Drum recordings 23.11 - 27.11.2009 at Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki, Finland

RÄYH! Back in the studio and busy as hell... The material for the new album was finally finished last week. A deadline seems to strangely make things happen. Some lyrics, however, are still missing. A long process is culminating, and six work filled and sweaty weeks lie ahead. This time around though we are making the album slightly differently than before.

We are recording the drums at the familiar and cosy Sonic Pump Studios. As I am writing this the drumming sessions are on the final stretch. The rest of the album will be recorded at a studio built at our band practice digs using rented gear. The producer for the entire project will be Janne Joutsenniemi. Janne was already involved with the pre-production of the last album. Mikko Karmila at Finnvox will again mix the album. The album mastering is booked for 18th January 2010 and will be done by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers. Spinefarm has set the 1st of April 2010 as the album release date (Finland, other countries TBA).

Mikko has composed all of the 10 tracks on the coming album and basically written most of the lyrics. We have made several demos of the new songs and we have especially invested a lot in the pre-production. One of the new tracks is totally acoustic, so I have only 9 tracks to record. We have already recorded one bonus track in September 2009 (more info on that in the coming weeks, hints: Dime and Metal Hammer UK ). The second bonus track we decided on is "Song for the Fells" from Winter in June EP. It will be re-mixed at Finnvox.

We used Monday to set up the drums, and the mikes, plugging everything up and achieving the perfect sound. The recording will be done at the Pump's massive recording room and in Control 1, which has been updated since the last sessions. The set will be recorded by 20 microphones (15 close ups, 5 room mics). Nino Laurenne was the man in action.

I finally got to test my new Pearl Reference set in action and I must say that getting the raw sounds for the recording has never been so easy! We even got the five toms in balance quickly and the set sounds excellent. Of course the fantastic facilities also play a part in the excellent sound. In the recordings I use Remo's Emperor and Ambassador skins. My snare is a new 14" x 5" Pearl Reference steel snare and it totally works!

The new tracks are faster and heavier than our previous work but somewhat more melodic and the songs sounds overall complete. In the mix there are three more epic tracks, which will incorporate massive orchestrations, one straightforward mid tempo track and one lovely Scorpions spirited ballad.

The recording has been very chilled with Janne and we have kept to the schedule. We have reviewed the drum arrangements and Janne has provided some constructive criticism and feedback to some drum parts, beats and fills. In fact Mikko hasn't been present at the recordings yet, and I have been recording the drums with back up tapes and delivering Janne's endless ideas. It's really refreshing to work in this way. Studio sessions are always pretty stressful for musicians and I'm grateful I'll be finished with my bits tomorrow! I hope recording at our 'own studio' will provide a relaxed atmosphere for the other guys and the sessions will be inspiring. At least now we will have enough studio time. I can't wait for the end of January when the mastered album will be in my hand.

We are also busy with the design of the album cover art. The new web and MySpace pages are also underway and we also need to make time before the end of the year for a shoot for new promo pics. We are still in the middle of discussions over a video and single. We will have to see what the label thinks as the new tracks start to take shape.

Markku

Bass recordings 30.11 - 4.12.2009 at Studio Crom, Espoo, Finland

Yarr!! Ahoy landlubbers! Avast ye scurvy dogs! Eeh.. So it's time for me to get my shit together and stop yapping and tell you lovely little rascals about my adventures as the bassplayer of Kiuas in our Lord's year 2009. I'm a busy boy and it was an unpleasant surprise for me, and maybe a slightly bigger unpleasant surprise for Mikko, that he got pneumonia. I believe it wasn't the infamous pigflu or swinecough or whatever but it was terrible enough for him not to perform... and no sexual pun intended.

Well, I started my recording session with being the chaffeur for our producer/recording engineer. Our first glorious task was to retrieve the fabled pieces of recording equipment that were scattered and buried all over Helsinki. With our treasure map and some luck on our side and the booty safely hidden in the back of my treasure galleon or Toyota we continued our triumphant sail towards our rehearsal flat/home studio which is cleverly named as "Studio Crom". I was not-so-hugely-enthusiastic but anyway eagerly awaiting my turn to start bashing shit up. I was also looking forward to playing my parts. But alas, fortune was not on our side as the old mysterious forces surrounding our fate or more apptly the electricity in our really old (think Metusalem and a bit older than that) building/rehearsal flat weren't co-operating with us. There was a real big problem with the bleeds, the sweeps and the creeps. There was this really annoyingly strong interference sound that we eventually got sorted. But for the first day I didn't have time really to record anything and the only thing we got together was the bass sound. But all in all it's ok. It usually goes like that and the sound was actually very good or atleast I was happy with it.

I decided to play with my trusty old warhorse the Ibanez Soundgear which I usually use as my 2nd bass but it had a better high-pitched sound that my usual weapon of choice. I also decided to play with a pick 'cause I like the attack and precision of picked-sound vs. fingered. Old school I know. The second day was a lot better and I played two songs in: "Cry Little Angel" which is a fun, fast, straightforward song with a catchy chorus (and despite it's name, it isn't to my knowledge a lovemetal song) and "of Love, Lust and Human Nature" which is a darker, sinfonic and gloomier song with a lot of orchestral tidbits (and which also isn't a lovemetal song). Then I did only a half(-ass) day as I only had a few hours to record before going to work (yes little munchkins, I have to work, we're not living the rock'n'roll-dream you know...) and played in a slow, melodic and truthfully a very nice song named "Lights Are Many". In one and a half day I got three songs in and we can continue our journey the next week. Because of thight schedules we have to record alternately and I think Mikko will start to record next and Ilja will be the next and I will do my shit somewhere between the devil and the deep blue sea. And it's almost like piecing together a very hard puzzle (think 100+ pieces or harder). Shiver me timbers!

Teemu

Guitar recordings 7.12 - 17.12.2009 at Studio Crom, Espoo, Finland

Greetings!

It's been a heavy duty few weeks, i must tell you! While I was dedicated to giving the new Kiuas m-ass-terpieces their final touches just before the recordings, I was also busy writing my thesis (which btw deals with the recordings of "The New Dark Age" by Kiuas, naturally) to be able to graduate, which I now did...schooooool's out, for, sum-mer!...no, it's winter, and actually quite nice as well, here in Espoo...heaps of snow everywhere, beautiful, if you're from somewhere south you should really see this, you can almost see the hero Väinämöinen skiing while playing his custom salmons jaw bone Kantele mounted with active pickups and a special Louhi-busting whammy bar! ...sorry, got carried away again! ...ANYWAY, in the midst of all this - like Teemu mentioned - i suffered a nasty pneumonia which meant a week just lying on the sofa, without being able to much anything. Yes, that really sucked. However, that only made me want to work harder when I was well.

Once I got into recording with Janne, things got rolling. I decided to use the trustworthy combination of my Mesa Road King with and Engl Fireball head, into a Mesa Rectifier cabinet, playing the guitar parts four times...with my Dean Razorback, of course. We had some minor problems with some hum from electrics and whatnot, but nothing that would stand in the way. At this point it looks like Studio Crom is perfectly suitable for making a record, especially after some adjustments. While I'm writing this, I've almost recorded all the rhythm guitar parts, and the songs are starting to come alive! I'm really anxious to hear the final product, especially with the orchestral arrangements done by maestro Sami Boman, which will be ready in a couple of weeks. Next week I'll be recording the many acoustic parts and start an endless lick orgy with the solos and leads. CROM!

Mikko

Bass recordings completed at Studio Crom, Espoo, Finland

Heyho silver!

This has been a struggle this last session of mine but now it's over for me. Though it's been a hard one the result is pleasing me, the bass sounds good and so does the songs. Mikko has really made some good stuff this time (and before of course) even though the songs are more straight-forward. This does not mean they are made deliberately for radioplay or shit like that, they are still very fast and very heavy at times but they are very catchy. Few of the songs have stuck to my head so badly that I find myself constantly humming and thinking about them. Either they are very good songs and melodies or I'm utterly and completely losing my mind. Anyways, there are still really weird, complicated parts as well so we haven't sold our souls for the second time, no worries. But for now, I'm finished and Mikko and Ilja will continue.

Happy Kwanza everybody!

Teemu

Lead vocal recordings 14.12. - 31.12.2009 at Studio Crom, Espoo, Finland

Hola, amigos!

I've been doing this singing thing for a couple of years now. Naturally I thought I was pretty good at it.

Turns out I was wrong.

This is the first time I've worked with a producer and it was an eye-opening experience. We would do five or six (or a million) takes, after which I'd sit down and draw complicated mathemathical graphs (boobs, you idiot) while the producer would piece together the final product from the raw material I provided. From snippets as small as half a word the Magician (Janne Joutsenniemi) would bring sweet order to my vocal chaos. Out of tune, you say? "No problem, mr. Jalkanen. Let me just tweak that a liiiiiiiiiiittle bit... and... there you go! Pure gold, sweetie, pure gold."

I have come to respect the craftmanship behind engineering vocals that rock. And pop. Hopefully pop, 'cause that sells, like, a bazillion records.

In conclusion, if you've heard it on the radio, it's propably A LIE. If you've heard it live, it's propably TRUE.

What does it all mean? Oh, I'll tell you, alright. BUY OUR RECORD AND TICKETS TO ALL OF OUR LIVE SHOWS.

Over and out,
Ilja "Screamin' Jenkins" Jenkins

Guitar recordings 18.12. - 31.12.2009 at Studio Crom, Espoo, Finland

Yo!

After I had done the heavy layers of rhythm guitars that would provide the backbone of the record along with the drums and bass, I started with the leads and acoustics. My plan was to play some very basic lead and rhythm parts on a steel-string for especially two songs: the epic "winter" and the all acoustic "summer's end", but as it turned out, our demanding producer wasn't going to settle for anything "basic", and made me do multiple layers of acoustic lead and rhythm. And I can tell you it was worth it! Most of the acoustic parts are thick, chimy and beautiful, and there's a massive drunken-musicians-in-a-bar-who-also-might-be-pirates-or-irishmen-unless-they-spoke-finnish jam in the end of summer's end, not to mention an EXTREMELY important sound of footsteps and the opening and closing of a door, which we recorded about 666 times to get it absolutely perfect.

The leads I did all by myself during a few long, dark and cold nights (really, it was -20 degrees celsius, btw, there's some homework for you yankees, figure it out in fahrenheit, send me the answer, and WIN A PRIZE!!! in this life or the next...). I mainly played my Razorback through the MESA Road King or a Marshall JVM (figure out which amp I used on which solo, and WIN ANOTHER PRIZE! in this life or the next...and oh yeah, don't be dissapointed if you get both prizes in the next life...also, don't believe everything your read). For two songs I also played a Strat through the Marshall with little gain for a true classic rock sound. On previous records, I've always played the leads with the same setup, so it was fun to notice the tone differences and get a little diversity on the record in that department as well. As for the solos themselves, well...SHRED LIVES...maybe, you be the judge of that. But to compensate for all the shred going on, check out the solo on "Winter" (ok, although that's still a working title, it'll be called...winter..something...), which is quite jazzy/bluesy, REALLY. AND, it still fits the song.

Mikko

Keyboard recordings 1.12. - 4.1.2009 at various locations, Espoo & Pori, Finland

Hola!

The method for recording the keyboards for the new album was pretty much the same as last time. I buried myself deep in my own cosy dungeon or actually various dungeons and worked with my Pro Tools 8 setup and basically had all the time in the world. Both a blessing and a curse... Although this time I had a bit of a hassle with logistical matters as I studied in an another city during the weeks and only spent the weekends in Hellsinki. Thus I became fully aware of the fact that the (non-)portability of my whole recording setup was a major pain in the a$$. I don't even own a laptop!

Mikko had already written some synth pads, orchestrations and piano melodies for the new songs in the demo phase. So my task was to put the finishing touches on the tracks by laying down some moody atmospheric pads, dirty hammond sounds, weird noises and nice crispy piano melodies and all the rest of the synths with my own sounds. The orchestrations on three songs were arranged by Mikko and a guy called Sami Boman (www.musicraft.fi) and "performed" by Sami Boman. They sound awesome.

I used my trusty Korg Triton Extreme and TR-Rack and a lot of software plug-ins, mostly those that come with Pro Tools 8. Getting the recording project up and running is kind of a slow process for me. After figuring out and programming all the needed sounds and making some template tracks the job gets easier. Still I only managed to finish the keyboard tracks just in time for the mixing. During the week of mixing at Finnvox I made a few small corrections and additions to the synth tracks and overall I'm pleased with the results.

Some kickass new songs coming your way this spring!!

Hasta luego cabrones!

Atte

Rest of the Sessions

YO!

The last days of the recordings we’re quite demanding, to say the least. I spent my nights recording the last solos, while Ilja did his final vox during the day. We also had a testosterone-and-beer-smelling session to do some shouting and growling, and the pub-style ending in “Summer’s end”. When finally everything was recorded, the material was taken to Mikko Karmila at Finnvox. Once he started the mixing, the songs started to come alive. The sound is quite similar to “The New Dark Age”, although some of the songs sound different because of their different arrangements. Now that the mixing was underway and Karmila didn’t have any technical problems with the tracks (despite our minor buzz problems in the beginning) studio Crom has proven to be a perfectly functioning studio, our very own metal forge.

After the mixing was finished, (once again) Svante Forsbäck mastered the album at Chartmakers. (no need to make changes in the winning team!) I have to say that with the finished album playing in the background, all the sweat, missed sleep, pneumonias and ulcers were worth it, because the record DOES kick serious ass! Is it our best so far? Hard to say, so I’ll let you be the judge…and you won’t have to wait long, some teasers will be uploaded in the next few weeks!

CROM!

Mikko