"Independent Nature: The Best of Woods of Ypres 2002-2007" Vote for the cover art!

[David Gold]

The design is now finished and it looks awesome! Troy from Storm Musician Services was very patient in working closely with me in making something special of the layout.

It goes to press soon! Available by May.

 

[Peterk]

The design is now finished and it looks awesome! Troy from Storm Musician Services was very patient in working closely with me in making something special of the layout.

It goes to press soon! Available by May.

Will pick it up for sure...

 

[KittyKatatonia]

Haha, how do you do a Best-Of album when you only have two albums and an EP out? Sounds like a cash-grab to me.

 

[David Gold]

Haha, how do you do a Best-Of album when you only have two albums and an EP out?

Here's how: Three albums = 30 tracks! This "Best of Ypres 2002-2007" is a promotional release that includes 12 of the best stand alone tracks from the "Against the Seasons" trilogy. Three albums and seven years is a long time for a band to last these days (statistically, I bet 99% of bands release one album and call it quits, at best)! Let's share in some small victories when we can, shall we?

+ Damn those capitalist black metal fat cats!

There is A LOT I can tell you about the economic realities of financing independent, underground metal for this long. If and when I get accused of a

cash-grab

, I hardly know whether to laugh or loose my cool. No one is forced to buy anything, yet anyone can download anything they want. At best, this release (of which I've paid to have designed and pressed) might help us to spread the word and reach a few new people as we enter into 'era 2' with the GREEN album.

Maybe I should start posting photos of me eating ramen noodles and cutting my own hair, just so you don't start to assume we're rolling in the dough during these bleak economic times.

 

[Bry_GOW]

whatever you do, DO NOT MENTION the swiss bank accounts.... only dough im rolling in is this spare tire i have for a belly

 

[Ghost-Division]

The design is now finished and it looks awesome! Troy from Storm Musician Services was very patient in working closely with me in making something special of the layout.

It goes to press soon! Available by May.

My question is, will the best of albums be available on your eastern Canada tour in May? Probably a stupid question.

 

[David Gold]

My question is, will the best of albums be available on your eastern Canada tour in May? Probably a stupid question.

Yes sir! It will be ready just in time, as it's going to press right now. I just saw a physical test print of the covers/booklet today and it turned out awesome! It's VERY rare that I'm ever totally satisfied with a design...I'm very happy with this one!

 

[KittyKatatonia]

Here's how: Three albums = 30 tracks! This "Best of Ypres 2002-2007" is a promotional release that includes 12 of the best stand alone tracks from the "Against the Seasons" trilogy. Three albums and seven years is a long time for a band to last these days (statistically, I bet 99% of bands release one album and call it quits, at best)! Let's share in some small victories when we can, shall we?

+ Damn those capitalist black metal fat cats!

There is A LOT I can tell you about the economic realities of financing independent, underground metal for this long. If and when I get accused of a , I hardly know whether to laugh or loose my cool. No one is forced to buy anything, yet anyone can download anything they want. At best, this release (of which I've paid to have designed and pressed) might help us to spread the word and reach a few new people as we enter into 'era 2' with the GREEN album.

Maybe I should start posting photos of me eating ramen noodles and cutting my own hair, just so you don't start to assume we're rolling in the dough during these bleak economic times.

Okay fair enough, maybe it was unfair of me to call it a cash-grab...but it still seems a bit silly to me for a black metal band to release a best-of album. Yes seven years seems like a long time, but the fact remains that you still really don't have many releases out. Besides, if you're releasing this to generate new fans, I just don't see how a best-of album will attract them. Isn't that what stuff like Myspace and Youtube is for? You put songs up on sites like that and way more people will hear it. Then if they like it, the majority of underground metal fans will want actual albums from you, not "hit singles" from a best of album. That's not what black metal or underground metal in general is about, and I doubt many people who are supporting the scene treat it that way.

If you mixed in some unreleased stuff or demos with your favorite tracks maybe I could see some value in it, but just including your favorite hit singles I just don't see the point. Most people who will be interested in it are going to be your hardcore fans who will already own your albums, but will buy it just for their collection. That's my take on all this.

 

[David Gold]

That's not what black metal or underground metal in general is about

No, but I generally like doing things differently as an individual from what the rest of the scene does as a big boring collective. If no underground black metal band has ever released a "Best of" compilation CD after three albums, I am happy to be the first. Few indie bands would have the confidence in their music to put their own money where their mouth is.

If you mixed in some unreleased stuff or demos with your favorite tracks maybe I could see some value in it

Neither 'demos' nor unreleased tracks exist for WoY. We've always released everything we recorded on the actual albums, and never saw the point in holding songs back to be released 'later', nor would I think adding 'demo' songs or sub-par songs would enhance the listening experience of a 'best of'.

but just including your favorite hit singles I just don't see the point.

btw - Most of this 1000 copy run will go out as promotional copies to campus radio stations, zines and magazines, etc... Yes, some listeners will want to buy it for their collection, some casual fans who may have downloaded all three albums but never bought anything else might buy the "Best of" as a show of support, but the main reason for the existence of this CD is to use it as a promotional tool that showcases the evolution of the WOODS sound across seven years / three albums and summarizes the band's catalogue as we enter into a new era and sound.

 

[greenevening]

i want to puke.

raise your hand if you have a band.

-evan