Friday 3.5.2013

If there was nothing that would blow your mind happening in the studio yesterday, there was some explosions on our way back home to Helsinki. A little bit over halfway through the trip, a tire decided to blow up and left us on the side of the road. That warm homey feeling entered our bodies, since that was a strong sign that our band has activated once again. It's already sort of a ritual to be standing on the side of the road, under the romantic glints of the hazard flashers, watching how the scenery doesn't change by our loaned/rented/own van/car/bus has decided to call it quits. Let's just consider it as a sign, that we are making our return after a delayed break.

In spite of the small setbacks and night's sleep that got reduced to couple of hours for the passengers, it was a pleasure to notice how enthusiastic and nostalgic we were feeling when we entered to get some groceries from that same store that we last used when we were recording Metamorphosis. That time instead of Niinikoski, we were recording our album at Oriville Studios in Orimattila, which is the bigger town next to Niinikoski. That time we had the same conductor, Jukka Salovaara, behind the desk as well. Feeling really homey right now.

We started the morning with fine adjustments of last nights drum sounds, logging the tempos and other general initial preparations with the band. So let's get this thing started and let's make an album.

The first recording day started with drums and percussion, that we decided record at the same time to ensure  better groove and sound of ensemble. Good call, since Filip's and Jussi's mutual drum work got ignited into unbelievable level and the result was a planet size groove and tight rhythm. In such level that some of the songs were recorded in one take. Got to tip my hat for that, we are all really excited, even the engineer.

After the first day, the drums and percussion for half of the songs are ready. We are clearly ahead of our schedule and if things keeps going this way we are done with them tomorrow, which would mean that we could get to bass and guitar tracks a day early. Good times. Now it's time to set up the grill and go to sauna. Half of the guys went back to Helsinki and the guitar section stayed in Niinikoski and will spend the night over at the studio, sleeping on the mattresses on the floor of the control room. How rock'n'roll is that?