Saturday, June 7, 2008

Day 25 - "Inky Heart, Shreddy Beak"

Link: http://djwaldkirch.iweb.bsu.edu/day25.mp3

I absolutely cannot express how happy I am with this song. It's by far my favorite so far, and while the masses probably won't like it much, it's definitely my biggest success so far. With the exception of one or two of the death-vocal takes, I absolutely nailed it. Speaking of that, if you have small children, or are easily frightened by scary voices, this song is not for you. I have a feeling this might be some of my listeners' first experience with growling vocals, which is quite sad to me. Storywise, this song is pretty straightforward, it's a giant squid attacking the boat Noah and Luna are currently on. He tears it to pieces, and pulls it down underwater.

What makes me even happier is that I found a major part of the sound I've been looking for forever...one of my favorite artists, Devin Townsend, would get these HUGE melodies, usually guitar supplemented by keyboards, and I knew he just used a lot of tracks but I could never figure out how he got that massive, cheesy, blaring sound. Then, just for the heck of it, I doubled the guitar melody on a keyboard patch set to "big band section", and my eyes lit up. You'll hear it in the "sung" sections...BUM BUM BUUUUUUUUUUM! It's so ridiculously triumphant, and I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Just that little trick almost makes this whole project worth it. I absolutely love this song.

Also, the riff in the very middle...I had this weird thing saved on my computer in one of my guitar tab programs...it was just a bend way up and way down, and it was saved as "bounce". Then I started playing it, and realized it was just a really bouncy riff. So if you're listening in your bedroom, take the opportunity to jump on the bed at that part.

Also, I did some research on giant squids for this song. Apparently they have the biggest eyes of any animal, and they use 2 extra-long tentacles to pull food into their beak (!) and tear things to shreds with it. So that's where most of the lyrics come from. Lyrics are here:

(OH!) I’m a squid
I’m saying hello
I came all the way from the ocean below
I’ve got (OH!) big eyes
And a black inky heart
I’m here to tear this boat apart

(OH!) I’m a squid
Just hangin around
Here to pull your tugboat down (DOWN!)
As you die, you’ll scream and shriek
Right into my shreddy beak


I hope someone else likes it, but if not, I don't really care, because this one's for me.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm glad you forewarned us because it made me like it better than I expected. My favorite parts are the "OH!" in the middle of the song. It's a fun little ditty and has tremendous stage potential! (I can see the giant quid overtaking the boat and pulling it down.)

Well done, Dan and I'm especially glad to hear your enthusiasm. Sounds like this one gave you a new chunk of motivation.

Karen said...

I'd like to just point out with interest that today we are having quite a flood right here where Dan creates this masterpiece. (The infamous Furnace Room Studio does have a bit of water in it.) Coincidence? Perhaps. Or perhaps God (or Al Gore) is very interested in this project!

Katrice Battle said...

The beginning little bit reminds me of sevendust for some reason.
But I like it. it was very entertaining.

Anonymous said...

aw, isn't metal the best!

it's always darkest before the dawn (and the dawn after that)

keep your chin up and keep rockin'!

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