|
D-DAYS (in the studio):
24.11.07
We decided to road up my drums to studio this day. Set things nicely and
rehearse some new stuff. Harri and I ended up checking all tempos for
songs, some became a little bit slower and some songs sounded better with an uptempo feeling. I think we had a productive day because studio sounded great and every hit came out clear. For my own surprise we had long sessions, almost 4 hours doing some pre-production and final touches. Studio engineer, Manu, wasn't there. He had some live show to be done. Later, we had some good movie evening with our buddies Jammu and Jouni. "Hands of Steel" was a magnificent beginning for the 4th TD album recordings. Great! |
Jarmo's set
25.11.07
This day was meant to be a sound check day for drums. We got up quite late and had a pretty good meal with some tuna and pasta. Studio was warm and cosy. I had a good feeling that everything should go ok. Manu was setting mics and we discussed about the drum sound and usual stuff like doing every song in one take :) hehe. We had a pretty quick sound check because we thought every drum sounded nice. So, it was time to do some test recordings which became real song takes. Why waste time for sound when everything is fine? Let's play the songs and get out of studio asap! We had about two hour-session and ended up playing drum takes for 5 songs. |
26.11.07
Bloody Monday. I had to go to work at 7 o'clock and drive to Kouvola for
16.00. I managed to do some busy work related stuff before entering
studio. Huh, what a day! And it was all the beginning. After some warm-up we recorded all the rest of the songs. Everything went quite smoothly. I also
made some attempts to do more takes for yesterdays songs. So finally we
had 10 songs ready. I was home at about 22.00, pretty tired. |
Guitar hero Saku did some demo guitars
After a hard day the manager JD took the boys out for a romantic meal
27.11.07
We had day off from the studio, but still Manu had done some pre-mixing with
only drums and send them over us to judge them. What a job to listen only
drums and analyze!! Huh, not fun but very mind opening experience and
maybe comprehensive too. Usual day for me, working till the
evening-analyze session. |
28.11.07
I entered studio this day again at 16.00. We ended up to have some more
takes and had one old song recorded also. Looking forward what it
would sound. Very short day eventually and my job was done. Kalke Kukkonen
did some guest appearance at the studio and had one song for Kaihoro done only
in ONE TAKE, amazing man he is!!! He took my sticks, changed snare, had
throne lowered and bang...it was on tape!!! My part was finished now, time
for guitar and bass! |
30.11.2007 - VOCALS, SOUNDCHECK
We (Lauri & Jaakko - the vocal artists) entered the Total Devastation HQ around six o'clock with the recording gear. It didn't took long when everything was set. We started the search for good sounds. Hakuli Bros. came to help us and we drank few beers and played some guitar hero during the process.
Later in the evening we got one song recorded and were satisfied with the results. Tomorrow we will start the sessions for real!
|
|
 |
01.12.2007 - VOCALS DAY #1
Trip to the shop: some whiskey, beer, food and coffee. We're set to go.
Vocal sessions started with the song "Piippu". Both of the vocal heroes did only one take and it was a wrap. Good one! We did some choir screams which sounded quite nice. The next song we recorded was a epic masterpiece called "We Want to Believe". Jaakko did his best and delivered some unbelievable grunts.
We recorded five songs during the evening. Good night altogether!
|
Inspectors came to hear the new vocals
02.12.2007 - VOCALS DAY #2
Rise and shine! 10.00 AM the boys woke up at Jaakko's place. Lauri slept on the couch. Last night was a blast. Last hours in the night were spent with Steve "Ruprect" Martin and Michael "Jamieson" Caine watching "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels".
Jaakko had to go to work at 12 o'clock so the vocals sessions would start at five o'clock in the evening. We did 5 more songs during the sessions. We will continue making the vocals later this week.
|
|
 |
After the sessions we treated ourselves with some fresh and healthy food
05.12.2007 - VOCALS DAY #3
We started the vocal sessions at the usual time after business hours. We had two songs to finish, but we did only one and concentrated on drinking whiskey.
Rest of the vocals will be done during the official Embarrassment day. The day will consist of making some experimental vocals and creating extreme art. The session will be supervised by the great Hakuli Bros.
|
|
 |
Independence day
06.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #1
The string section of TD celebrated the independence day of Finland laying down some distortion at Manuaudio studio.
We had an early start for the day. I (Harri) tried to call Hakuli bros at 8:45 in the morning that "Let's leave in one hour please?", but the boys we're already on their way to pick me up. Some groseries from Amiraali and we were in Kouvola in no time.
|
|
 Most of our guitar and bass gear were already at the studio, but we had something to bring with us. |
 |
Toni's orange sounded really nice, but we decided to use it on the solos and extra layer guitars. Basic rhythm tracks were done with Marshall JCM 800 heads and Marshall cabinets. And of course the evil face behind the sound belonged to the HM-2 black magic pedal.
|
|
We recorded Kaihoro's Boulder album in this same studio in 2006. Then we used this method that we recorded both rhythm guitars at the same time. So I and Saku were in the playing room with our Marshalls and played our parts simultaneously. Pasi was listening the stuff with Manu at the control room. Really nice semi live feeling.
But yes, we were sitting on our asses, so we could have the most tight stuff from our speed metal fingers. So no headbanging during the takes, this is the rock'n roll now. But the big noise from the amplifiers and the awesome feedback we could get from doing the guitars like this was worth while. I enjoyed every moment of the sessions, the guitar sound is the holy grail.
We started with the song "High on War". After the basic guitar tracks were done, Pasi did his bass parts for the song. We continued like this 'till the evening. After the day we had like 6 songs done.
|
|
 |
7.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #2
We started the day about 15:00 o'clock after the other things in life were in order and we were ready to do what we really are. Heavy metal! Rest of the songs were done. Some wah-wah bass lines and some additional guitars were also done.
The day ended to listening session were we found that everything is in disorder and we like the sounds. And some of the songs too.
|
|
 |
9.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #3
Lots of special guitars and basses to be done. Manu spent the Saturday in Oulu doing live mixings, so he was really tired, but we had a really productive day. Manu is an animal when it comes to recording metal.
We continued our method "song by song". We set up Orange half stack and experimented with different kind of sounds. We decided to do all the solos, clean guitars and all other extra guitar stuff with this amp and cabinet. Lots of different pedal combinations, enthusiasm, joy, excitement. Day of musical celebration. Ibanezz analog delay pedal was in hard use during the day.
|
10.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #4
We continued with the songs. Pasi had his fretless bass with him, so ofcourse we had to try it on the song "We Want To Believe". This song formed into a quite massive piece of music during the day. We continued on the same huge and psychedelic lines at the special vocal sessions with this song (see day: 15.12.2007 captain's log).
Some bass solo lines were done by Pasi. Saku had plenty of guitar solo work done. This album will include more solos than our previous albums altogether. Great! Orange was burning hot after day.
11.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #5
Harri did his parts to song "White Water" and "Nation of Rats". These rocking tunes will blow your mind and soul into cold radiation of space! Nothing else done this day. Manu's studio course for students began at six o'clock, had to get things done before that.
|
|
 |
12.12.2007 - STRINGS DAY #6
Some acoustic stuff here and there. Tommi Rönkönharju's Yamaha acoustic delivered the sounds, like on our previous albums. The guitar will be returned after two years of lending soon to Rutsi. Lauri and Jaakko dropped by to listen the stuff we had done. And it was all really good. Especially all the delay stuff.
We recorded the guitar and bass lines for Kaihoro's "Your Kungfu is Weak" also. Somewhat different sounds that you can expect from the new TD album.
We didn't eat much during these guitar and bass sessions, we didn't notice the essence of food, there was more interesting stuff going on.
|
|
 Pasi shows how the acoustic guitar should be played |
15.12.2007 - VOCALS DAY #4
Saturday evening. All the boys except Jarmo were taking part at the official Embarrassment day. We started to work with some background grunts and screams.
Whiskey tasted good as always.
The clock was around 1.00 AM when Jaakko, Lauri & Mr. Echo laid the last tracks to the song We Want to Believe. Very good!
Now we have everything recorded (except some keyboard madness) and ready for the mixing sessions.
|
|
 Jaakko finishing his vocalparts |
It's a wrap... hopefully
 Lauri with the omelette cook |
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
Jaakko, Lauri and Jammu headed to Goa, India to rest a bit from the hassle and bassle.
Meanwhile Manu and the boys have started to mix the album...
|
|
Crushing problems
01.02.2008 - VOCALS
Friday afternoon. We got a call from the man himself, Tomi Joutsen. He was on the train on the way to Karhula.
Tomi delivered massive performance to We Want to Believe (the soon to be radio hit song).
|
|
 After the sessions we spent a wild night in Karhula |
 Studio wiz, not.
|
06.02.2008 - MIXING
Some quality mixing was done by Jaakko, Lauri and Manu. Mainly the cymbals were distorted and guitar tracks were left in the shadows.
Hopefully Harri will like these when he gets back from England.
|
|
Now, it's a wrap!
<< back |