Kingcrow

Episode 4: The Song is Over

noreply@blogger.com (Kingcrow) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:55:00 +0000

“The Song is Over

It’s all behind me…”

Just a little quote from the glorious “The Who - Who’s Next” album for saying.. The First song is done and sent to Giampiero Ulacco, ready for the mix! It’s always a special moment when the first song is completed and mixed.

Before, “the album” is still an abstract entity in your head and you have the strange perception the recording sessions are going to be endless (even if you have done this several times in the past, 5 actually, and you know it will not).

But it’s when you’ve finished the first song that the album suddenly became REAL! (And you know how it is going to sound…so it’s better that it doesn’t suck!!!) Anyway, as said before, the song is a straight forward piece, with a catchy chorus, electronic sounds, and a great guitar solo by Ivan… It falls into the “latest” progressive sound - bands like OSI, Porcupine tree etc....

That’s why the original idea was to record it as a bonus track, or, just a b-side for our official web site … But the guys think it works well in the context of the record, so I think it’ll be there… I think it’ll work well live…

Maybe its live debut will be at ProgPower Usa for our American Friends, who knows...

Anyway, as said, the song is over and it is time to start workin’ on the next one, titled “Morning Rain”. I love this song so much… I mean, I love the idea of the song I have in my mind, since we still have to record it (besides the demos).

But I am pretty confident it’ll be good enough when it’ll be REAL. So Ivan and I start with the guitars, then Francesco steps in for the bass, then Cristian with Keys, and Diego for the vocals.. Then all the weird things like bongos, bottle with sand, maracas, breath noises and other body sounds…. I know it is a little bit “unconventional” to record the bass AFTER the guitars, but for us it seems to work better.

Listening to the songs, I realize how complex this album is compared to our previous records. Every song is a little journey in so many ways, and is layered with sounds and things that don’t jump out at first listen, but make (we hope so) every listening a kind of a “new experience”, discovering little details each time… Don’t worry; it is not that kind of “look at me!!! I can do something THAT complex!!” album…I mean, two of the songs are complex enough in terms of structure (about 12 minute’s one and 7:30 minutes the other) with time changes, key changes etc… (What I call “Progitude” – that kind of Prog Attitude).

But at the same time it is full of atmospheres and melodies. For us, it is always about the never ending search of “Heart and Mind United in a single perfect sphere” - as someone better than us once said.

Ok, that’s all for this week.

Oh, just so I don’t forget, here’s a new little video and some photos…a promise is a promise! Bye!

PS:

Thanks to Jim Wilkinson for all the help and support! You’re THE MAN!

(Diego Cafolla)

VIDEO: In Crescendo - Episode IV

Turning Knobs & Hitting Strings

noreply@blogger.com (Kingcrow) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0000

Hello!
Here again !

The song “Syntron” (workin’ title) is almost done. Just some acoustic guitars to add, and some other little details. Francesco did a great job on the bass, and for me it was the first time workin’ in the studio with him. And what a pleasure! He is such a tight and disciplined player, with great timing and control.
Great job Man!

Cristian, Thundra, and myself are currently working on the synths. For me, it is a Hate/love thing. Love - because I love the infinite possibilities of sound it has. But I hate how much time you have to spend on it, just turning knobs all the time , in search of the “correct” sound.
The song has a pretty “electronic” vibe, so we keep experimenting with noises and weird stuff…Something we started on Phlegethon, with songs like “Evasion” , but the new one is , in some ways, more prominent and aggressive.

Yesterday Diego started recording the vocals. So next week we’ll probably start to record another song which is (right now) my favourite track on “In Crescendo”, and one of the most beautiful songs by Kingcrow (for me , of course). It is titled “Morning Rain”. See you next time with some video footage from the studio!
(Diego Cafolla)

Episode 3 : The Whiteboard

noreply@blogger.com (Kingcrow) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:11:00 +0000

Hi there!
It’s time for a little update.
Drums are finally done!!

So we prepared the studio for the recordings of the guitars and bass. We listened to a lot of amp-cabinet configurations and spent some hours to find the right sound for the guitars (for the ones of you who got the terrible “Gear Acquisition Syndrome” : we ended up choosing the Hughes & Kettner Triamp through a 2x12 Marshall cabinet - recorded with two shure sm57 plus a sennheiser md421 , Guitar : Fender Esprit ’84).

Then I prepared the “working plan”, a grid on a blackboard (ok, it is a whiteboard actually) with the tracklist on rows and instruments on columns. Just to be sure to not forget anything
As you can see in the photo, the titles are just the “workin’ titles” I use while writing the songs…(let me say that titles like “Mumble” or “Balladero” sounds really PROG!). We started recording with “Syntron” and right now guitars and bass are done.

The whiteboard doesn’t lie, this time we have 8 songs, which is our shortest tracklist ever (but not the shortest album …). The last track, titled “Suite”, is about 11 minutes in length and it is “the big one” this time. I don’t know if we’ll be splitting it into two parts in the final tracklist (the first “movement” marks about 2:10 minutes).

…And now ...I have to work with a Keyboard player ….so….Bye!
(Diego Cafolla)

Winterlude

noreply@blogger.com (Kingcrow) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Hi Guys.
First of all, Happy New Year!
Just before Christmas we met Giampiero in the studio and we worked together on the drums (find the "right" place for mics, adjust tunings, drink some wine...). We spent several hours there, but the result is very good: the drums sound natural and powerful!
Between Christmas and today, we also found some time to record the drums for 3 of the songs...so things are going pretty fast!
that's all for now...see you later!
Thanks to Jim and Joellen...you know...
(Diego Cafolla)

Video :

Bum! Bum! Bum!

Photos:

Take a look into our future!

noreply@blogger.com (Kingcrow) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:06:00 +0000

Ciao!

As some of you know, the songwriting for the next Kingcrow album ( titled “In Crescendo”) is finished so we’ll start the recording sessions very soon. For the next few months this blog will be our “diary” during the production process so here you’ll find photos and videos from the studio or just “thoughts” about the recordings by the guys of the band.

For now I just put down some infos and personal considerations about the album.

The album will be recorded in my own studio, the “Sound Under Pressure” (for the ones of you who are asking - yes, it is my little homage to the Rush record ) where the previous 2 albums had been recorded and it’ll be produced by me and Thundra as usual. Our right - hand and technical assistant will be Giampiero Ulacco, the guy who mixed “Phlegethon”.

“In Crescendo” is another concept album but not a story from start to finish like our “one- word- titled - trilogy”(Insider, Timetropia and Phlegethon) … It’s about one concept, or main theme if you prefer…so every song is linked to that “theme” in some ways but it is not a story.

Musically speaking …I think we are walkin’ “different paths” in some ways , it is NOT Phlegethon pt. 2 and to these ears it sounds very rich, emotionally driving and interesting (I know, every band thinks the newest record is the best…so predictable..)…don’t know if it is THE best but it is certainly VERY GOOD for these 6 pair of ears…well, not all mine of course

So that’s all for now…I wish you a Merry Christmas ..see you soon…

(Diego Cafolla)