I Did a Music
I always wanted to release an album. Years passed by as I waited for a band, label and studio to casually fall into my lap, and when they did not and 30 started being more and more tangible I took matters into my own hands. I tracked guitar at home, found a frenetic friend to do vocals, and pieced this together. The list is stuff that influenced me, alphabetical order.
Here's the actual record: https://nakpat.bandcamp.com/ |
| 1 |  | Nakpat
Nakpat
https://nakpat.bandcamp.com/ |
| 2 |  | Albino Slug
Albino Slug
The first two tracks heavily impacted how I approach writing, with the odd harmonic choices/register jumps contrasted against thick as molasses riffing drilling itself into my subconscious. The rest of the album serves as a great example of how to structure a rather disparate batch of material into a cohesive entity. |
| 3 |  | Biffy Clyro
The Vertigo of Bliss
Track structuring - the pieces on here are multifaceted, evolving between countless parts that often have their own recurring mini-choruses and such. Yet, in spite of all that, they feel like listenable songs. Also, some of the more adventurous chord shapes delivered on a piercing Stratocaster serve as a testament to the power of the clean guitar. |
| 4 |  | Bumblefoot
Hands
Pre-Normal Bumblefoot is a weird musical entity, eschewing conventional emotional states and dwelling in a realm of pure energy. You know that kick a good opening salvo on an album can have? Hands effortlessly taps into the very fabric of reality that makes those possible and plays around with that spectrum all record long. |
| 5 |  | Dinosaur Jr.
Beyond
Probably my favourite album of all time. J Mascis has had a profound influence on my soloing and tone since I discovered this record, at one point all the guitar tracks were going to be fuzzy. I was also quite influenced by Beyond's lush, mid-rich sound when it came time to mix/master the thing. |
| 6 |  | Electric Six
Zodiac
The significance of having a set of focused, catchy ideas at the core of a song. The significance of using that core to launch weird explorative sections. The significance of peppering all that with little arrangement nuggets to really bring out the best of everything. |
| 7 |  | Eternal Darkness
Total Darkness
The power of minimalistic, bone-crushing heaviness with occasional monolithic, restrained melodic work. I've had "Ceremony of Doom" stuck in my head since I first heard it, and that song never once abandons the realm of slow and steady rhythm patterns. A lot of my non-solo leads bear resemblance to how these guys weave their melodies. |
| 8 |  | Paraxism
.Xism Excursion
Probably the biggest influence on the album's arrangement, which is not actually that apparent. Paraxism helped me add some swagger to the riffs and drop subtle background hints to help transition between sections. Their fluid, processed lead tone inspired the phased fuzz that shows up to deliver a solo from time to time. |
| 9 |  | Taproot
Gift
A reminder to how odd and abrasive nu metal can be when done right, serving as an anchor for some crazy dissonant chord shapes. This record inspired me to get a phaser. In an ideal world, I'd have managed to get a singer with the same potential and intensity as Steven Richards on here, but those are an extremely scarce commodity. |
| 10 |  | Tenebrae
Trancequake
A masterclass in interlude construction - how to set off on an extended instrumental section so it feels like a journey within the song, how to keep it just rooted enough within the main parts to retain an air of cohesion, how far to venture out in the meandering. The fact the riffs are cool as hell all around doesn't hurt either. |
| 11 |  | Voivod
Phobos
I'm a bit of an outlier and believe that Piggy's outlandish dissonance actually glew brighter when showcased in the alternate setting of the E-Force era. Might be a matter of my taste, which you can infer from this list. I can hear a notable difference in harmony in songs written before and after my exposure to Voivod. |
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