My bands first video (Wearing Scars - Butterfly)

[TheIllusionist]

Hey guys, just wanted to post my latest work/single.

I had the amazing opportunity of forming a band with Andy James. Our debut comes out July 24th and this is the first video.

This was recorded, produced and mixed in the box using Pro Tools 10, a Kemper and a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 on zero budget by myself. Really happy with how it's come out. Looking back, some of the fills are a little mechanical sounding, but that's something for me to work on in the future.


Cheers,
-Chris

 

[Mago]

Sounds really cool, just a pitty that you couldn't record real drums (or it least it sounds like they are programmed).

Song is a bit too cheesy and radio friendly for my tastes, liked the other one more hehe

 

[TonyS.]

Liked it! Cool hook and vox!

 

[FIXXXER]

good stuff man!
don't like the blurry tits though

 

[trilbymullard]

Nice track, well structured song and some nice playing on there. The vocals sound very good indeed. The video is cool, how much did it cost to put that bit together??? Yes and the blurring wasn't fair!!!

 

[TheIllusionist]

Haha! Thanks guys! It is pretty commercial but it's what I do naturally so I just go with it now. I guess I'm mellowing out in my 30's.

The video cost around £3000 I think. We used a company called Video Ink, really happy with their work so we're going back to do another with them. It is a shame about the drums, but at the time it became a band after the album was pretty much done. It was Andy and myself so not having drums it made sense to program them. Now we have Lee Newell we're definitely doing live drums from now on. Happy with how it's come out considering the zero budget though. The Kemper is a life saver lol

 

[HollowmanPL]

nice work

 

[Mago]

Haha! Thanks guys! It is pretty commercial but it's what I do naturally so I just go with it now. I guess I'm mellowing out in my 30's.

The video cost around £3000 I think. We used a company called Video Ink, really happy with their work so we're going back to do another with them. It is a shame about the drums, but at the time it became a band after the album was pretty much done. It was Andy and myself so not having drums it made sense to program them. Now we have Lee Newell we're definitely doing live drums from now on. Happy with how it's come out considering the zero budget though. The Kemper is a life saver lol

It's still far from feeling constructed pop, so it's all good haha

ahhh ok that makes sense about the drums. I'm just puzzled when I see a great video like that, which means there's gotta be some kind of budget, but the drums are programmed, so I'm wondering why there was cuts on that end.

Usually I don't think far enough to think that the recording may took place in another state of the band, or before the budget was there etc...

Drums tones are cool though!

 

[newamerikangospel]

The adult in me thought this was a very well put together song and very visually appealing video.

The child in me only thought "boobs"

 

[Pharaoh's Curse]

Sounds damn good! How did you process vocals, primarily effects? Do you have a chorus or something on them?

 

[TheIllusionist]

Haha, the general consensus is "boobs" lol!

And the vocals are triple tracked on the chorus. If I was to set the main at 0db, I'd track one hard left and one hard right and drop them to between -9.5db to -12db

Tracked it as tight as possible, then used vocalign to tie it together. It gives a wider sound and the effect it gives is fairly unique. Definitely recommend giving it a go on choruses

 

[TonyS.]

Liked your pages and saved your song on Spotify! After hearing it some more times, I dig your voice more and more! Clean vocals for the win

 

[MoTang]

Liking this a lot.

Sounds almost like new school ATR, but with way better lyrics. Or maybe really recent Hellyeah.

 

[Brokenstar Audio]

Sounds almost like new school ATR, but with way better lyrics.

That's offensive! Even with better lyrics the new ATR is crap...

Great songs! Can't wait for this to be released.

 

[MoTang]

That's offensive! Even with better lyrics the new ATR is crap...

Great songs! Can't wait for this to be released.

Hence "way better lyrics", lol.

When I hear new ATR on the radio, I just switch the station immediately haha. Especially that "What if I was nothing" song, oh man. Even for radio rock it's pretty cheesy lol.

 

[Jotun25]

Chris, congratulations for the amazing work there.

I listened to the song the same day it was premiered and I loved it. It is melodic and catchy but powerful at the same time. The chorus is huge, I love it. Thanks for the input on how you tracked it. And your voice is great, man.

Also, a thing I like a lot is that though Andy is there in the band, he doesn´t solo all the time and serves the song, not the other way, though his skills and the way he plays are out of this world.

Cheers!

 

[TheIllusionist]

Thanks a lot! I think it's something that people are a little divided on. Some of Andy's fans seem to expect him to play crazy stuff constantly when in actual fact Andy is really enjoying playing something more suited to the "song" as oppose to all out guitar. It's all about those solo's he does for me lol. Adds so much to the song in my opinion

 

[Jotun25]

I understand them a bit, since Andy got famous playing instrumental music, but not all that he plays is fast shredding. He also plays rythms and melodic leads, so I think the music you play fits well in his range, and those solo he plays really add a lot to the songs, and differentiate yourselves from the rest of modern metal bands.

Also, I really like that your voice is clean (powerful, but clean), since growls make the songs have one less instruments. I like some growls, but I prefer the main part of a band´s vocals being clean.

Cheers and I wish you luck with the record!

 

[D_A_V]

I really like your songs! The one you posted in the OP and the other one on YouTube, that got some Alter Bridge influences (I hope I don't annoy you with this statement ).

Where can I purchase the debut, when it is out?

 

[TheIllusionist]

I love Alter Bridge so that's a compliment!