BACKGROUND

“Unholy” is Embers’ fourth official release. It summons some of the new wave synth-centric influences from my youth, blended with heavier elements and energy as the song builds in intensity. In that genre, bands like Depeche Mode, early Ministry, Cabaret Voltaire, Front 242, Thomas Dolby and many others were in heavy rotation. The synth sounds and sequences in Unholy draw on some of those ’80s and early ’90s flavors, definitely melding with more modern tones and production later in the song. I wanted to create an atmospheric, spacious feeling; using these sounds helped get that in place, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also aiming for a bit of a Stranger Things vibe. 😉

THE MUSIC

The song started based on a simple noodle that I was playing around with as I was exploring the awesome Arturia V Series Synclavier softsynth. Messing with the settings on the arpeggiator gave me the basic alternating pattern at the start of the song:

Intro Synth Clip

I layered various sounds using that same pattern on different tracks, sometimes juxtaposing different rhythms to get some alternating/polyrhythmic movement:

Layers 1 and 2 Synth Panned Clip

Layer 3 Synth Clip

Along with a Moog-ish bass sound and some sub-bass layers, that set the foundation for the mood of the song. I layered other sounds, using synths like the arpeggiated AIR Hybrid 3 track:

Hybrid Arpeggiated Clip

As the song progresses, heavier guitar elements and thicker harmonies build the energy, alongside more layers of programmed drums courtesy of Native Instruments Battery and some pre-rolled loops that I treated heavily with distortion and other processing like the Tantra glitch-style plugin:

Tantra FX on Loop Clip

Distorted Loop Clip

I’ve also recently started using (and really enjoying!) Isotope’s StutterEdit, which you can hear on the chopped-up vocals throughout the song and the heavily-treated guitars in the breakdown after the first chorus:

Stutter Edit Vox Clip

Stutter Edit Guitars

It’s an incredibly fun and wildly flexible way to mess with audio via MIDI. I also have to mention Soundtoys plugins, which have become indispensable for me. In particular, I find myself using the Decapitator saturation plugin as glue on tons of tracks, and the awesome Little Alter Boy added the creepy low-octave double on the chorus vocals:

Little Alter Boy Vox Clip

This song also marked the maiden voyage of my new Strandberg Prog 7, which is amazing. I used it for both the heavy rhythm tracks and the lead melody lines in the last chorus:

Rhythm Guitars Clip

Melody Guitars Clip

It’s a great-sounding guitar and plays wonderfully. I used the incredible Neural DSP Archetype Plini amp plugin, which I can’t recommend highly enough. Those guys have something really special going on with their amp sim products.

As for the lyrics and meaning of the song, I often write without a hyper-specific interpretation in mind, but rather something more theme-based. Often, after the fact I then find something more focused appears to me. That’s true of Unholy as well. The lyrics are very simple, focused on th struggle to maintain our individual identities and direction in the midst of the chaos today’s world can bring. We are bombarded with information and content, much of which is negative and polarizing. Many feel even more isolated and lost amidst all the stimuli. I believe we have to wrestle our own demons in order to bring our best selves into the mix.

LYRICS

I’m lost again, no one here to tell me where to go

I’m lost again, no one here but me and you

Unholy thoughts, an unholy mess

Unholy thoughts, an unholy mess

I try again, to listen to the voices of the true

But I’m lost again, no one here but me and you

Unholy thoughts, an unholy mess

Unholy thoughts, an unholy mess

Unholy thoughts, an unholy mess

Unholy

Unholy was performed, recorded and mixed in my home studio (Kill Room Studios). I hope you enjoy it, and please comment to let me know what you think!