranging account of how its issues intersect with problems facing the world at large. While the first album in the series, H.B.O. (Haitian Body Odor), reclaimed an ugly stereotype, and his two acclaimed 2021 albums, Pray For Haiti and Balens Cho (Hot Candles), chronicled hardship and recovery, #RICHAXXHAITIAN is a small musical panacea for his homeland amidst poverty and political strife, combating the public's negative images of Haiti by focusing on the greatness and prosperity of the country's diaspora. Over the course of the album, Mach-Hommy emphasizes the country's potential, strategizing ways that his troubled homeland could become an exemplar of Black cultural and economic excellence.

#RICHAXXHAITIAN draws from a variety of musical styles, welcoming producers like Grammy-winning producer Conductor Williams, along with Multi-Grammy-winning producer KAYTRANADA, Grammy-nominated producer Quelle Chris, longtime associate Sadhu Gold, and others, to indulge their most creative impulses. The album progresses from vintage samples from the pre-rock era to futuristic electronic, jazz, and soul music, sketching a potential path for Haiti to evolve from developing nation to Afro-Futurist paradise.

Last week's single, "#RICHAXXHAITIAN," a collaboration with KAYTRANADA and L.A. legend 03 Greedo, exemplifies Mach in the latter mode, using a house-inflected instrumental and an interpolation of Afrobeat legend Odion Iruoje's "Ikebe" to provide a luxurious platform for both emcees to flex their hard-earned wealth. Focus track "COPY COLD," produced by Quelle Chris, draws from the other end of the spectrum. The song features a guest verse from Black Thought, who has long praised Mach-Hommy and called him one of his favorite emcees, as both emcees unfurl some of their densest verses to date. Originally recorded as a demo during a difficult period of Mach's life, nearly ten years ago, Mach was inspired to dust off the old tape with the hopes of collaborating with an emcee of Black Thought's caliber on the track. Over Quelle Chris's rippling piano instrumental, the two rappers beat against the current mode of label-driven rap beef, instead elevating the art of the emcee with kindred spirit collaboration.

03 Greedo and Black Thought lead a long list of collaborators that make #RICHAXXHAITIAN one of Mach-Hommy's most ambitious albums to date. Mach connects with R&B/jazz luminary HEPHZIBAH on "SONJE," an Afro-Futurist and psychedelic highlight that approaches the dissonant highs of 70s jazz fusion. Buffalo-based activist/singer/songwriter Drea D'Nur graces "POLITickle" with her luminous vocals, putting a button on a song that directly comments on how global capitalism tramples culture and fosters poverty. Mach rolls out the red carpet for Roc Marciano on the brief, but brilliant "ANTONOMASIA," as the two underground heroes trade verses over big band jazz samples and tribal drums. Mach feels right at home when rapping with frequent collaborators like Your Old Droog, Tha God Fahim, and Big Cheeko, providing a familiar anchor for longtime fans and ice cold bars for anyone who might not be familiar with their chemistry.

Born in Newark and raised in Port-Au-Prince amongst the elders of his culture, Mach-Hommy has always strongly identified with his home country's struggle, and his people's resilience. Haiti was the world's first Black republic formed as the result of a successful slave revolt. The Caribbean nation's very existence was a thumb in the nose of white supremacy, heralding the gleaming potential of Black self-government in the new world. Of course, the colonial powers could not let this stand: shortly after Haiti won independence, its former colonial overlord France levied a punitive tax, designed to cripple the young nation's economy and prevent it from growing into a power in the Caribbean. Still, despite the various man-made and natural disasters that have plagued the island nation over the centuries, the people of Haiti have grown strong, developing an influential cultural tradition and a vibrant diaspora, of which Mach-Hommy is a proud member. 

Attempting to transform our modern dystopia into a utopia using only his rhymes and force of will, Mach-Hommy invites us all, from his most loyal investors to his freshest fans, to imagine a brand new world. With #RICHAXXHAITIAN, that seemingly impossible dream creeps ever closer.

“I’ve always wanted to rep for Haiti and the cultural and intellectual richness we’ve provided the world,” Mach-Hommy says. “From our musical styles like kontradans  that have influenced world music, our natural resources which provide so much raw  material for so many important advancements in technology, our thinkers that  pioneered philosophical movements and Black pride, and our spiritual leaders who  kept the religious traditions of Guinea alive and intact, the religious traditions of Ayiti….” 

Buy #RICHAXXHATIAN on vinyl, CD, and cassette at Zotanica

[theobicobi]

Echoes In The Undertow - Lyrics by TheObicobi

Title: Echoes In The Undertow

Written by: TheObicobi "Jake"

Date: 07/03/2024

I finished writing this track very early morning around 6:00am before work.

Warm up, practice my writings in general, see if I can make a simple structured song. A test.

New folk, Alternative rock, Folk, Contemporary rock, Contemporary Folk, Pop, English

(Verse 1)

In the shadow of neon lights,

Where whispers linger in the air,

We chase reflections of lost dreams,

Fragments of what once was there.

(Pre-Chorus)

Silent voices call out in the night,

Echoes of a world left behind,

Caught between the past and the future,

Searching for a place to unwind.

(Chorus)

We're spinning in circles,

Lost in the undertow,

Trying to find meaning,

In this endless flow.

(Verse 2)

Empty streets and empty hearts,

A cityscape of broken shards,

Each step echoes with regret,

Haunted by the silence that guards.

(Pre-Chorus)

Distant memories flicker and fade,

Like stars swallowed by the dawn,

Caught between hope and despair,

In the echoes of a song.

(Chorus)

We're spinning in circles,

Lost in the undertow,

Trying to find meaning,

In this endless flow.

(Bridge)

But we'll keep holding on,

To the fragments of our dreams,

In the quiet moments,

Where nothing's as it seems.

(Guitar Solo)

(Chorus)

We're spinning in circles,

Lost in the undertow,

Trying to find meaning,

In this endless flow.

(Outro)

In the silence of the night,

We'll find solace in the unknown,

In the echoes and the shadows,

Where our souls are finally home.

I had these feelings of being trapped in the every day, cyclical nature of life, perhaps focusing on it for far too long. In the searches for my meaning, feelings of regret, loss swindled around my mind.

With things rapidly changing around me, in the world at large, with myself, these are some basic ideas of what I have felt. While also attempting to write a cute catchy little pop track. I don't think it is an overly negative portrayal of said concerns, moreso an acceptance of how it is, to keep moving forward. Nothing revolutionary, just a fun mini project for myself to tackle head on. Haven't been able, or felt the desire to partake in creative writings, here you go. Let me know if you like it, hate it, or just want to chat. Cheers.

Track Name - Echoes In The Undertow

Little creative work I whipped up.

Psst..still working on a more challenging piece..started another writing yesterday..not sure when it will be complete..

TheObicobi My Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/theobcobi

Echoes In The Undertow Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/theobcobi/art/Echoes-In-The-Undertow-Lyrics-by-TheObicobi-1070965980

Song on Soundcloud Echoes In The Undertow: https://soundcloud.com/user-690465289/echoes-in-the-undertow

TheObicobi Soundcloud Test Songs Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/user-690465289/sets/test-songs

TheObicobi Soundcloud Profile: https://soundcloud.com/user-690465289

TheObicobi Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-690465289/tracks

TheObicobi Pixiv Profile: https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/17426559

Echoes In The Undertow - Written Lyrics by TheObicobi "Jake" Pixiv Post: https://www.pixiv.net/novel/show.php?id=22504239

Listen to "Echoes In The Undertow" on YouTube @TheObicobiHD:

NOTE: Here is how the AI sung this song. Slight difference to how I wrote this, it changed the last two lines in the 2nd pre-chorus after "Like stars swallowed by the dawn" it should go "Caught between hope and despair, In the echoes of a song." but it instead sung and replaced this with the last two lines from the previous pre-chorus "Caught between the past and the future, searching for a place to unwind."

How the AI sung it: "Distant memories flicker and fade, Like stars swallowed by the dawn, Caught between the past and the future, Searching for a place to unwind."

All rights reserved ©TheObicobi

[milgramtheories]

yuno ⭐ kazui

yuno and kazui are biologically related: my dissection of kashiki-mukuhara also huge shouts out to @nikoberry who helped me put this theory together! for ease of reading, yuno's information will be on the left side of this post, with kazui's information on the right- to the best of my ability. sources are linked best i can

disclaimer: i dont know how canon it is that the prisoners experience memory loss of their lives & parts of their murders before milgram, but this theory works best under that assumption

this will also all be under a cut, for the sake of your dashboard... it's very long...

01. Age

to start off, it is not far-fetched that kazui could be yuno's biological father, as he would have been ~21 when yuno was born

02. Design

milgram character designs are made with a lot of intent and deliberation, the characters in the main cast look very different from one another, though yuno and kazui have a few key details that tie them together

note 1. posing; yuno and kazui are both posed in very similar ways for each of their trials. for trial 2: they seem excited, greeting you with a wave or acknowledging you wtih a nod for trial 1, they seem relaxed, but prepared. theyre meeting us for the first time, warmly, but not exposing who they are just yet

note 2. hair; these two have a handful of similarities with their hair. their hair color looks to be the same, but tinted with their respective colors they also have their bangs cut similarly, cut just under the eyebrow, a straight edge on their right side, with their hair parting on the left side

note 3, facial structure; both have a more "straight faces" (more noticeable in yuno's t2), coy smiles, and droopy/soft eyes

note 4, color;

03. Personality

excerpts pulled from the milgram wikia

04. Interrogations

yuno does not have a father present in her life

kazui's response to his question "Who do you want to see right now?" is "I can't meet them anymore."

he says "meet." not "see" or "be with", implying it is someone he has not met before: perhaps a child he knows of, but has not been told anything about them

(it could also be "meeting up", though i am not able to translate the original. in this case, it could be "meeting up" with the woman at the bar)

this one ^ mostly just tickles me

and i was almost going to dismiss this next one as him talking about his marriage

buuut... niko twisted my arm on keeping it in for the theory!

these next two are likely more about kazui's childhood friend, and his adultery, but theyre fun to apply to this theory, so im keeping them in.

05. Name Meanings

im not well versed in interpreting japanese names, so these are again, pulled from the milgram wikia

06. Timelines

muu mentions just before this that she does not interact much with men around kazui's age, save for her father

kazui mentions himself having a child out of the blue, and quickly dismisses it. muu does not comment on this in the full timeline, so it could be that he is talking to himself. but why?

(translation source) connecting this timeline to the one above is interesting as well, as yuno mentions that she and muu could be seen as the same age. perhaps muu reminds kazui of a child he has not met, yet knows is around muus general age

(translation source) it's important to note that the above timeline was posted 2 days after kazui's t1 video, half, premiered on the MILGRAM youtube channel. kazui makes no mention of children in his voice drama, but mentions them to shidou a few days after his song extraction

07. Cats

kazui's next song is titled "cat," and yuno's t2 video, tear drop, has very VERY brief flashes of cat imagery used for her

08. Doors

there is a great comparison that @dearmahiru has made for their respective t2 song artwork! though, i would also like to point out that their doors are made with a very very similar wood (re: the significance of the kanji used for their names)

the only prisoner thus far with a somewhat similar door to these two would be haruka

though the wood finish is almost entirely smooth, with hardly any visible grain, unlike yuno and kazui, who have woodgrain very visible on their doors. haruka's door is also not curved at the top

09. Etc, The End

i was mostly going to note that he says "float" in this translation, which corresponds to yuno's balloon imagery however, i started looking into the potential symbolism behind chairs and..

(i would also like to note that the chair has hearts on it, which im sure has significance- but at the moment is just a cute detail to me)

if you made it this far, thank you for reading, and please tell me your thoughts on this!! id love to hear what everyone else thinks about this theory!

im know there are more well put-together and stronger supported theories than this one, but it's my first full theory ive come up with on my own, and im just excited to share it! at the very least, it's a fun headcanon, and i will also go ballistic if it gets confirmed

[yellowhollyhock]

For 03 Donnie 4 5 and 21

you’re the best ❤️

4 If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

Hmm… I went back and forth a lot with this. Star Trek is right there… but I choose Over the Garden Wall. His skillset would be distinct there, and it could be interesting to watch how his mechanical mind does, or sometimes doesn’t, come in handy in the various metaphysical situations they find themselves in. Also, it’s a story about family, and trauma is a big recurring theme. I think there could be interesting opportunities both for him to grow and to help. He’d be older than Wirt and Greg and would definitely try to help—but would they trust him? He’s a big talking turtle and he’s carrying a weapon. He and Beatrice would get along I think, but Wirt also doesn’t trust her. Greg would remind him so much of Mikey it hurts.

I don’t know, I feel like this one is a nice compromise between others I was thinking of. He’d get to use his skills but wouldn’t be too useful, lots of new different things for him to explore and learn about, some friends for him to make, some horrors to be had.

5 what song comes to mind

Quitting Time by The Roches. Partially just because The Roches are on his wiki as one of his faves, which is the original reason I looked them up, which is how I discovered this song. Also because though

It’s got this sort of daydreamy quality. To me being a dreamer is essential to Don’s character. It also has a theme of being overworked or caring too much about your work, maybe even missing out on what’s really important because you were working instead. Also this verse

Old industrial skyline

Drawing away from you

You are the one that’s moving

You are the fool that flew

You are the fool that flew

^SAINW

21 if you write fanfiction, what do you enjoy doing with this character? what do you dislike?

I like making Donny heal. Whether it looks like telling someone about what’s been weighing on him, a slow adjustment to a new situation, pursuing a healthy relationship and making himself an identity outside of his trauma… the common thread is, it’s comforting and fun to write about his life getting better after all the horrors he’s seen. I project on this guy like crazy, legit sometimes my stories start out as personal pieces exploring how I might take action to heal from past events, but make him do it instead because his hurts are more concrete and healing is easier to imagine. Then if I think it’s in character or a fun concept, I polish it up for sharing

What I don’t like? writing technobabble. I want him to come up with clever solutions and show off his tech skills, but that would require me to think of clever solutions and understand science well enough to pretend to talk about it. Especially difficult when it’s not just real science, I gotta try to figure out which ideas I’m taking from canon and whether I have to/even can expand on them in a way that makes any sense. So it’s figuring out how to make real science mesh with canon science, usually ending up with something that is… neither 😑

[whattraintracks]

5. Video Games - Multi

What's this? More Raphael angst? Why are we surprised.

So I was listening to Stay Down by boygenius while some prompts simmered in my brain, and when this one started boiling somewhere around verse two, I knew what I had to do.  

Would Raph even like this song? Who knows, but I sure do, so I am going to close-read the heck out of it and draw so many connections.

Video Games >> I'm just steering my life in a video game >> It's a half-life, it's a fallout 

before any of you wonder what this has got to do with the prompt, here it is! it's in the song. prompt satisfied

apparently, those are also references to video games

. . .

moving on

Fighting and Learned Behavior >> lean into the punch >> push me down >> hold me under >> stay down 

a.k.a. physical altercations as an allegory for Raphael’s life 

obsessed with the metaphor of him leaning into a punch

if he can’t avoid life's blows, he'll do what he can to make them hurt less

suffer the hit just to get it over with, or take it for someone else

on a less angsty note, I simply associate Raph with boxing 

he's a skilled ninja, but sometimes he wants to sucker-punch someone

cuz this boy really loves fighting, and that ain’t a bad thing 

>> wasn't a fighter 'til somebody told me I had better learn >> would you teach me I'm the villain

I think a lot about Raph and learned behavior 

when I tell you Rise and '03 Splinter altered my brain chemistry 

hiding their connection to the Foot/Hamato Clan

trying to spare their sons from anger, grief, trauma, vengeance, and wars that don't belong to them is fascinating to me 

but in every version, he teaches Raph how to fight 

and I've talked about how '87 Raphael still inherited those things from Splinter's

even the ones who don’t are still altered by growing up with him, looking at you M&M Raph 

it's not a coincidence '12 Splinter sees so much of himself in his son

Defense Mechanism and Love for Enemies >> lean into the punch so it don't hurt as bad when they leave 

Raph's anger often screams defense mechanism to me

if humans are going to hate him anyway, again he'll lean into it

be snarky and rude and scary and mean and give them something to really hate

sometimes, his anger is preemptive, but it's not always unfounded

I don't think even ten fingers are enough to count how many times a recurring character turned on the '87 turtles

Raphael should have been allowed to beat up Vernon as consolation

>> there you were, turning your cheek 

but wait! there's more! the Christian references in this song are not subtle

Luke 6:27,29 "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you . . . if anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also"

I'm thinking about '87 Raphael's "Yeah, I'm with ya, but I'm bitter" and helping the guys protect a city that doesn't appreciate all they do

I'm thinking about '03 Raph, who is resolute it's not their problem that the city's at war but gets involved because Leo does 

I'm thinking about '07 Raph taking up the Nightwatcher mantle after Leo leaves New York 

Disconnection in Personal Relationships >> I look at you and you look at a screen 

this second verse, I think, is pretty open to interpretation, which works well given how many variations there are of Raph

linking "screen" to "video game" in the next line, I picture Raph reaching out and being ignored

like '03 Raph figuring his anger out on his own v. Leo getting sent away for serious/professional help

like '07 Raph missing Leo and hearing no word from him for years 

or I read "screen" with the connotation of concealment

like Rise Raph keeping it together for his little brothers until he can't

like their shock when he finally breaks down

the loneliness of Raph looking at his brothers and knowing them so well but feeling like they never really see him  

>> similar acts and a different name 

I am always struck by how similar Raph and his brothers are 

the little things they do the same because they were raised together

the ways they deliberately emulate each other  

it has to sting seeing so much of them in himself and himself in them and still be reduced to "the angry one"

especially when it's them thinking this way

(side note, Google has this lyric miswritten as "similar accent," which is hilarious in this context) 

Loss and Lack of Control >> I'm in the back seat of my body 

canon takes great pleasure in depriving Raph of control over his body 

how intensely all Raphaels experience their emotions 

off-screen and childhood trauma like “Savage Raph” in Rise 

on-screen trauma that must lead to dissociation, flashbacks, nightmares, etc. 

the two, at least that I know of, mind control events with ‘12 and Rise Raph

even ‘87 Raphael getting de-aged

you could also interpret this as gender dysphoria and I've seen a lot of good trans Raph headcanons

>> I'm just steering my life in a video game 

beyond losing control of his body, Raph never really has control of his life 

“turtle luck” and all that 

this often shows up when their stories shift

like ‘87 Raphael, who goes from a wise guy to a sarcastic grouch as his story drags on and takes a darker turn

as opposed to Rise Raph, who throughout the series, gets talked down from heroism and over-vigilance

but guess which behaviors get rewarded and reinforced during the Shredder arcs and Krang invasion

so as not to ignore the prompt any more than I already have, I do enjoy those episodes where “life in a video game” for Raphael is a little more on the nose

Combat Land (1987), Across the Universe (2003), Mazes and Mutants (2012) 

Literally Neurodivergent and a Minor 

(Shoutout to this art from @/20s-turtle-posting that inspired the name of this section) ((and, no, I did not realise this is an ironic meme and will be taking it seriously))

>> aren't I the one constantly repenting for a difficult mind? >> push me down into the water like a sinner, hold me under >> villain >> sinner >> half-life >> fallout 

I warned you about the religious imagery, but it's a little off in this verse

because repentance is about change as growth

but Raph feels like he has to change his "difficult mind" this ingrained part of himself

so he's stuck in a cycle of remorse and regret, unable to gain control

I think about running fast and far and anguished cries of “what is wrong with me?” (2003)

pushed into and held under, the waters of baptism are no longer cleansing and renewing but suppressing

it's the people closest to him saying “you are seriously twisted” (2012) and “you’ve got a rage problem” (M&M)

and having to decide between hiding those parts of himself or hoping they'll love him anyway

it's Raph feeling bad and broken, feeling like he's a danger and a poison to everyone around him

>> lean into the punch so it don't hurt as bad when they leave >> it takes so long for me to settle down and when I finally do, there's no one else around 

and I wonder if Raph's temper is ever tied to feeling unlovable, and one feeling sparks another in a vicious feedback loop 

a teenager testing the boundaries of care and affection, more defense mechanisms

how does he get himself to believe in their steadfast love even when he feels unworthy of it

to trust he's safe enough to feel all of his ugliest emotions when his life is so out of control

he forgets, his story doesn’t let him remember, that he’s still a kid 

he's got a lot of growing to do, and even if it takes a long time, he’ll settle down one day, find his balance 

his family’s gonna stick it out, and they’ll still be around when he finally gets there

tl;dr I will never be able to listen to this song without crying about Raphael now, so thanks, brain. 

[kindaoptimisticsquirrel]

Trigun Bookclub Trimax Vol9 Par2

Vol01: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 ��| Vol02: Part 1 | Part 2

Trimax: Vol01 Part 1 Vol01 Part 2 | Vol02 Part 1 Vol02 Part 2 | Vol 03 Part 1 | Vol03 Part2 | Vol04 Part1 | Vol04 Part2 | Vol05 | Vol06 | Vol07 | Vol08 Part1 | Vol08 Part2 | Vol09 Part1 | Vol09 Part2

And next part!

Chapter 5:

I assume this is a time where Wolfwood really really didn't want to pull the trigger. Because as much as Livio has changed, he still once was a part of his family.

Wolfwood, spying Chapel with the eyes of a hunter. (I like to say "hunter" instead of "killer" as a hunter, much like a wolf, can also be someone who only kills to protect? Maybe? I'm trying to make sense but it's late and I'm mostly spilling thoughts that come to my mind as I read these pages again)

Looks like this show of supreme fighting instinct is smth Chapel is proud of. Ugh, Wolfwood is no longer a part of you! You have no right to be proud of what he does or what he has become!

No super cure without some nasty side effects. Or a price, the price being that they itselves take a toll on the body.

Oh the way the light is set, the composition, this is a very beautiful panel! Hmm I like when we get tone gradiant from dark to light!

Razlo!!! Teheee. Also what the hell is the deal with that third armm?? I want to know the logistics, how is it connected to the body? Can it rotate 360°?

Chapter 6:

Farewell Nicholas my ass that man is not done yet and you still have to pay for what you did to him, old man.

Oh I think I got it just now that they sacrificed one of the three dudes in order to distract Wolfwood with his blood and flesh. Best employee of the month, but at what price!

A Wolfwood in the wild will spread all its limbs far apart to appear more big and threatening.

First of all: oh dear oh dear oh dear. Second: I dore how Nightow draws so dynamic, like in these moments with quick movement, he draws the limbs without too much care for the joints. Stressing the speed and direction of movement by having the limbs flail behind and also kinda angling them like the speedlines. AND making it more dynamic by adding perspective, cause the hands are bigger and just a bit in the foreground!

D'awwwww he looks like a happy little vampire!

No stop don't give me Wolfwood thoughs, they will make me sad :((

Vash, in Wolfwood's mind: standing upright and proud and a smile on his face. Me, the reader: *bawling internally*

oh oh oh in that moment he was saying to Vash what Chapel once taught him!

It is a crime that I'm reading these pages while stopping in between to comment so I'll read these first and comment afterwards. The impact of Wolfwood's thoughts is so so strong. Let me just...post the rest of the chapter in one go.

You really, really need to read the last chapters of vol9 in one go and directly start with vol10 to get the best feeling and flow of storytelling. Complete quietness around you or some music playing, but something that makes you focus only on these words and the emotions and ....everything.

And oh my god oh my I just tried to get behind the meaning of the last sentence and I might have found something. Please look at the lyrics for "Time" by Pink Floyd. The last verse especially but also, the whole song fits??? I can no longer listen to this the same way:

"Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today And then one day you find ten years have got behind you No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking Racing around to come up behind you again The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way The time is gone, the song is over Thought I'd something more to say

Home Home again I like to be here When I can

When I come home Cold and tired It's good to warm my bones Beside the fire

Far away Across the field Tolling on the iron bell Calls the faithful to their knees To hear the softly spoken magic spell"

Also what a beautiful end note to end this review with.

[namor-shuri]

Marvel Studios: Voices Rising - The Music Of Wakanda Forever [Series]

Episode #3: “London: Bring It Home” [available on Disney +] [w/ time stamps to follow along]

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▻  London was the last stop, where they [Ludwig, producers, artists, etc] gathered sounds and music from Nigeria and Mexico to bring it all together back in London.

▻  “It was 10 full days of scoring. Not only was Ludwig recording with the orchestra during the day, but he was also doing sessions with artists at the studios at night time.” - Monica Sonand [Score Supervisor] [3:58] We see that Ludwig would be up till @4:00AM onward in the studio, recording with artists.

▻  Ryan was a huge fan of Burna Boy’s [Nigerian singer] music and introduced him to Ludwig. From there, Ludwig recorded music of Burna singing with guitar on the track but he didn’t know where it would fit in the overall film. “I didn’t know how to elaborate on it. I got the idea to send the vocals and the guitars to P. Priime [Music Producer]” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [4:42] P. Priime gave the track life from there, which Burna Boy then listened to and put his spin on it. The final track “Alone” is used in the scene where Princess Shuri [Letitia Wright] is shown recreating the heart shaped herb in the lab before she becomes the Black Panther [5:34]

▻  Stormzy was approached to sing on the track “Interlude” for the soundtrack. This song has a similar melody to Burna Boy’s “Alone”. “Stormzy wrote this beautiful, very intimate verse. That was also a beautiful moment.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [6:44] We hear this track played during the lab scene with Princess Shuri and Riri Williams [Dominique Thorne] brainstorming before battle [6:51]

▻ “I discussed a lot with Ryan about how we’re going to use the Black Panther theme, how we’re going to use the talking drums, which was T’Challa’s [Chadwick Boseman] main instrument. It became a significant part of the storyline of the first movie. It’s also one of the first instruments you actually hear in Wakanda Forever. It’s what starts the funeral ceremony. After that, you don’t hear it anymore until the very end of the movie. With T’Challa not being there, it was impossible to fit that instrument in. So I needed a theme for Shuri.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [7:22]

▻  Tunde Jegede [instrumentalist] is shown playing the Kora [8:35]. This instrument is played during the funeral scene in the beginning of the film where Princess Shuri is seen weeping with Queen Romanda [Angela Bassett] by her side. “It was Ryan’s idea to change the instrument of that theme into a voice. You hear this lullaby song, which is representing the memory of T’Challa.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [8:45] The lullaby is played during the scene with Shuri and her mother by the lake, speaking of her brother’s prescence. [9:03] “The presence that you felt was just a construct of your mind” - Princess Shuri. “The music switches from that warm, supportive feeling to this cold, dark emotion, and Jorja Smith’s vocals take over.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [9:17] The track “He wasn’t there” was then implemented into the score.

▻  “For Shuri, everything doesn’t make sense. What she knew has been blown up. And she’s like how do I get through this?” - Letitia Wright [Princess Shuri] [9:25] “The vocal [sung by Jorja Smith] is growing and growing as the storyline moves on. It transforms into a crazy, big, distorted synthesizer. The key element is how it blends together with the Black Panther fanfare from the first movie.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [9:44] We hear this distorted version of the vocals in the climatic scene where Shuri falls from the sky, making her big introduction as the Black Panther to Wakanda. This track is known as “Wakanda Forever” in the score. The drums from T’challa’s theme music plays along with Shuri’s theme song during her arm wrestling scene with M’baku. “The Black Panther lives!” - M’baku [Winston Duke]

▻  The transition and tonal change of Shuri’s theme music is then heard during the desert fight scene between Black Panther and Namor [Tenoch Huerta]. “And then you go from something like that to 120 people singing, and playing their instruments as soft as they can.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [10:30] This track is known as “Vengeance has consumed us” in the score. It is played while Namor is on his back and Shuri demands him to yield. “ Yield and Wakanda will protect your oceans. We will protect your secrets. Vengeance has consumed us. We cannot let it consume our people.” - Black Panther [Letitia Wright]. “That is something that synthesizers are never going to be able to re-create in the sound of all these people in one room.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [10:47]

▻ “I’m really proud of all the character arcs in this film coming to a place of peace and healing, or on their way to it. I feel like we’ve done that really well!” - Letitia Wright [Princess Shuri] [11:02]

▻  Ludwig worked on the track “Con La Brisa” for a while but wanted to find a way to make it better. He tried to add an orchestra to it. “And then when I brought it back to LA and I saw the whole movie and heard it like that, it took me out of it. That was an interesting example of like okay let’s go back to the magic that was there from the beginning. I had to think okay well, the most magic thing about this song is just the vocal and if you can leave that driving the song, and strip away everything else from the song that’s how you’re going to get the most power from it.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [12:12] Ludwig felt that Foudeqush’s vocals on the track were enough. Less is more.

▻  The funeral scene of Shuri and Queen Ramonda walking through the crowd with T’challa’s mask was one of the first scenes Ryan shot. “Ryan was very adamant that this is an opportunity for us to use the voice from the first movie.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [13:26] There was a recorded session back in 2017 for the first Black Panther of Baaba Maal singing. “I had a friend of mine that had produced one of Baaba Maal’s albums and I just called him and asked him if he could put us in touch. I called Baaba Maal and I told him me and my wife are going to go to Senegal. Do you have time to meet up?” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [13:52]

▻  “I invited him [Ludwig] to join me and my band to make a tour. I knew that to get the spirit and the soul; it’s something that you can’t explain to someone. It would be good for him to see how people play it.” - Baaba Maal [Musician] [14:17] Ludwig went on tour with Baaba for two weeks. Baaba says that that was a great experience for him to learn that Ludwig is a very patient person, especially if you are going to learn about the culture. You have to be patient in order to do so. [15:03] We hear Baaba’s voice in the opening of the first Black Panther where T’Challa [Chadwick Boseman], Nakia [Lupita Nyong’o] and Okoye [Danai Gurira] are seen flying into Wakanda. “So when it became time for Wakanda Forever to be able to bring Baaba Maal back, we thought it would be very powerful.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [15:29]

▻  “Baaba Maal, he’s the most dynamic vocalist I’ve ever recorded. You gotta be really careful with him because he will blow out a mic! Pretty loud, but controlled loud.” - Chris Fogel [Recording Engineer/Mixer] [15:49] We hear Baaba’s beautiful and emotional vocals in the studio, overlayed with recorded drums and instruments that Ludwig and Chris strung together. His vocals were used in the send off scene of T’challa’s casket. Baaba also makes an appearance in the movie during the ceremony of the Wakandans sending T’Challa off. They played the final scene for him in studio with his vocals and instruments overlayed and Baaba loved it. [17:54]

▻  “The most important thing as a human being is to be proud of who you are and art is the truest form to show your identity.” - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [18:26] 

▻  “That’s really dope of Ludwig to find a way to have people of the Latinx community, artists of the African diaspora in one album and for it to all fit and flow. I think that’s really brave! It’s a reflection of the world that we actually live in. That’s beautiful to see.” - Letitia Wright [Princess Shuri] [18:44]

                  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Soundtrack: [tracks referenced in this episode]

ʀɪʜᴀɴɴᴀ: ʟɪғᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ / ʙᴜʀɴᴀ ʙᴏʏ: ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ / ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ + ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴄᴏɴ ʟᴀ ʙʀɪsᴀ / ᴛᴇᴍs: ɴᴏ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ɴᴏ ᴄʀʏ / ᴀᴅɴ ᴍᴀʏᴀ ᴄᴏʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴏ + ᴘᴀᴛ ʙᴏʏ: ʟᴀᴀʏʟɪ’ ᴋᴜxᴀ’ᴀɴᴏ’ᴏɴᴇ / ғɪʀᴇʙᴏʏ ᴅᴍʟ: ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ / ʙʟᴜᴇ ʀᴏᴊᴏ: ɪɴғʀᴀᴍᴜɴᴅᴏ  / ʀɪʜᴀɴɴᴀ: ʙᴏʀɴ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ / ᴛᴏʙᴇ ɴᴡɪɢᴡᴇ + ғᴀᴛ ɴᴡɪɢᴡᴇ: ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ɪᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏ / ᴅʙɴ ɢᴏɢᴏ + sɪɴᴏ ᴍsᴏʟᴏ: ʟᴏᴠᴇ & ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ [ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ] / sɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ + ᴇ-40: ʟᴀ ᴠɪᴅᴀ / ᴀᴍᴀᴀʀᴀᴇ: ᴀ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴀ ᴄᴏғғɪɴ / ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: ᴀ́ʀʙᴏʟᴇs ʙᴀᴊᴏ ᴇʟ ᴍᴀʀ / sᴛᴏʀᴍᴢʏ: ɪɴᴛᴇʀʟᴜᴅᴇ / ᴏɢ ᴅᴀʏᴠ + ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ: ʟɪᴍᴏɴᴄᴇʟʟᴏ / ᴄᴋᴀʏ + ᴘɪɴᴋᴘᴀɴᴛʜᴇʀᴇss: ᴀɴʏᴀ ᴍᴍɪʀɪ / ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴀɴ + ʀᴇᴍᴀ: ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ / ᴀʟᴇᴍᴀ́ɴ + ʀᴇᴍᴀ: ᴘᴀɴᴛᴇʀᴀ / ᴅʙɴ ɢᴏɢᴏ + sɪɴᴏ ᴍsᴏʟᴏ: ᴊᴇʟᴇ / ᴄᴀʟʟᴇ x ᴠɪᴅᴀ + ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ: ɴᴏ ᴅɪɢᴀs ᴍɪ ɴᴏᴍʙʀᴇ / ɢᴜᴀᴅᴀʟᴜᴘᴇ ᴅᴇ ᴊᴇsᴜ́s ᴄʜᴀɴ ᴘᴏᴏᴛ: ᴍɪ ᴘᴜᴇʙʟᴏ

Score: [tracks referenced in this episode]

ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴡᴀᴋᴀɴᴅᴀ ғᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴛ’ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ʏɪʙᴀᴍʙᴇ! / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ɴᴀᴍᴏʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ʙᴀᴀʙᴀ ᴍᴀᴀʟ: ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ʙᴜsɪsᴡᴀ: ᴡᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ᴊᴏʀᴊᴀ sᴍɪᴛʜ: ʜᴇ ᴡᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: sɪʀᴇɴs / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ɴᴀᴍᴏʀ’s ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ʏᴜᴄᴀᴛᴀ́ɴ / ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: ᴀ́ʀʙᴏʟᴇs ʙᴀᴊᴏ ᴇʟ ᴍᴀʀ [ғɪʟᴍ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ] / ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ + ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴄᴏɴ ʟᴀ ʙʀɪsᴀ [ғɪʟᴍ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ] / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ʙᴀᴀʙᴀ ᴍᴀᴀʟ + ᴍᴀssᴀᴍʙᴀ ᴅɪᴏᴘ: ɴʏᴀɴᴀ ᴡᴀᴍ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀs ᴄᴏɴsᴜᴍᴇᴅ ᴜs

                           Episodes:  1    2    3

[louisupdates]

[Translated from Spanish]

Louis Tomlinson: All of Those Voices - Review of the documentary film

CINE PREMIERE

23-03-2023, 12:13:40 PM | By: Luis Angel H Mora

When it is understood that All of Those Voices serves as a need for Louis Tomlinson to cure his own trauma, this is when the film finds its greatest value.

In his most recent record production, Louis Tomlinson writes in "Lucky Again" the verses: "I’m a hard man to lose, but I figured it out and returned to the life I would choose. I was lucky once, I can be lucky again." A phrase that resonates with special attention when trying to define the heart of Louis Tomlinson: All of Those Voices, a movie that beyond telling the journey of a star, is actually a story about overcoming trauma and grief, which happens under the incessant gaze of the public eye.

The whole world knows Louis Tomlinson because he belonged to the most successful British band of recent times. But in his eagerness to be able to distinguish himself from that label, and to forge a new path for himself, is that the singer not only writes and interprets his songs, but also ventures into the creation of a documentary about the last years of his life.

All of Those Voices is a testimony of the last five years as a star and as an ordinary person from Doncaster, United Kingdom. Although for many the maneuver of building a documentary about himself, at such an early stage of his career, could seem narcissistic, the film is effective in making the audience understand why Tomlinson deserves a place on stage and a distinction beyond One Direction.

To achieve this, the singer found the perfect partner in crime in Charlie Lightening, a filmmaker accustomed to working with successful musical personalities. Behind him, he carries the documentary Liam: As It Was, where he explores Liam Gallagher's soloist figure. And he is also responsible for the creation of several Paul McCartney music videos.

It's natural for Lightening to examine Tomlinson. Especially when much of his filmography focuses on exploring the lives of characters who come from a band and who seek to forge their career as soloists. Thus, All of Those Voices arrives with a cinematic and sober look that looks little like a concert for the big screen. It even gives the whole a specific visual style. Grainy images, with camera in hand and warm colors that in a sense fill with nostalgia what the narrative of unroadtrip seems.

The camera's roadtrip takes the singer's two concert tours as its starting point. One interrupted by the pandemic and another that served to prove to the world the worth and scope that Louis Tomlinson can have alone beyond One Direction. But above all, the images show the process in which the singer himself discovered and accepted that he had enough to conceive a future in the music scene.

Fans know Tomlinson's story very well, but they have never heard it from his own voice. Lightening's gaze is astute when capturing those moments that were key to Louis' personal and professional maturity. Difficult moments in his life include the death of his mother and a few years later that of his sister. The film relies heavily on those events, but it does not use them in a morbid way to create empathy.

On the contrary, the film is perceived as a movement of appropriation and overcoming trauma. The most important turning points that the film raises to be able to understand the current personality of the artist, are the need for an absent father figure; the separation of One Direction; and the loss of his mother and sister. When the audience understands that this film arises as a personal need of Louis Tomlinson to heal his own trauma, it is when the footage finds its greatest value.

Regardless of whether the audience in front of the screen is a fan of the singer or not, the documentary is empathetic. It does not hold itself to telling the exploits of a personality that climbs to the biggest stages and travels around the world. But to explore human and universal duels that are easily identifiable by anyone.

One of the strengths of All of Those Voices is that it completely shuns becoming a concert for movie theaters. The singer's music is present, but it always appears in the background and only to provide context for his profession. Presentations in different arenas of the world appear here and there because they are part of his life. But not because it is the author's intention to create with them memorable images or dreamy musical narratives.

Lightening is in charge of placing the camera above all in front of the people around the artist. And he interviews them to find, through them, those details that perhaps even Louis does not know about himself. When the singer says that this documentary is a way to undress in front of his audience, he is telling the truth. The images are not afraid to describe him meditative, devoted to tobacco, drinking alcohol or cursing.

Tomlinson is sincere when he says he feels he can't have control over his destiny. Also when she analyzes her relationship with her fans and qualifies her as a co-dependence. His words reflect a picture of anxiety that appears quite marked during the beginning, but that gradually transforms and fades as the footage progresses. A sample of the skill of Lightening and his editor as storytellers that seem casual and that develop on the fly.

Of course, the documentary will be a delight for Louis Tomlinson's followers, but also a very emotional experience. Especially in the moments where the separation of One Direction is explored from a little-known point of view. The frustration of its members before the imminent end of the band, will only cause discomfort in the fans, eight years after their breakup.

Most of these types of works boast of telling the story of a tour, or the creation of an album. Some others go through the entire personal and professional life of the protagonist. But others focus only at certain times. All of Those Voices has a very clear narrative arc and is none other than to show the process by which Louis Tomlinson endured a large number of duels, before he could believe in himself and his value as an artist.

[rastronomicals]

3:03 AM EDT March 31, 2024:

Ray Manzarek - "In The Tavern" From the album Carmina Burana (1983)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

In 1803 a scroll of medieval poems was discovered in the German province of Bavaria among the debris of the secularized monastery of Benedikt-Beuren ("BURANA").

These lyrics, written primarily in Latin, were determined to be the work of renegade monks and wandeing poets of the 13th century. Their words captured the lost world of rebels and dropouts of the medieval clergy, hard lovers, drinkers, on the move, celebrating existence, rather than living the meditative celibate, cloistered life of the monastery.

In 1935 German composer Carl Orff re-discovered the poems. Impressed with their meaning and rhythm he composed a cantata utilizing the centuries-old verses. He transformed the writings into invocations and profane chants accompanied by numnerous instruments and magical representations.

These songs ("CARMINA") were divided into three primary sections. Springtime -- the life force renewed; In the Tavern -- drinking and gambling; The Court of Love -- passion, sensuality. The sections are pervaded and framed by the Wheel of Fortune ("O Fortuna") perpetually turning, perpetually governing the course of man's existence.

In 1983 Ray Manzarek, long attracted to the spiritual power of Carmina Burana, chose to interpret the piece in a contemporary framework. This presentation intends to create enchanted pictures; to conjure up the ecstasy expressed by the lyrics, an enhanced intense feeling for life akin to the passions and revelry of the wandering poets of so long ago.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 23/03/2024 (V of BTS and... Mark Knopfler?)

It’s a short week, largely to prepare for what chaos should be coming the next, but right at the top, Benson Boone clenches his first ever #1 with “Beautiful Things”. I know pretty much no-one who cares about pop music on a deeper level likes this song, but hey, if I’m the only person happy about this other than Booner Boy himself, I’ll take it. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

Given our few new songs, we also only have a handful of notable dropouts to start with, so we’ll bid adieu to the small but decent selection of “Could You be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Angel Numbers / Ten Toes” by Chris Brown, “My Love Mine All Mine” by Mitski and finally, “Disconnect” by Becky Hill and Chase & Status.

As for what’s back, we see returns for “Asking” by Sonny Fodera and MK featuring Clementine Douglas at #73 and, sigh, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi at #68, and then a spattering of gains. Our most notable boosts are for “if u think i’m pretty” by Artemas at #59, “Wasted Youth” by goddard. and Cat Burns at #58, “We Ain’t Here for Long” by Nathan Dawe at #55, “Happier” by The Blessed Madonna featuring Clementine Douglas at #54, “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by a bestiary of enemies to good taste at #50, “Green & Gold” by Rudimental and Skepsis featuring Charlotte Plank and Riko Dan at #43, “Birds in the Sky” by NewEra at #34, “Never Lose Me” by Flo Milli surging high and fast up to #23 thanks to her releasing an album that includes a pretty great remix of the song featuring Cardi B and SZA, and then “Austin” by Dasha at #15, “Lovers in a Past Life” by Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man at #14 and finally, making his way into the top 10 for the first time, “Scared to Start” by Michael Marcagi at #10.

Our top five this week consists of “End of Beginning” by Djo at #5, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims at #4, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé at #3, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande at a new peak of #2 off of the debut, that could grab a week at the top soon, and of course, Benny Boone at #1. Now for our four new songs, which feel like names picked out of a hat and placed onto the chart.

New Entries

#60 - “Been Like This” - Meghan Trainor and T-Pain

Produced by Gian Stone and Grant Boutin

This is a joke, right? Or a soundtrack to a reality television competition, or daytime talk show? T-Pain has grown into his role as wholesome cuddly media figure surprisingly well and a collaboration with Meghan Trainor, whilst demonic, seems to be the best way to seal that position, with this being the lead single for her next album… Timeless. Well, that’s one thing to call your music. Mean jokes aside, hey, T-Pain is here so at least there’ll be some genuine, not as obnoxious charisma? Well, first of all, it’s electro swing, so my first instinct is to step away from my laptop, keel over and die, especially when Meghan starts to singing about how she keeps it juicy and then eventually that she’s “still that bitch”, as if she was ever that bitch to begin with. There’s something so cynical about Trainor’s vocals that I didn’t notice just the true extent of until T-Pain came in with an infectious call-and-response and weirdly-mixed but fun-extruding harmonies that almost would convince me on the entire song if he didn’t have to play to Meghan’s lack of personality, especially when placed against each other in the bridge. T-Pain can sell this as some goofy cartoon clown, but it probably wouldn’t charted without Ms. Trainor, who brings pretty much nothing to the song other than taking it a tad too seriously, despite the fact that there’s no reason, lyrically, for this to even be a duet. Also, Meghan, I’m not sure you can even sing the line about GRAMMYs in T-Pain’s verse on the account of you only have one.

#52 - “Never be Lonely” - Jax Jones and Zoe Wees

Produced by Jax Jones, Mark Ralph, Neave Applebaum and Tom Demac

I actually really like Jax Jones’ producer tag, it’s cute and rhythmic, has a little stutter to it. It’s nice. I have to say more than that, don’t I? I have to acknowledge Zoe Wees’ voice being misued and manipulated to just sounding characterless, I have to acknowledge how this heavily interpolates the drop from “Rhythm is a Dancer” by Snap!, one of the best Eurodance songs ever despite some… regrettable lines. It spent six weeks at #1 in 1992, blocking off Jimmy Nails, Freddie Mercury, Luther Vandross, Janet Jackson and of course, “Ebenezer Goode” by the Shamen from the top spot, before reappearing in remixed form in 2003 and 2008, reaching the top 40 again both times. “Never be Lonely” doesn’t work as an update of the song because of completely different lyrical content that I actually hate, asking someone to tell her how it feels that she’ll always be there for them, it’s really patronising and weird. It doesn’t work as a reimagining or reinterpretation because it goes for the same tone, and doesn’t adopt or adapt any of the original lyrical conceits. The one thing it does have is a Cascada remix. Yes, that Cascada. I have no idea why, but it exists.

#18 - “Going Home” (Theme from Local Hero) - Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Produced by Guy Fletcher

Oh, so I guess this episode really will get as serious as cancer. This one might take a while to explain. So in 1983, Bill Forsyth wrote and directed Local Hero, a highly-acclaimed comedy drama that is actually former US Vice President Al Gore’s favourite film. Its soundtrack features a five-minute instrumental piece known as the “Theme of the Local Hero”. I’ve never seen the film so I don’t know how exactly it appears or makes sense within its narrative but I do know it has far transcended its origin. “Going Home” was the first single in Mark Knopfler’s solo career and has become a staple in both his and his band’s live performances, as well as becoming another theme, now for Knopfler’s home football team, Newcastle United. It’s probably the most lukewarm take of all time to say that “Going Home” is a beautiful piece, it honestly gives me goosebumps from its transcendent new-age introduction and excellently distant sax from Michael Brecker, that eventually transform into a very 80s-sounding but still profoundly triumphant jam that emulates the feeling of a journey in the UK pretty well. Maybe that’s what the film’s about, I don’t know. It peaked at #56 in 1983, whilst Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was #1 - good week for rock epics, I guess.

If you know Knopfler from anything, it’s likely his band Dire Straits, one of the few important British rock bands that hit #1 in the States and never back over here on the islands - their #1 is of course “Money for Nothing”. The legacy of Dire Straits is not something tangible for me or that I’ve ever really understood, their sound was varied and evolved through what was ultimately a very short career. They’re not a legendary act but are still big names and incredibly well-connected, especially Knopfler, who has played and produced extensively for many artists and soundtracks. In January, Knopfler sold over 100 of his guitar and amp equipment at auction and in March, he’s compiled a charity ensemble to cover “Going Home” in support of cancer awareness.

Its status as a charity single is the only possible explanation for why this nearly 10 minute instrumental piece even touched the charts let alone the top 20, but it is stuffed with big names, from rock icons like Brian May, RIngo Starr and Joan Jett and newer cats like Sam Fender and Orianthi to genuine oddballs like Keiji Haino and head-scratching inclusions like, uh, Brad Paisley, who I will only ever remember for “Accidental Racist”. There are over 60 musicians on this record and damn near all of them contributed through their guitar playing, other than Ringo on drums, The Who’s Roger Daltrey on my favourite, the harmonica (that you can barely hear at times - Daltrey’s harmonica should be put to better use), and a few others. You can tell that Fletcher and Knopfler did their best job to try and collate recordings that were clearly from different times, places, equipment set-ups and audio qualities, but this is still basically a meandering pile of guitar overdubs that lasts longer than some full EPs and doesn’t really let you register any single guitarist as them playing. The collectiveness of it may just be the point, to show a united front against cancer or what have you, and there’s definitely a lot to appreciate if you’re an in-depth fan of guitar playing or a guitarist yourself, of which I’m not. I will admit, this is genuinely impressively easy to sit through for how lengthy it is, largely because of the dexterity on display, the fact that the melody of the original “Going Home”, even when developed on in the many ways it is within this piece, is still so infectious, and also because it comes out of not just cynical philanthropy but a genuine passion for the guitar as an instrument. The cover art is a Sgt. Peppers parody of the musicians standing in front of a famous guitar shop in London, and the wide array of musicians from a lot of different genres, eras and even techniques shows how wide and universal this feels an appreciation of the guitar… but I’ll say what my dad always said about Dire Straits (because, really, dads are the only people with viable Dire Straits opinions): “it all becomes much of a muchness.” My favourite of theirs is “Walk of Life” by the way, it’s so goofy. Love it.

#14 - “FRI(END)S” - V

Produced by Connor McDonough and Riley McDonough

V is the latest of the BTS boys to release a solo English single, seemingly leading towards a solo career like Jung Kook, with credits stacked full of Anglophone pop songwriters and production from the McDonough brothers that results in a very serviceable pop song that I’m not sure would get much attention outside of the fact that it’s a BTS member, hence why sales jacked this one’s chart position up so high. It’s not a bad little song at all, in fact I like the distorted guitar lick and the amount of emotion V shows in his vocals despite all the effects, he has a real unique texture against the slodgier indie drums and the infectious bed of harmonies in the pre-chorus. The one way I could see this getting big organically would be that fun albeit gimmicky chorus that makes this an anti-climactic friend zone anthem, though the gimmick wears off after the second time and doesn’t really develop into anything new in the second chorus other than some pretty gross, reverb-drenched spectacle. I usually wouldn’t give this manufactured bedroom pop much more of the time of day but there’s not much in the way of obnoxious performance or toxic lyrics here, it’s just that it really could be any other vaguely bitter male singer’s song. The first most obvious comparison is Joji due to their vocal textures, but Charlie Puth or Lauv could have easily made this work too, though probably not as well as V does here, especially not Puth. God, that would be horrible. Thank God for BTS that this song was never offered to Puth (not that he’d accept a song he didn’t spend 20 hours writing and producing himself, of course). Ugh, enough Puth talk, let’s end the episode.

Conclusion

God, this was not a great week, huh? Even if I’m not fussed about the new version, the composition of “Going Home” makes Mark Knopfler and friends get a lock for Honourable Mention, and it really does end up as the song with the most - if not the only - human passion in this selection. Worst of the Week goes to Meghan Trainor, surprise, surprise, for “Been Like This” with T-Pain, and that’s all. Future, Shakira, O-Rod, Tyla, Hozier, Headie One, Artemas, Cardi B, Lil Nas X, Bryson Tiller, they could all hypothetically show up next week and it would be a big one, so prepare for that and who knows what else? It’s 2024, anything can chart. As for now, thank you for reading, rest in peace to Cola Boyy but we go on and I’ll see you next week!

[sexmcsex]

Yippe!! Music!!

Trying Not to Think About It may seem like a very depressing song, but it actually tells the story of recovery from depression/a depressive episode. The writer/composer of the song is Will Gold. This song is four verses long and each verse furthers the story of him trying to improve his life and beat his depression. Within those four verses is a very charming and sweet song; it invokes a lot of emotions from grief to hope.  

In the first verse Gold reveals how a partner left him, because of his depression and how that made him realize that he needs to try and get better. The partner in this song is not a specific person, the ‘you’ or partner is a symbol for all of his relationships. In the first verse Gold highlights his relationship, “No time for Tylenol, Salbutamol/Fuck my life you cared when I was sick,” (0:45-53). As a self admitted hypochondriac, a person who experiences extreme anxiety from getting sick, Gold admitting that he does not need over the counter medication is big; for Gold to say that he had no need for these drugs reveals that this relationship made him feel safe enough to abandon a closely held coping mechanism. “You said you gave the world, I took it all/you fought this war one-sided” (0:58-1:02), this line shows the partners view on the relationship. The ‘war’ is a symbol for Gold’s mental illness, it is being fought one-sided because Gold’s partner is doing all the work. They are giving away a lot of emotional labor to help Gold, but he is not doing anything to help them. They are giving him the world, but he is not reciprocating. “You said it’s over now/Not tomorrow, not the next day, not any day” (0:24-31), Gold starts this song with the words that his partner used to break up with him. These words do not sound like someone breaking up with their boyfriend just because, it sounds like this is the only time that they can leave. They are seeing their boyfriend rot away and he is not getting better with their help. They have to leave because it hurts too much to see their partner like this. They love Gold but being with him is too draining and they need to do something for themselves, and they hope that this will motivate Gold to get better, “You said you’d figured out what could move me,” (0:35-39). 

In the second verse Gold examines the effects of his mental illness on his life. He can’t see past the surface level beauty in the world, “I look to the horizon/And all I ever saw was a background for my phone,” (1:54-2:02). When looking at this view he can’t derive meaning from it; he is so disconnected from the world because of his depression that he can not see anything but a background when looking at a beautiful sight. “Never been the kind to give the shared life a second glance,” (1:37-42). Gold has trouble being able to share a world with someone, because he hates it. Nothing can snap him out of his head, “Selfish prose, a lifestyle of a stained-glass window/Wonder what colors and shapes I'll throw,” (1:43-53). A stained-glass window is a metaphor for Gold’s ability to see the world; when there is no light shining through a stained-glass window nothing can be seen. All the artistry, the small details, the larger picture, none of that is seen without light. Without anyone in Gold’s life he can not see the beauty. He needs some else to be able to live his life to the fullest, and he realizes that this is selfish; that informs his discovery that his partner should have been the one that pulled him from his depression, “It should’ve been you/The constant and the undiscovered you/Well, now it’s you,” (2:03-16), but he is having his epiphany now. His partner leaving him made him try at life. During their relationship his partner was not Gold’s motivation, but now it is. 

In the third verse Gold expresses what he is doing to improve his life. He starts trying to fall back in love with his life, “I’ll wake up early/I’ll watch the sunrise,” (2:28-32); while Gold might not appreciate the connection to nature when he sees something beautiful, he can still try to appreciate what he sees. Many people with depression sleep through their days, so just waking up early shows a clear shift in his mental state. He might not be better but he is ready to try. He reaches out to people, “Call my mother, tell her I love her,” (2:39-43). Self isolation is a very common symptom for depression; many people with depression will let their relationships waste away and Gold being able to combat this will be huge in the battle to get better. He then closes this verse out with what his partner told him when they broke up with him, “When your heart finds its place, just take a step back and smile/When you’re sat in a better place,” (3:02-11). This reiterates that Gold’s partner did not leave him because they did not love him. 

The last verse repeats the same three lines twice, “We could’ve kicked my ass together/We could’ve slapped my face together/We could’ve stitched my mind together,” (3:33-40). These are Gold’s regrets. He misses his partner. He knows that if he was his best self that they would’ve had an amazing relationship, but Gold was not in a place to do that. He couldn’t love living, so how was he supposed to love someone else? Having depression is very taking and doesn’t allow for one to share the same priorities as someone without it. His last line is in response to his partner, “So this is how I lose you,” (3:52-55).

[doomedandstoned]

GÉVAUDAN Unveil Powerful Lovecraftian Journey in ‘Umbra’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Album Art by Erskine Designs

I love it when bands go for epic. With concept firm in hand, four-piece English progressive doomers GÉVAUDAN reveal a one-track 43-minute epic in 'Umbra' (2023), the band's second LP following the well-received 'Iter' (2019).

Some songs are written to get your body moving and your head banging, and so release a lot of energy in a short space of time. Other songs are written for the long-haul, supporting the unfurling narrative of a story old, grand, mysterious, and surprising.

Gévaudan's penchant for storytelling is worthy of the baffling tale of the Beast of Gévaudan itself, a puzzling corner of history three centuries past. This epic tale seems at times to characterize a carousing beast or the sorrowful cries of its victims or the brimming rage of loved ones headed into the forest to hunt the thing that is like a wolf, yet not a wolf.

Some hints of the band's intentions can be gleaned from the album title, umbra being the darkest place in a shadow. The piece begins with the unsettling scratch of dissonant guitar, like a cloud of electrified mist. Then comes the slow, deliberate thump-thump-thump of the drums. The first doom riff and sorrowful verse emerges:

I’m waiting in the dawn light, clawing, tongue like dirt Bleeding wounds that unwind, nails worn through Screaming, wordless prayer

For a voice this plaintive, you'd have to go to Rainbo from Portland, Oregon's Purification or The Wizard from the late, great Pilgrim. There is genuine mourning here, with words reminiscent of the downcast prayers of King David. Like the Psalmist, the eyes of lyricist Adam Pirmohamed seem to lift heavenward, to the invisible, esoteric realms of God and the soul.

And I slumber, in His embrace He cradles me to death And I slumber, in His faith He caresses, within my flesh

You may wonder how to take the words, just reading them at face value, but Adam has a way of convincing you of them on an intuitive level, such is the sincerity and relatability of his singing. Meanwhile, guitarist Bruce Hamilton gives release to the moment with a dazzling heavy metal solo that does some singing of its own.

When Adam returns to the mic, it is with conviction, and the vocal style becomes considerably more bold.

And I slumber, in His embrace! And I slumber, in His faith!

There follows at 12:43 a period of the sublimest peace, with the airy ambience of pleasant dreams, free from the burdens and cares of this life. In a note from the band, they reveal that the song is about battling depression, with strong Lovecraftian themes (see below).

A third section surfaces at 18:32, with the guitar strumming a triumphant theme and the rhythm section of Andy Salt (bass) and David Himbury (drums) supplying a lofty heartbeat. Adam's singing seems to embrace sunlight and blue skies following the sullen clouds of the first act. At 21:51 a whirling, climbing solo from Bruce, charged with grit and determination.

There is something vaguely Medieval about the riff we return to at 23:03, as though it were ruminating on past sins or future worries. Then at 23:40 bliss enters in the form of a psychedelic guitar set against noodling bass and the gentle tapping of drums and cymbals. The stern riff returns, though it seems to be right at home with its jazzier counterpart.

Then at 25:05 the mood shifts back to the depressive air of the start, and it might seem like defeat -- back to the status quo of gloominess and melancholy. But something has changed. There is reflection and a sense of perspective about the state of things, and an optimistic spirit rises above the morass.

I’m waiting in the dawn light Screaming, euphoria Sightless woodland Breathless blood

The presence of the synth gives it an otherworldly flare. Then at 32:52 piano, bass, and voice take us to the water's edge for a beautiful song within a song. It might have ended there, but the full band returns at 35:53 with wailing guitar and damning chords to truly finish the piece.

Standing at my hearth, I am showered with gold Strong foundations, I am king, I am known Growing inside, fearless soul of mine Brightest eyes, reflecting through mirrors

Now, as I mentioned, this is inspired by Lovecraft so there could be something stranger, more sinister afoot than I am aware of. I won't spoil those last four lines of the song (beginning at 38:21), but they may leave you questioning whatever you believed about the whole ordeal to begin with. I love the dark, droning synth that takes us into the void at the record's conclusion.

And with that, Gévaudan have created something unexpected and brilliant in Umbra. The album releases this weekend on vinyl, compact disc, and digital formats (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Neurosis, Serpent Venom, Purification, Age of Taurus, and Pilgrim.

Give ear...

Umbra by Gévaudan

A Letter From The Band

We’re delighted to provide an exclusive stream of our second full-length album, Umbra, in partnership with Doomed & Stoned. This has been a while in the making, and we’re really excited to finally be releasing our most ambitious record to date, seeped in grandiose and epic doom.

Our new album, 'Umbra' (2023), evolved from the depths. Through a single 43-minute concept, it explores depression through the eyes of Eldritch horror, culminating in the unrelenting shadow that’s imparted on its sufferer -- a battle of light, stalked by darkness. As you may have come to expect from Gévaudan, this is monolithic, progressive, and highly emotive doom.

It was late 2020 when the first riffs for Umbra appeared in the studio. We felt we’d really found our niche through our debut, ‘Iter’ (2019), and made a conscious decision that our next record was going to take some of the more epic elements even further. Since our inception in 2013, we’d had a strong desire to write a concept album - something vast and atmospheric. It felt like the appropriate time to embark on the piece and see how our sound would translate onto a 40+ minute canvas for the next album.

Our writing process took on a far more live and collaborative approach. Whilst riff-master-general, Bruce, continued to bring riffs into the studio which we adopted, refined, and worked into fully formed ideas. We also took more time to jam and evolve parts, and created more in the room collaboratively. This helped to fully shape the progression and tonal shifts we wanted to achieve.

Lyricist and vocalist Adam has always taken the lead on the thematics. When thinking of concepts for the album, we wanted to take a different approach than usual. We’ve covered a lot of fantasy, history, and the occult; and whilst we didn’t want to stray too far from that, we wanted to write something with more of a personal and relatable element.

At the time, Adam was managing a bout of depression and kind of fell naturally into writing about how they were feeling -- almost an indescribable and ominous feeling, a sense of something looming. From that feeling it felt instinctive to use themes and ideas of Eldritch Horror as an allegory for depression and distress, and it was rewarding to write about a relatable topic whilst still staying true to our known themes and tones.

An important part of our evolution on this album is the introduction of piano and synth. They have extended the layers and palettes we can play with and have allowed us to explore different textures and writing approaches.

As part of the completely immersive concept approach, the cover art was another key ingredient. The impressive cover artwork has been developed by Erskine Designs. Conceptually and tonally, it’s the perfect accompaniment of the aforementioned themes.

The dynamics of our song writing have always been a key ingredient to our musical approach, and we were fortunate to have the opportunity to work with producer and engineer Mike Exeter in the studio again.

Finally, we’re really excited to be working with Meuse Music Records on this release. They have been incredibly supportive in bringing our vision to life on physical formats, and are a really great team to be collaborating with.

Please sit back, lower the lights, and crank up the volume to indulge in this epic musical journey.

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