Original Acoustic EP Free Download – Happy Holidays!
The ORIGINAL Acoustic EP (2003)
OPUS 1: Acoustic EP
Before we had drums or FX pedals, before we tried to get every note perfect, before we had enough songs to make a full length record, we released our first EP- The Acoustic EP. The songs on it are basically the songs we used to play for spare change on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley along with a couple of quieter avant garde intros. I just listened to it again for the first time in a couple of years. It’s interesting. It’s definitely raw. We recorded it really quickly in our parent’s and uncle’s garage without computers so there’s no editing or cheating. Some of the violin parts are improvised and sometimes doubled by another violin that is improvising. The intro and interlude were completely improvised. We didn’t do very many takes so some of the songs have blatant mistakes. Overall, though I think that the rawness gives it a pretty cool energy. If nothing else its cool to hear how it all got started.
BONUS TRACK
The bonus track, “Carol of the Bells (orchestral)” is the same as the original ep version except with 4 or 5 extra violins and a couple of extra cellos doubling what is already there. We decided to use the version with just one violin and one cello because it sounds more real but I always liked the “Orchestral” version too so we’re putting it on here as an extra holiday bonus.
FREE DOWNLOAD
The original release of the Acoustic EP was a CDR in a plastic sleeve with a black and white booklet. It’s been out of print for a few years now so we are excited to be able to share it with you all again now as a free download. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
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I wonder why nobody ever commented on it… in more than a year. Because, I must tell you, this music is absolutely great, and since it is free it becomes even more great.
I heard you once on a dredg concert in Warsaw and while i remained rather indifferent towards the star of that evening, it was your ‘string metal’ trio what made it worth going there. And what a nice surprise it was to see you coming back on stage as much as three times to join forces with dredg! I felt I just had to get something labelled ‘Judgement Day’ into my collection. I didn’t have too much cash with me but fortunately it was just enough for your latest issue, that is the vinyl-only single. I received a gramophone for my last birthday so it was an ideal opportunity.
While I needed some time to fully appreciate “Out of the abyss”, I felt in love with the music on this EP right from the start! Especially with two compositions and these are of course (or maybe not so obviously?) Air Raid and Flight. Maybe you played both of them on the gig I attended (after that very first encounter with your band I was not able to recall any particular composition), but no doubt that without percussion all of that sounds… uniquely. And at least for me it appeared to be more ‘accessible’ this way.
The comparisons to Apocalyptica are unavoidable here and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were already fed up with them, but I must say that simply what you play I like… more. What is it? Supposedly, it’s not technique skills. I wouldn’t say there are more of virtuosi of you than of them (yet
), still, your melodies seem to flow much more… well, fluently. In a way much more natural. The strings of notes you play are just… more convincing, more like linking in a chain on their own instead of being forced together… If it makes any sense.
Last but not least, the titles. Usually, I prefer to listen to the new music without knowing the titles, so as not to get in a way prejugded. In your case I failed to avoid it but actually this prejudice greatly helped me to receive the music. Because when you were naming a song this way or another, I think you really ment it. Let’s take Air Raid: I start to listen and I can feel something (a swarm of cosmic mosquitoes? an army of robo-bees? or just a storm of thoughts?) gathering around, dense, more dense, pressing against, till it’s hard to breath. Flight: I hit “play” and I take off for a Night-Sky Journey over a neon-lighted city on the peak moment of its activity. Even the crazy Pitfires, whatever the hell they may be: when this one is on, I just can’t stop imagining a seething magma chamber, on the verge of bursting out.
Just to compare with Apo: of course, there are titles (Romance, Deathzone, Farewell) that fit very well, but in most cases you could collect them (e.g. Distraction, Misconstruction, Fisheye, Fatal Error), mix, mingle, redistribute randomly and nobody would ever notice. As far as I’m concerned, Grace should be called ‘Peace’, and Peace – ‘Farewell’. Oh, there is already one Farewell? Well, let it be ‘Farewell 2′.
Maybe at first the vinyl single I purchased was more of a curiosity, a collector’s item than anything else to me. But now that I realized – thanks to the above ep – the true power of your music, I’m as well enjoying the Jon-Bush versions of the same songs and I’m preparing mentally for more.
Well, thanks for all, thanks for coming to Poland with dredg, and
Best Wishes to all of You!
Grzegorz
P.S. If you’re interested in other ‘string metal’ atrists, I really recommend you the music of a Polish violin player, (Michal) Jelonek. There is, unlike in your band, a guitar background, but… well, check him yourselves at
myspace.com/jelonekpl
Wow,
Thanks so much for that amazing review Grzegorz. It means so much to me to see that you really have listened to and thought about our music like you have. I’m so glad that we could give you something that you enjoy. As far as Apocalyptica goes, I have to be honest and say that in terms of technicality we will never be even close to them, so I’m glad to hear that you appreciate what we do have to offer: our music, melodies and emotions. We hope to come back to Poland some day soon and we’ll see you there when we do.
-anton
Thanks for the answer, Anton! It would be great to see You again, but before it ever happens, I’m more and more keen on putting my hands on the rest of your “opuses”. I’ve just found out how to make an order of any of them, but there is a question if – and to which extent – shipping costs will vary if I order all at once. Can you possibly define it?
As for the skills – practice makes perfect! Enough to say I can clearly hear the progress between the ’03 EP and the ’04 album… so never say never
By the way, I remembered recently to check this bonus track from the last single, Genosha, and I was impressed. It is much more elaborate than Out of the Abyss, more progressive, I dare to say. Those oriental motives work really fine. Definitely a good omen for the forthcoming album!
Grzegorz