Back from the dead... or something

Haven't written in a long time, but now life has returned to its old routine (or something like that).
I've spent the past four weeks working on the new Overdrive album. Editing drums, recording rough guide guitars and bass. Bouncing tracks for the other members to record to. Then recorded my own final rhythm and lead guitars. 19 tracks times 3-4 guitars per track. Also recorded some final bass in case our bassist couldn't make it. That's a lot of tracks... and a lot of time. As I feel the song material is really really strong this time around I want my performance to be as perfect as it can be. I must've re-recorded a couple of the solos at least 20 times before I got them the way I wanted to. Some, however, I did re-record several times, but picked the first take anyway. Sometimes it has a certain flow and spontaneity you just can't re-create. Then I waited for the other members to send their vocals, bass tracks, acoustic and lead guitars, so that I could add them to the ProTools project, check them and then consolidate all the files to make life easier for Pelle Saether, who was going to mix it. It's however a bit frustrating, to say the least, when you sometimes have different ambition standards.

Last week me and our drummer drove the 600 km's to Studio Underground in Västerås to start mixing with Pelle Saether. The first day we started checking and transferring the files to his system, we gave him our reference discs (we want this and that drum sound, bass sound, guitar sound etc) then we left him to it. He always wants to set the sound alone with no interference from the band (understandably so). Instead we went record hunting and did some great finds! In the afternoon we returned to the studio and listened to the basic sound, which was just plain killer! Brutal! Our drummer just drooled when he heard the drum sound and it all came together just great! It took us 6 days to mix the tracks, however seven of them still lack vocals (lack of time) so we just mixed the basic tracks. The vocals will be finished this week and the final songs finished mixing in two weeks. We got back Saturday evening, one day off and then back to work. Feels like I've had no vacation whatsoever...

So, now all we have to do is find ourselves a label that wants to release the new Overdrive album. It will without doubt be our best album ever, and it's definitely one that I've put a hell of a lot of work, effort and love into!

Some song titles: Angelmaker, Signs All Over, Thriller, Run Out, On With The Action, Brand New Sinner, Cold Blood Chaser, Wavebreaker, Short Moments Of Freedom, It's Not As Easy As It Seems, See The Light, I Know There's Somethimg Going On (cover)...

Listening to:
Overdrive - checking for flaws, things to fix...
Furyon - Gravitas - New UK unit, powerful and melodic!
Iain Ashley Hersey - Nomad - Reviewing it. Decent retro style.
Paul Gilbert - Fuzz Universe - Really dig Paul's playing!