Sunday 28 April 2019

The Next Project

So, being a solo artist, I'm not well positioned to go play live straight after this album's release. As a result, I found myself planning my next project because ... what was I waiting for?

Most bands will tour after they release and album. Get in front of crowds, sell merchandise. There are many solo metal musicians around the world that play live to backing tracks. But we don't see it much in Australia, and truth be told, I'm probably not ready to put myself out there to that extent. Not one to sit idle, I started looking for my next project concept to sink my teeth into.

The Next Project

So the first single is out, the second is about a week away. The whole album is out in 5 weeks or so. So my mind has been ticking away - well, what are we doing next!?

As a result, a couple of things happened this week, which spawned off a whole new concept for me to write about. It's aligned to the themes I covered in my 2017 singles, so kinda looping back in that aspect, but making this a big complex tangled web of a story.

Here's What Happened

Firstly, so you might have seen my recent post about a solo metal band from Argentina called Hermit's Maze. Basically, a fan of their's published a book that was inspired by their music.

Around the same time, I was also asking around the FB groups if there were any hobbyist filmmakers that wanted a free soundtrack, because I'm really interested in writing a film score.

And finally, I was looking at some fonts - yes fonts - kinda looking for inspiration of what the next generation of the Tatius Wolff logo will look like and I see ...

I'm thinking, "what a cool font. Maybe I need a psychopath in my concept?" So, where do we find a lot of psychopaths in the real world - why big corporate CEO's and politicians! Maybe, I can write the story about a psychopath politician and all his interactions with his followers and enemies. And so was born the first character for my EP series, a psychopath politician.

TLDR;

So I've decided to basically write a concept album plot split over 3 EP's, At the moment, the concept has 3 main characters, where essentially each EP will focus on each character and how they relate to the other two characters.

I'm still trying to get some intertwining plot lines. The other two characters are followers, the Patriots, and his enemies, the Guerrillas (haven't thought of a better name for these guys yet).

So yeah - that's the latest in my DIY solo metal adventures!

Thursday 25 April 2019

Press: The Relapse - Ross Rubin, Metal Public Radio

"Man, Tatius Wolff…

What a bizarre, yet interesting little record we have here. I for the life of me, have no idea what to make of this thing. It’s so far out of my normal comfort zone, but it’s definitely cool. Bringing together elements of bands like Deftones and Nine Inch Nails, Tatius Wolff is a really interesting take on alternative metal. I almost want to call it atmospheric alt-metal to be honest. It’s such a different sounding record. Definitely check it out, but expect something very different than I’d normally be plugging." - Ross Rubin, Metal Public Radio

Saturday 20 April 2019

Tatius Wolff - Dispel the Myths!

Tatius Wolff - Dispel the Myths!

So I've finally released a single from my album. I finally have something to show for my 2 years of learning, making mistakes, experimenting to deliver something I am proud of. So I wanted to take this opportunity to expose all of my dirty little secrets, some of which stop many artists from moving forward.

I want every one of you that can't afford to buy the plugins, software and equipment to know it can still be done and it shouldn't stop you releasing your music!

Myth: I have to spend money for a good sound!

I can honestly say I have spent very little making this album.You don't always need the best most expensive equipment! Here is a quick list of stuff that I did buy while making it.

Instruments

My 8 string is the old model Ibanez RG8 with the shit pickups. I got it for AU$500. It is on every single track and usually playing rhythm. It needed some EQ going into my virtual setup, but it is the backbone of the album - shit pickups and all!

My bass on every track is a cheap Monterey MBE-40BK. In 2014, I was given a gift card which I had to use and I had just decided to start playing music again and learn to play bass. I used it to buy a AU$112 "new" Chinese made bass guitar. It was so cheap, it was broken when I got it home. I had to repair it myself. But the pickups and tone actually sounded alright. This wasn't a bargain but it did the job and a good one at that.

Audio Equipment

When I first started playing guitar again in 2015, I tried recording using my SoundBlaster card - ah no, don't try it, it doesn't work. So I went and found a USB interface I could afford, an M-Audio M-Track 2 channel USB interface. At the time, I had no idea about this stuff. If I had known about the Focusrite Scarlett, I would have probably gone down that path - but I didn't. So for most of the album, I'm using the M-Audio interface, until ...

... two thirds into the album, it started to play up. The output would go all white noise on me. So I had to replace it with a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. Really nice interface - haven't had any issues with it yet.

Microphones - well let's just say, that for the songs, "The Shock" and "Despair", the vocals are recorded on my phone sitting in my car late at night while no one (I think) was watching. I didn't have a mic at the time, I definitely couldn't afford to buy one. I then saw a YouTube video about the cheapest microphone on Amazon, NEEWER NW-800, a bundle with stand and spit guard. For my first microphone, a step up from my phone, I'd give it a go. This is the microphone you hear on the rest of the album. My singing, which is not fantastic and was pretty shit in the 2 tracks mentioned above, wasn't going to sound any better with a fantastic mic. Like the RG8, it need some EQ before it hit the tracking chain, but it worked.

Studio monitors - ah, I don't have any. Not that I don't want any, I just didn't have the cash to spend on them. I bought a pair of headphones initially, KRK KNS-6400's a couple of years ago and started with those. I then recently bought a pair of AKG K702's. But for this album, that's what I mixed with. I have 4 kids, so night time is the usual time I get to do my music, and without a dedicated sound proofed studio - headphones were my only choice. I am currently trying to get a pair of Kali Audio LP-8's.

Audio Plugins & Software

So you may have figured out by now, I am just cheap most of the time. I'm also an engineer at heart, so I like to make things work, regardless of the situation. And I love a challenge.

After a short stint using Ableton Live 8, I switched and never looked back to Reaper. I paid my US$60 for a license and can't recommend it enough. It has been able to do everything that I have thrown at it. I haven't checked out Cakewalk, but if it works for you, then why wouldn't you use it.

Now about plugins or VST's. So this is always a fun one! I'm in these Facebook groups and even watching YouTube, I'm pretty sure the consensus is you need to buy plugins to get that "amazing" sound.

Now I personally like that old saying "A bad craftsman always blames his tools". I wanted to be sure that I knew what I was doing with the most basic and freely available audio plugins first before I go and drop any money on them. And it worked out for me.

EVERY SINGLE VST PLUGIN USED ON EVERY TRACK OF MY ALBUM IS FREELY AVAILABLE

Free VST bundles I can't live without - Variety Of Sound, Antress, Dead Duck Software FX and Instruments, DSK Synths, Ignite Amps, MT Power Drum Kit 2 (groove library), Nick Crow Labs, LePou's Amps, Tokyo Dawn Labs, TSE, VLadG, YouLean and Steve Slate Drums 5 (free). I also use SM Drums and The Metal Kick Drum drum samples.

It can be done! Was it simple - yes and no. Sometimes I had to fix stuff up because of simple flaws but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Other times I had to use a chain of plugins to do exactly what I wanted, instead of it all being in the one plugin. But it can be done is what I'm trying to say - even if you don't have $1.

I used free VST's and impulse responses on everything. I recorded and tracked everything within the DAW. At the time, my Marshall JCM800 wasn't even working, so I was unable to use it on the album. This was probably a good thing, because it removed the complexity of trying to mic and record my guitars traditionally.

And just on the subject of recording, mixing and mastering - I've spent a two years learning how to do these from YouTube primarily and lots, and lots of helpful people giving me mix critiques and advice. I didn't spend any money on training. If I had, would I have learnt quicker and better?Possibly. But I personally tracked, recorded, mixed and mastered all the tracks. With lots of advice from other people. As long as you're not wasting their time or asking them to do the work for you, I think most people are ok to have a listen and give some advice. But it's always a difficult line to walk between technical flaw and personal taste.

Graphics and Video Editing Software

So I did all my own artwork and videos for this album. I did purchase my Roman soldier logo 2 years ago when I started. But there are plenty of free sites to get artwork and photography from. I've used GIMP for years for my artwork and was previously using Lightworks as a video editing tool (False Hope lyric video). But it has some limitations, so I've recently moved to Kdenlive which is an awesome bit of software. I'm doing The Tormentor lyric video on this and it is a very powerful free piece of software. I did buy Superstring for US$40 for the lyric videos. But the other stuff is from Plane9 which is free.

Again, like learning audio engineering, I've been lucky enough to find photographers and graphic designers that are willing to give me advice and help me out. Sometimes you just have to ask and don't take their time or help for granted.

Friday 19 April 2019

Press: The Relapse Album Review - Subterranean Noise - Underground Rock and Metal

Source: https://www.facebook.com/subterraneannoisereviews/photos/a.2032449397051384/2032444360385221/

TATIUS WOLFF (Australia)
"The Relapse" (Digital album)
(Independent)
Release date: June 8th 2019
BANDCAMP: https://tatius-wolff.bandcamp.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/tatiuswolff/

TATIUS WOLFF is the brainchild of Sydney based multi instrumentalist Stephan "Wolff" Borg, who was first introduced to the metal genre when he joined the Maltese doom/death metal band Oblique Visions as a lead guitarist back in the early nineties. They released the "The Fallen" demo in 1994, and then their self financed full length CD "Seas of Serenity" the following year. Borg stayed with the band until he moved back to Australia in 1998.
After his departure from Oblique Visions, Borg had little luck finding a band that lived up to his musical ideologies, and went into a musical hiatus, one that would go on for 17 years.

He formed TATIUS WOLFF in March 2017, and released "Thumbscrews", a three track single which clearly indicated influences by acts like Type O Negative, Deftones and Tool, but with a more 90's type of sound and production.

"The Relapse" is TATIUS WOLFF's first full length, due for release on June 8th, and is a concept album that tells the story of being suddenly stuck by a debilitating illness, and the journey through the trials, tribulations, hope and despair.

"Auxilium" is the instrumental opening track, and already during the first few seconds is becomes apparent that Mr. Borg has dared to explore more djent and progressive oriented realms after "Thumbscrews". And quite successfully so, might I add. The bass and guitars are perfectly mixed, and form a deliciously massive wall of sound, but still leaving room for all the other elements that appear in the soundscapes that make TATIUS WOLFF sound as unique as it does, as well as adding that extra layer to the atmosphere that depicts the story throughout the eight tracks featured on "The Relapse".

"The Shock" is with its seven minutes the longest track on the album, and continues where the opener left off, though I am tempted to draw parallells back to 2017's single release. Whereas said opener functioned splendidly as a dramatic overture, "The Shock" is initially more melody based. There are tasty sections with piano, and even some odd time signatures. Borg's vocals are not at all polished, but they bring an authentic intensity and honest emotion that leaves no doubt that he is putting his heart into telling his story.

The third track "Recovery", as well as the title track, has themes and melodies that wouldn't sound misplaced on a Paradise Lost or a Tiamat record; thus again confirming the composer's fascination for music from the time when said bands were at the top of their game. "Proelium" is a nice little instrumental that incorporates what seems to be a late 80's Running Wild inspired melody line. "Trauma" is delightfully brutal, before progressing into a clean section with a dark, yet soothing atmosphere. However, I feel these tracks suffer a bit from the drum patterns that make them appear somewhat less consistent.

"The Tormentor" on the other hand is a really strong track that leads no way out of the darkness, but also makes it colder. A bone chilling, almost disturbing introduction grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go until it completely crushes you in what is sure to be one of the most fierce and intense sections to appear during the album's 37 short minutes. The track as a whole has a lot of different variations in textures and intensity; shifting between gloomy and dark moods to fast, infernal passages that punch the air out of your lungs if you try to keep up. With such contrasts within one track you would think it would be difficult to make the song flow naturally, but Borg does it really well on this one.

"Despair" is the last track on the album, and judging from the title it doesn't mark much of a bright ending to the story, but musically it is a worthy conclusion to the album. Concept albums like "The Relapse" are often very personal, and I sincerely hope Mr. Borg has a great feel of accomplishment after creating and releasing his debut. He sure is entitled to.

Download free singles and preorder the album at https://tatius-wolff.bandcamp.com/

7/10

Håvard Lunde

TRACKLIST:
1. Auxilium
2. The Shock
3. Recovery
4. The Relapse
5. Proelium
6. Trauma
7. The Tormentor
8. Despair

TATIUS WOLFF:
- Stephan "Wolff" Borg: all instruments, recording, mixing, mastering

Tuesday 16 April 2019

Tatius Wolff announces first single False Hope from upcoming album The Relapse

Alternative solo metal band “Tatius Wolff” from Blue Mountains, Australia, presents this first single “False Hope” released Tuesday 16 April. It’s from the upcoming full length concept album, “The Relapse” due out mid 2019.



You can download the single for free from here: https://tatius-wolff.bandcamp.com/track/false-hope

This is the associated lyric video for the song.

The concept album, The Relapse, describes the journey of a debilitating illness from initial shock through to reconciliation. False Hope represents the time when the sufferer believes everything will go back to normal.

False Hope

You told me, to change my ways,
No more excess, no more malaise.
But it was nothing, a fluke event,
Just a bad day, to a lesser extent.
Just a bad day, to a lesser extent.

Deluded to a sense of false hope,
You really think you are clear.
You think you're all past it now,
And you've nothing to fear.
Well let me tell you old fool,
You really don't have a clue.
Cause I'm impatiently waiting,
Bent on seeing this through.

Now throw caution, to the wind,
Again invincible, all care I rescind.
Return to old, and former deeds,
Hedonistic pleasures that far exceed.

Life is good and all is well,
Distant past, a former cell.
So long ago, so far away,
No chance in hell, was it here to stay.