Power And Sacrifice - Out Now
Mixed and mastered by @sad_psychics (Sissy Spacek, Man Is The Bastard) and recorded by @flagstoneaudio This album explores a harrowing narrative of dragging corrupt cops and abusive religious leaders through the levels of hell. As the concept progresses, each track intensifies both in theme and tempo, propelling listeners deeper into an endless void of pain and retribution. Out now on @thirdhouselabel
Finally revisiting the studio rebuild after spending the last couple of months moving my family to a new home. Both have been massive undertakings and it feels like I’m finally heading towards the end of it (if ends exist).
I’d taken a break from the studio work to focus on the move, and coming back to it is wild. Both experiences have brought with them a fair amount of insecurity. Am I making the right decisions for my family, or for my art? I get into the weeds and sometimes (always) have to fight to get out, but the big picture is beautiful and terrifying as it stares back at you.
I think I’ll be happy with this eventual workflow. I think it’ll keep changing. That’s the nature of tinkering, huh? Big plans, half baked ideas, hopefully some good music at the end of it.
It felt self indulgent to post gear shots without the context of life, but please enjoy the pretty lights, let me know if you have a cool project you need a hand with, and tell someone you care about them. Especially the last thing ❤️
Fun with:
@orphanedband@capigear@hairballaudio@diyrecordingequipment@wesaudio
First, Orphaned are lovely humans and I never mind sitting in an 80*F+ room with them for the better part of 10 hours.
This was my first project with the new setup. There was some initial troubleshooting but it all worked out. I have some ideas for improving the workflow but I’m stoked at how flexible this setup is, and mixing on the Ramsa with the ngLevelers is going to be really fun.
Scroll for tracking/assignment sheet. The WA-14 and Copper combo is so good. They dealt with transients so well. When you push the overheads, it feels like you’re pushing the energy of the cymbals and not just the brightness.
No surprise with the VP28s on kick and snare. Currently, I’ve got a mix of gar2520 and BLU-18 op amps in them. Eventually I’ll probably land on 2x each of 2520/918 and 2520/1731 once I finish soldering the gar1731s, but who the heck knows. One day I’ll do a shootout but I try not to get too precious about these things.
Finishing a project is one of life’s little griefs. All of the rumination and second guesses. All of the joy and loss you experienced as it lived with you. How the work influenced those moments, and how it fed back into them. A bundle of reflection, encoded in ones and zeros, wrapped in cellophane until it hopefully reflects someone else.
Power And Sacrifice, The New Full-Length Concept Album From Orphaned Releases Friday May 23 2025. A Ritual Of Sonic Brutality About Dragging Abusers, Tyrants, And Their Enablers Down Through Every Layer Of Hell. This Is Punishment In Sound. From The First Distorted Scream To The Final Breathless Echo, It’s A Furious Journey Into The Abyss—Where The Monsters Who Thought They’d Never Fall Are Stripped Bare And Judged.
This Album Is For Every Survivor Who Was Told To “Move On.” For Everyone Who Carried The Burden Of Proof While Their Abuser Got A Promotion, A Pulpit, A Standing Ovation.
This Is The Answer To Silence.
This Is The Scream They Tried To Strangle.
This Is The Wrath They Feared Would Come.
Recorded By @flagstoneaudio And Mixed And Mastered By @sad_psychics Layout By @anthony_zart Photography @nilevinczphotography
Preorders For Vinyl and CDs Available On Our Bandcamp. @thirdhouselabel Limited Cassette’s, Merch, Vinyl, And CDs Available Soon.
Stream Bland - The First Single Off Of Power And Sacrifice Now
Did a quick mix test after some overdue patchbay labeling:
Overheads + FoK + toms -> @soundperformancelab TD4 ch. 1-2 (linked) -> @sslaudio UV (and a bit of saturation from the @wesaudio NGleveler)
Snare -> TD4 ch 3 -> Midas 522
Kick -> TD4 ch 4 -> VLA 500
Some drum ambiance via the V-Verb, vocals getting weird via the MoFx (hint of flange, some echo and driving it a bit through the distortion).
2-bus -> WesAudio DIONE (2:1, around 60% mix, med saturation) -> @hairballaudio Lolas -> @burlaudio B2
Mic tie lines and preamp routing ✅
Inserts and automation ✅
Multitrack routing ✅
Monitoring ✅
Need to finish aux send and effects but so far I’m loving the Soundtracs EQ. New and overdue room treatment plan in the works, too 🤠.
These Topaz console faders were FUZZY. Currently contemplating life, the universe and whether or not I should ditch them to make a lil extra room for my controller*.
*I’m using WesAudio ngLevelers for my fader automation so they wouldn’t be too missed, other than as trim controls.
Should I keep them? A ‘yes’ also volunteers you for cleaning service.
