Brabiz
11.30.25 | Definitely looking for opinions on this one, because this is easily one of my favorite songs i’ve written. Beyond excited to release this album. List is stuff that inspired me while writing it |
ThyCrossAwaits
11.30.25 | COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. This is really good, did you produce this yourself too? It sounds miles better than most solo black metal projects. |
Brabiz
11.30.25 | Yeah bro, 100% by myself. Aside from the violin solo, which was by some Austrian composer.
I actually dirtied up the mix a bit because I was worried it was too clean, but I definitely didn’t want to overdo it with the distortion and high end. I hate putting on a black metal album and my ears just hurt after lmao |
Beardog
12.01.25 | oh yeah this sounds pretty good. Is this full midi or not? Reminds me a bit of the sounds from Garageband haha. I think cleaning up the drums a bit could make it sound better, and the timing could also do with some improvements, or you need to make the kicks sound way more 'vague', now them not being in time is too obvious imo. Vocals and violin sound stellar imo. Great composition, that is why I am nitpicking the mix |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | I do most of the keyboards and drum programming in GarageBand, actually lmao. Makes it a lot easier to fill in gaps on the go with my phone, or iPad. I’m a sucker for a lot of the keyboard plugins on there compared to stuff I’ve used on other DAWs. Plus the drums sound natural compared to any other programs I’ve played around with / have heard from other bands w programmed drums.
Thats it though, everything else is just me in my room with my laptop, an ESP, and a cheap bass I bought ages ago. |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | I also mix a lot on GarageBand. Again for convenience and ease of access. Being able to pull up my phone on the bus or wherever to mix and EQ stuff is really useful.
I appreciate you listening, as well as your feedback. I will take it and try to tighten it up a bit for the album mix |
ThyCrossAwaits
12.01.25 | Heyyyyy another GarageBand person, sweet! I still use it for everything from vocal demos to my harsh noise projects. |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | Dude hell yeah, it’s really useful for getting stuff structured and demoed out. I’ve been using it since like 2014 or something. I used to make music entirely with GarageBand, but thankfully I’ve since picked up bass and guitar.
The gang vocals during the verses was recorded on my phone solely because I was too lazy to set up my equipment lol. Makes no difference, honestly |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | GarageBand is such a based and helpful tool, and shame on anyone who shit talks it. I’m at the DMV mixing my album |
Sevengill
12.01.25 | sounds pretty cool! the violin adds a lot of personality to the song, as does the major-chord jumpscare at the end. vocals are excellent, both harsh and clean. I want to hear the cleaner mix now though 🤔 to Beardog's point, the kick drum does sound off-time at parts like the bridge. sometimes that works, like in Marrow of the Spirit, but it tends to be more obvious with programmed drums. overall this is a sweet start! |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | The kick drum isn’t off-time, because it’s quantized. But the kick is playing an alternate rhythm during the intro, once the verse with the vocals kicks in, the rhythm of the kick changes to match the snare and hi-hat.
I did this on purpose, but if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, and it’s an easy fix lol |
budgie
12.01.25 | i quantized ur mom |
AlkemestRedux
12.01.25 | Dang that violon is wylin out in the middle. I dig it! How long is your EP? |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | Clocks in at 51:05
May extend the outro to one song a bit, so probably 52/53 minutes |
Sevengill
12.01.25 | ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe it's a super cool pattern and I'm just not used to it. I'll spin it again later. |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | Yeah the violin part is gas. Some Austrian composer guy did it |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | I’m open to the criticism cuz I never thought of it that way. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, and I’m willing to take another look at it with that in mind |
Brabiz
12.01.25 | Also any suggestions for production are welcome, I try to use Singles as a way to gauge stuff like this, so the album version can be improved |
Sevengill
12.01.25 | when you say "some Austrian composer", is it like...a public-domain recording? |
Brabiz
12.02.25 | No lmao I hired him |
Brabiz
12.02.25 | And he took a week longer than he said he would, so this song has just been burning a hole in my pocket to be released |
Sevengill
12.02.25 | Oof. Yeah it's a pain waiting for commissioned music...I say this as someone who has been on both sides of the long wait. It makes a big difference to this song though! |
Brabiz
12.02.25 | Up next is bagpipes so fingers crossed it doesn’t take til next year |
Beardog
12.02.25 | sick bro, but I am wondering how come the guitars sound so 'midi' then? Maybe it's just the tone of the guitar then I suppose. I used Garageband a lot as well, now using Reaper. If you want help with anything hit me up! |
Brabiz
12.02.25 | Yeah, could be. Though I’m not sure how to correct that.
Yo!! I use Reaper as well, for recording vocals and guitar / bass.
But yeah, always looking for collaboration opportunities, what do you have in mind? |
Brabiz
12.02.25 | Reaper has been my go-to DAW for ages, love the UI |
SuzyC
12.03.25 | I hope you're in tune with the impressive BMbands Crow Black Sky and Violet Cold. I could list five or six others I really like. |
Brabiz
12.03.25 | I liked Anomie by Violet Cold, but I’m not overly familiar. Never heard of the other band. Down for some recs though |
Brabiz
12.03.25 | ‘Tis the season for it |
Brabiz
12.04.25 | After some adjustments and additions, the album clocks in at 58 minutes. I have never released something this long, as I typically try to keep my full lengths around 35-45 minutes. However in this case, the material and experience of the album as a whole warrants its length, and there isn’t a single song I’d point to and say “I could cut that” because there’s a lot of variety to the music.
There’s a very aggressive, dissonant song with a lot of ritualistic undertones, a Rotting Christ inspired track with some minor death elements, a handful of tracks like Forma Mentis, and then 2 epics that feel like Hvis era Burzum mixed with Darkthrone. I’m giving this album my all, and hoping to make something notable and memorable |
Hawks
12.04.25 | Can't wait to hear the whole album! |
Beardog
12.04.25 | I was thinking maybe fleshing out the drum parts since they seem to be a bit chaotic, but that is up to you to decide haha |
Brabiz
12.06.25 | I’m going to try and crack at it this evening! Definitely willing to try new approaches with it.
The final single ended up changing to another track I just finished, around 10 minutes long. And then I decided to cut this one Neo-folk / acoustic song from the album, and I’m including it with the single, making it an EP
So expect an EP in the next few days! |
Brabiz
12.11.25 | EP has crash landed 🚨
blackusurper.bandcamp.com/album/the-glory-of-what-once-was |
