Live video Displaced by #alternative #metal band The Light In The Dark

Requiem For Oblivion-Tortured (+playlist) for fans of Opeth, Gojira, Agalloch, Obscura, Cynic, BTBAM, Katatonia

Requiem For Oblivion-ambient, ethereal, metal sampler

Video containing 30 second song samples from Requiem For Oblivion's debut 6 song demo 2010, and 2 song EP 2011. RFO is a personal project and features the ambient, extreme hybrid metal music and emotional ravings of my fevered mind. I'm a recovering addict stil battling demons daily and my therapy is this expression.

Music, bands, and musician/venue/fan politics in Erie, PA.

Ive noticed since moving to Erie from Northern California that most metal bands here fall under the typical metal core/death core/hard core mold. I decided that I wanted to bring something really different to Erie. I knew it would not be easy for the Erie crowd to embrace since we are heavily influenced by Scandinavian death and black metal, with some atmospheric/acoustic sounds thrown in. We've played a few shows where, when we're finished with a song, we hear crickets! Heheheh. If it weren't for the positive critical reviews we've been getting since our demo came out in early 2010, I'd think we just really sucked! I also have noticed that our musician positions have been difficult to fill (specifically, bass and drums) and I'm not sure if it's because we don't do breakdowns in every song, scream like pre -pubescent boys or if it's because we just do so many different things that people find it difficult to wrap their minds around! Now, I know it sounds like I'm whining or trying to get on a high horse but we have been fortunate enough to open for such national and international acts as Mushroomhead, Ventana, Kriadiaz, and Foose. And, we were able to record at a decent studio for a discount because the guys liked our stuff. We have had four or five great reviews written up vs. 0 sucky ones;-) And, we got a slot at Celebrate Erie this year. Why is it so hard for people to embrace something foreign? To broaden their musical horizons some? So, why am I writing this? Just random thoughts from a sometimes frustrated musician. I know we're not the only ones...I saw Full Blown Chaos in Cleveland play to 15 people one night on their recent tour! That had to be a down night for them! They're signed to a major metal label too! I've noticed some bands that seem to have drawn a lot at local shows or at least were fairly well established, (i.e. Raja Deen, Faded Fallen) didn't even last out the year due to what I'm told were ego related issues. When local bands get a 'rockstar' mentality instead of we're all 'stars rockin' mentality, things go wrong. We're good friends with a band in Akron called The Approach and The Execution. They are a great example of what to be in the music business: enthusiastic, easy going, fun, talented, organized, energetic and entertaining. NO EGOS! Those are the types of bands we're close to here in town. Besides RFO, (and my old project back in Cali, Forsake The Flesh), I also recently joined Scarwork as their second guitarist/backup vocalist and that was what attracted me to them. They and Chisel Fist were instrumental in getting RFO started with live shows here in town. They were fun to be around, nice guys (and gal), all about the music and all about having a good time. The 'cooperative' approach is so much more attractive than the 'competitive' approach. Steve RFO

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Random thoughts on music, band life and musician/venue/fan politics in Erie, PA.

Ive noticed since moving to Erie from Northern California that most metal bands here fall under the typical metal core/death core/hard core mold. I decided that I wanted to bring something really different to Erie. I knew it would not be easy for the Erie crowd to embrace since we are heavily influenced by Scandinavian death and black metal, with some atmospheric/acoustic sounds thrown in. We've played a few shows where, when we're finished with a song, we hear crickets! Heheheh. If it weren't for the positive critical reviews we've been getting since our demo came out in early 2010, I'd think we just really sucked! I also have noticed that our musician positions have been difficult to fill (specifically, bass and drums) and I'm not sure if it's because we don't do breakdowns in every song, scream like pre -pubescent boys or if it's because we just do so many different things that people find it difficult to wrap their minds around! Now, I know it sounds like I'm whining or trying to get on a high horse but we have been fortunate enough to open for such national and international acts as Mushroomhead, Ventana, Kriadiaz, and Foose. And, we were able to record at a decent studio for a discount because the guys liked our stuff. We have had four or five great reviews written up vs. 0 sucky ones;-) And, we got a slot at Celebrate Erie this year. Why is it so hard for people to embrace something foreign? To broaden their musical horizons some? So, why am I writing this? Just random thoughts from a sometimes frustrated musician. I know we're not the only ones...I saw Full Blown Chaos in Cleveland play to 15 people one night on their recent tour! That had to be a down night for them! They're signed to a major metal label too! I've noticed some bands that seem to have drawn a lot at local shows or at least were fairly well established, (i.e. Raja Deen, Faded Fallen) didn't even last out the year due to what I'm told were ego related issues. When local bands get a 'rockstar' mentality instead of we're all 'stars rockin' mentality, things go wrong. We're good friends with a band in Akron called The Approach and The Execution. They are a great example of what to be in the music business: enthusiastic, easy going, fun, talented, organized, energetic and entertaining. NO EGOS! Those are the types of bands we're close to here in town. Besides RFO, (and my old project back in Cali, Forsake The Flesh), I also recently joined Scarwork as their second guitarist/backup vocalist and that was what attracted me to them. They and Chisel Fist were instrumental in getting RFO started with live shows here in town. They were fun to be around, nice guys (and gal), all about the music and all about having a good time. The 'cooperative' approach is so much more attractive than the 'competitive' approach. Steve RFO

Songwriting questions...

Just my two cents:How do you begin writing your songs? It depends, usually with a guitar 'riff' but sometimes I can be inspired to write lyrics and occasionaly I have a song title that comes up and sets the mood and inspires the music and lyrics to come.What instrument do you start with? Usually with the guitar. On rare occasions I can get a vocal harmony out of the ether but usually guitar. Recently I wrote a whole death metal song, "Ominous", on the drums first then put guitar/bass to it, then wrote the lyrics/melodies! Trip.Do you write the music first, and then add lyrics? Usually music first. But I have written whole songs of lyrics and then matched them up later with music that was appropriate. I always take into consideration the cadence (for gutteral stuff)and the melody (for more melodic metal) and whether it fits the music and whether the mood of the lyrics fits the sound of the song.How do you write your lyrics? I have used metaphor in the style of poetry, fantasy books, or mediaeval times. However, in my solo project, (REQUIEM FOR OBLIVION) I draw inspiration from my true life struggle with drug addiction and depression when I was younger and the experience of my life since conquering those demons. The hell I went through led to experiences which could inspire a wide range of possible topics including, hell on earth, doom, sorrow, hopelessness, death, surrender, divine intervention, release, strength, triumph, prosperity and possibly (could it be?), peace.Where do you find your inspiration? I am inspired by my past like I said but also the failings and triumph of the human spirit, moral decay, war, corruption, bad religion, seeking spiritual truths, etc... Also, current victories and defeats in my own life, (my weaknesses and strengths) are always fair game to being a subject of a song.What are some innovative ways to keep your music interesting, or to avoid writer's block? I listen to a lot of different types of music though death, black metal are my staples. I will at times listen to Jazz, folk metal, alt. rock, college, darkwave, classical, etc... In fact, recently, I saw an amazing band, UNEXPECT, at Peabody's in Cleveland. They were absolutely stunning. I stood there for 40 minutes with my jaw on the ground. They inspired me to be even more 'boundary-less' than I already am with my solo project. I am learning that mindless imitation may get you noticed quickly but real intuitive song writing has effects that span generations and genres. I'm talking about fearless writing without thought to what would sell, or what your girlfriend would like, or what your friends and family would like you to write! Writing what is inside you already and being willing to go wherever that takes you!!! There are many bands that sound somewhat similar or have a similar style but it's the nuances of their individuality that set them each apart. That is what each of us has to tap into.
Steve
myspace.com/REQUIEM FOR OBLIVION

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Recording pops and clicks...

For my first recording post I want to talk about the major problem I had for a month or more straight and no one, I mean no one, could tell me what was going on!!!

I started with a simple 6 channel mixer, a rather inexpensive fire-wire interface and a couple DAW's...namely, Audacity, and Ableton Live. I had a couple mediocre mics, (Behringer large condenser mic, and an EV something or other...basically, the equivalent of an SM 57, nothing special but enough to start with... I've since upgraded to a package of nice MXL's which I highly recommend by the way.

Anywho, I was all set, havin a blast, finally starting to capture some of the new songs that were gushing out, and golden oldies that have been with me through two bands...The only problem was, the final product had all these clicks, pops and transient noises that were very odd, "echoey" etc... I could not figure out why!!! I was pulling my hair out! I did some research on latency on the internet and in some manuals, I went on a couple of web based recording forums and the guys were very nice, very helpful, but anything anybody suggested did little or no good!!! However, I did not go as far as to re-format my hard drive which was mentioned by one person as his solution to a similar problem!!!

However, I would find out that their problems were not the same as mine!!! I would discover my own solution, quite by accident. I had some (ahem...porn) pop-up problems around the month or month and a half mark of my frustration and one day, decided I would disable my high-speed connection while I was recording! Wahlah! Presto! No more clicks or pops in the recordings!!! No one had even bothered to ask if I was using the internet on the same computer I was recording with!!!! *which by the way, I highly recommend you use two separate computers!!! Hehehehehehehe.

So, there is my stupid story! Yes, I feel like an idiot, but at least I can laugh at my folly, and my novice naivete! I'm getting better, my band recordings are getting better! I'm about to use an isolation room and a new laptop (with no internet!) and all new SM 57s and SM 58s and MXL's on the new CD recordings so I'm excited about the next several months. Soon you will be able to compare my old (actually, current) recordings on Myspace, reverbnation, Garageband, echoboost, lastFM, OurStage, etc... and then listen to the upcoming new releases and I will fill in all of you as to what I am doing different! ...but that is a discussion for a nother blog post!

Cheers,

until next time!
Steve
www.myspace.com/requiemforoblivion