Hey everybody what's up?  Since myspace won't let me give my own music to you for free (or there's just something I'm missing on the player setup), you can now find both Tarturis EPs at last.fm (see our page for the link). 

I like this setup a little better since the myspace player reduces your mp3 quality to barely listenable.  It may not be as noticeable on big studio albums, but us humble do-it-yourselfers are definitely paying the price.  At last.fm, I think you're getting exactly the same mp3s I uploaded from my computer.  Not that it sounds great, but definitely a little better.

Well that's probably it for this year, hope you guys have an un-irritating holiday, if you're into that sort of thing. 

Next year we hope to pound out our first full-length album (as Tarturis anyway), most of the pieces are written, they just need some assembly.  I promise you though, it will be awesome, dwarfing what we've done up til now.  Make the one I got down in Kenya look like a petting zoo.

Later people

573V3

P.S.  Rommel, you magnificent bastard!  I read your book!

Hello people of the internet....

Behold, for I bring you tidings of great joy.

Wait, no, come to think of it I don't bring you joy, I bring you famine, death, pestilence, and news of the obvious.

THE ALBUM IS DONE AND PLAYING RIGHT NOW!!!

Said album was debuted for the first time at my birthday party last week, and although I had a blast doing it, it made me reminiscent of the good old days.  The response was much better than I expected considering how much alcohol had already been consumed, but I have decided to put together an album debut dream team, since the Kansas homies couldn't be there.

It would take place probably at me and Craig's place on Sunset, there would be a keg of crappy beer which Johnny would drink nealy by himself.  Several of you would bring Crown Royal and I would grow queazy at the sight of it.  I would be forced to hide bottles of good beer under my bed, to keep you mooching bastards from pinching them.

Half of you would be late and someone would be yelling "put in the Simpsons!"  I would yell that I'll do it after the album.  Spontaneous Simpsons lines break out everywhere, making more noise than if I had actually put an episode on.  Eventually I crack and put the Simpsons on, until everyone else shows up.

In attendance would be (in no particular order and prorated to Kansas in 1998) me, Craig, Danny (miss ya buddy, hope you like it), Greg, Col. Sanders (who actually has been a fan of our music longer than we have, that means a lot man seriously), Walker, Rob C., Ryan A., Bill Dewey, Currie (although I'm not sure we ever wrote a single thing he enjoyed), Mark (see Currie), Adam, Johnny, Wes, and Morry, Keith, Hoss, Dan-O, John and Trish, Stickman, Calamungi, Travis, George, Lewis, Marty, Dave Yount, Mike, and a handful of people who were always at the house, yet I always struggled with their names.  I'm sure I'm forgetting a few people, and I'm sorry.  It's been 10 years, give me a break. 

Well anyway, I'll listen to the album and hoist a beer for each of you at some point in the coming days.  Miss you guys, thanks for still paying attention.

Cheers you guys, wherever you all are.

Steve - Tarturis, Dragon of the Earth, Thugs With Degrees, Osmium, and Malkil

Within the first ten seconds it will become very obvious that this track did not fit the mold of the others, and it was not intended to.  If you've read my blogs over the last few months, you know that I struggled a lot writing this song, and even more recording it. 

As much as I would have liked to have spent the time to finish up the album with a huge thrash epic, this track needed to written.  It's not a style I'm used to writing in really, but I worked my ass off on it.

I am however officially retiring from tribute songs now.  They hurt to write and it sucks to listen to them, so I'm not doing it anymore.  If you've lost loved ones and had trouble understanding why, hopefully you get what I mean.

Anyway, hope you guys dig the new tracks.  The next album is coming sooner than later, although I'm going to try to enjoy the fact that this one is finally done.

Later people,

Steve

Yeah, me too.

So here we go, one or two final updates before the grand finale of updates.  I say one or two, because it's very easy to think things are done when it comes to finishing an album, and then be quite wrong.  Don't want a "Dewey Defeats Truman" moment.  That's a historical metaphor kids, pay attention in school.

Anyway, here's the latest, straight from the horse's mouth's keyboard.  The album is "done".  I've mixed a first draft and sent a sample to the mastering house.  Based on some recommendations the rather helpful engineer gave me, I'm remixing certain areas of the album.  Incidently, if you've ever had to mix your own music (especially on medieval equipment) it becomes quite apparent why sound engineers are all rich.  Mixing is soooooo tedious. 

So hopefully I'll have a new and improved mix done in the next week or two.  At that point I'll send the whole album off to get finished.  If everything works out, the first version I get back will be awesome and no reworks will be needed.  Then I'll put the album up on the page and start pushing it like crazy.  Also it will be time to start planning the CD release party! 

But now I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.  On a semi-related note, in a few weeks we start recording the follow-up to this album, which you haven't even heard yet.  Feast or famine around here.

I'm gonna sing the Doom song now....

Invader Steve

It pleases me immensely to report that as of last night, we have finished all principal recording for the new album.  All that's left now is dropping in some amenities here and there where we think stuff might sound good.  High fives to everyone...and on the rebound.  After that is accomplished (hopefully VERY soon) I will begin the awful mixing process.  Since I've been messing with the mix off and on for months, that shouldn't be too tough.  It's just tedious, especially when I just want the damn thing to be done so I can get into pre-production for the next album. 

After that we get the thing mastered, and then.....honestly I don't know.  I suppose I start going back through the ol' friends list looking for internet radio and webzines willing to take a listen to it, along with you guys of course.  Incidentally, if anyone can point me in the direction of things like that, I'd appreciate it.  Self-promoting suuuuuuuuccks!!

Well that's all for now.  Got some work to left to do, but the end is in sight. 

Stay out of the light....

Project 2501

In case you're like me, and never read bulletins unless they're calling you a jerk, here's some info....

I turned on the download function for all our songs because:

1. The new album is almost done and soon those tracks will be coming down.

2. The album after the new album is already written and waiting to be recorded, so these tracks probably won't be back for long time.

3. The Snocap music store is a piece of crap that only works half the time and makes it a real pain in the ass to buy music, so whatever.

So if you have actually enjoyed these songs to any extent, or think at some point you may be drunk / high enough to enjoy them on a novelty level, go nuts and download your faces off.

I'd rather have my songs out there circulating in peoples' cars, mp3 players, computers, etc. than to pretend anyone enjoys using that awful Snocap music store.  The next bunch of stuff I intend to get up on itunes, so I won't have to deal with some half ass music vending machine.

Take that middle man!

Hong Kong Fooey (number 1 super guy)

That was your plan..."get her"?

It was scientific...

Well, some things to report.  First, we're very very close.  We have a little work left to do with the vocals on the last song and some sampling stuff to do, but the rest of the album is pretty much done.  I'm actually really happy with how it's coming out.  Last time around this point I was pretty pissed off.  The vocal sessions had been too tough, the mix wasn't coming together, but this time it's pretty much the opposite.  The last songs sounded cluttered with the vocals, these songs sound lonely without vocals.  Hooray beer!

Secondly it thrills me (for real) to see us hit 20,000 plays, and I did it the old fashion way - by shamelessly begging for your attention.  Well get used to it, because once the new album gets done, it starts all over again.  So, much thanks to all you guys who've checked us out and added us (whether you meant to or not) as well as all you guys who've sent me questions and comments that I'm still trying to find the time to reply too.  Should be a good summer for us as we finish "Aria of Fear Part 1" and dive right into recording the sequal, not-so-predictably titled "Aria of Fear Part 2". 

Sorry to anyone who cares about the lack of updates during March/April, but you see, your Tarturis buddies are dangerously rabid college basketball fans.  Alas this year ended amazingly with our Kansas Jayhawks winning the whole damn thing, and there was much rejoycing (yaaaayyy).

Alright, that's it for now.  I'll check back in when we get the vocals done on this last track.  Thanks again everybody.

Don't trust Matt Damon, I think he's the rat.

Go Suns....umm, you can (maybe) do it!

Big Steve

Have I used that one yet?  Don’t remember.

Anyway....the vocals are getting closer, much closer to being done.  We have completely finished 2 tracks, including my last pass keyboard drops which thrills the hell out of me.  We have a chorus left to do on 1 other track, plus most of one last track to do.  The good thing is, I don’t think there will be any additional keys needed for any of the remaining songs. 

I’ve also finished writing the oh-so-tedious narrative that needed written for the instrumental.  It needed something else in there to really hammer the point home and fill in some of the lax moments, but it sucked writing it.  Funny how lyrics about cosmic apocalypse and planetary genocide can be easier and more fun to write than 16 lines about personal tragedy.  I’m not looking forward to recording it (which is why I’m going to try to bait some of my friends into doing it).  I’ll probably end up speaking the parts myself though.  I’ve spent literally months on this song, and I know exactly how it needs to sound.  Plus I don’t have a lot of patience when working with other people (hence the 2 man band now for 10 years).

Anyway the only problem we are now running into is the goddamn AZ allergy season which is devastating the throat necessary to finish this bastard.  Hopefully we can work through it sooner than later, since I can’t wait for you guys to hear this stuff. 

So that’s it for now, soon the album will be done and then it’s back to pimping this stuff, which is cool except that it’s hard and it sucks.  Having a small band page and manually sending out all your own friend requests is basically like telemarketing, only when you get cursed out and hung up on, it is your shit they don’t like, not newspaper subscriptions.  Oh well, c’est la vie. 

Free publicity is free publicity...

Happy St. Patty’s Day weirdos, be careful out there.  Ill-tempered leprechauns have been spotted in space and in da hood.  This is bad news for all of us.

Time to die, Iron Eagle,

Greybeard the land pirate

Greetings, true believers!

Well I blew my voice up pretty good pushing myself to finish my portion of the vocals.  I got 'em done, but my throat is hamburger, bleeding a bit too.  Pretty hardcore, huh?  Actually I've had a couple of non-death metal related surgeries on my throat, so the big roars sometime pop some scar tissue loose.  No big deal.  Hurts like hell though.

Anyway the shit sounds pretty good.  I can't do vocals without weird filters and such it seems.  For some reason it's just in my blood.  Some people may not dig it, but when you don't have great facilities or a ton of knowledge, IMPROVISE.  Even if it's not your thing, I don't think there's much anyone I"ve heard who's vocals sound like ours.  That's got to be worth some points...maybe.  Hopefully the riffs will keep you around.  There's some decent ones on the new album.  I just thought of something.  Our music sounds like we've got Ash from "Alien" on vocals, after he got his block knocked off, if he was really pissed and not English.  If you're too young to have seen the original "Alien", see it.  Right now, I'll wait....................

Okay, hope you enjoyed it.  Anyway, if you've read this far, thanks to everyone who's stopping by and listening to the old songs.  I don't know who you are, but thanks.  In case you don't know, there's a ton of people selling programs that have a computer basically play your shit all day to boost your numbers.  That's why sometimes you see a band with 200,000 views and 400,000 plays but 1500 fans.  I don't get down on stuff like that.  What's the point of having a zillion plays if no real people are checking your music out?    No way man, not on my page.  Those fools are living in the Matrix.

Anyway the vocals are probably 75% done, hopefully we can get the rest banged out in the next couple weeks.  I plan to have the thing completely done and mastered by the middle of April, maybe the end of April.  That puts me right in the middle of the new In Flames and Children of Bodom releases.  Hope they don't get mad when I'm stealing their sales......

This is Ripley, last surviving member of the Nostromo, signing off....

Fight the Future!!

Enough of your smart answers, you think you're so clever.  Well I'm...

Dim

In case anyone has been crying themselves to sleep every night wondering what the new Tarturis album cover will look like; first, I'm really sorry.  Get a dog.  Second; it's in our photos section.

The track list is as follows:

"A Boy's Last Words" (based on Notebook Found in a Deserted House by Robert Bloch)

"The Creature in the Mirror" (based on The Outsider by H.P. Lovecraft)

"The Madness of the Artist" (inspired by The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft)

"A Shadow Behind the Stars" (based on the writings of the Necronomicon by the Mad Arab Alhazred)

"The Long Ride Home" (an instrumental completely unrelated to the rest of the album, yet very necessary)

There, now all the internet rumors can stop and I can get back to work.

TGIF guys, I'm off to Moe's,

St. Eve