Metal XOR Studio

State of the Studio #35: January '12

2012-01-01T21:04:00.003-06:00

The second season of The Collective Brain podcast wrapped up in November, followed by their 2011 Christmas Special last month. The show is currently undergoing tweaks and changes, preparing for season 3 to start in early 2012.

But the big news from the studio is the fact that music is once again being recorded! It's the next Mune Mud album. The only information as to the release of the album was a passing comment by Jason, "...by the end of 2012." Currently five songs have been started, two of them being covers and three originals. Word has it that other musicians are also involved with the project. The fictional magazine Eclectic Musician has already contacted the studio asking for an interview with Jason on the new project but no decisions have been made yet.

Come back in two months for an update on the podcast, the new album and anything else that pops up between now and then!

State of the Studio #34: November '11

2011-11-01T11:21:00.000-05:00

The past two months have been about podcasts here at the Studio. The Aftertaste Report wrapped up its first season on October 23 with episode 12. And The Collective Brain is nearing the end of its second season. Season 3 is slated to begin in early 2012.

A new music video was released on October 28. It was a Trashman and the Blood Baker song called "Tormented." The footage came from a Halloween trunk-or-treat event held earlier that evening.

Many ideas for new music in 2012 have been discussed. But nothing definite has been decided at this point.

So December looks to be a quiet month in the Studio. It will be a true vacation for the employees. The next update will be on the first day of 2012. See you then...

Video File #15: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Tormented"

2011-10-28T23:11:00.001-05:00

Today is the release of a new music video from Trashman and the Blood Baker.

The song is called "Tormented" and uses footage shot at a 2011 Trunk or Treat event.

State of the Studio #33: September '11

2011-09-01T21:33:00.020-05:00

There's no new music here. In fact, the only thing that's been going on at Metal XOR for the past several months is podcasting.

As summer winds down, The Collective Brain podcast will soon return from its hiatus. Season 2 episode 1 (aka episode 21) is scheduled to be released on September 7. Check it out.

A second podcast began on August 7 called The Aftertaste Report. It will run for a full 12-episode season. Its hosts, Jason and Nikki, explore the world of beverages by reviewing two new drinks each episode.

When will the music return? Will the Collective Brain Network continue to grow? Check back in two months for the answers to these questions and more.

State of the Studio #32: July '11

2011-07-01T07:54:00.001-05:00

The focus for the Studio in 2011 so far has been The Collective Brain podcast. It began in February and has delivered a new episode every week. This week will be episode 20. If you haven't checked it out yet, head on over to see what you think. Although it's not music, it is a Metal XOR Studio production and delivers the same high-quality entertainment that the Studio's music does.

Come back in two months for more Studio news...

State of the Studio #31: May '11

2011-05-01T07:45:00.026-05:00

Although no new music has been recorded at the studio for a while, the last two months were busy with the release of two albums.

The first was a bootleg recording of Isthmus during a 1996 jam session titled Gemini Jay. The press release can be read here.

The second album released was Mune Mud's Beyond the Star King, somewhat of a re-release of last year's Zodiac Road album. The press release for this album can be read here.

As work continues on The Collective Brain podcast at the studio, new music has taken a back seat. Come back in two months for an update on studio projects.

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

2011-04-26T06:00:00.033-05:00

Metal XOR Fallout is proud to announce

Beyond the Star King

Last year's Mune Mud album, The Zodiac Road, was an international success by all standards. But the final album was drastically different from its original concept. By replacing a few tracks with some unused tracks, reordering the play list and adding new cover art, the reimagined album has become Beyond the Star King.

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

2011-03-22T07:00:00.008-05:00

Metal XOR Fallout is proud to announce

Gemini Jay

This bootleg recording was made on January 12, 1996, of the band Isthmus, about a year after their Electric Field Donut session and eight months before the recording of their second album, Lambskin Temple.

The recording recently resurfaced and has been made public through this CD, Isthmus' 8th album release.

State of the Studio #30: March '11

2011-03-01T11:45:00.002-06:00

The music staff are still on vacation following the release of December's latest Mune Mud album, The Zodiac Road. But that doesn't mean the Studio's been quiet.

The Metal XOR Wiki is under construction. It will have an official announcement in the upcoming weeks.

Although music hasn't been the priority, a new podcast called The Collective Brain has been the main focus in the last month. An official announcement of this is also forthcoming. But for now, you can check out the official website here.

With spring usually comes creativity! We'll see what the Studio has in store for us in two months. See you then...

State of the Studio #29: January '11

2011-01-01T18:12:00.011-06:00

The year 2010 closed on a high note with the release of the new Mune Mud album The Zodiac Road. That consumed most of the Studio's resources during the last six months. But now that it has been released, the slate is clean. The Studio can go in any direction it wants to.

The year 2011 is the 20th anniversary of the first Mune Mud album, Olympus. There are talks of a new edition of that album. There are also talks of another brand new Mune Mud album. Will this be the year that NueroMorgue or NueroMud are revisited and their albums finally released on CD? Or will a brand new project emerge?

As you can see, the options are many. Keep checking here to see which road is taken...

Listen Online!

2010-12-20T21:35:00.000-06:00

2010 Christmas Single

"A Christmas Situation"

Today is the release of Metal XOR Fallout's first Christmas Single, "A Christmas Situation." It is a re-imagining of the song "This Is the Situation", the second track of the recent Mune Mud album The Zodiac Road. The song was recorded during the Zodiac recording sessions to begin a new studio tradition. Return to this blog each Christmas for a new holiday treat.

Click here to listen to "A Christmas Situation"

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

2010-12-14T05:00:00.010-06:00

Metal XOR Fallout is proud to announce

the release of the newest Mune Mud album...

The Zodiac Road

This is the first Mune Mud studio album since the 2004 release of Hobson's Choice. Recording began in June 2010 and continued into early December. Jimmy provided the bass lines for six of the twelve songs and Ken Dennis provided the guitar solo for the updated version of "I Dream." After the final mixes were created, each song went through final mastering by Jimmy at Attic Works Studio.

The album is available on CD (send your home address to avatarmud@gmail.com for a copy) or as a digital download at The Zodiac Road (once there, click on the album cover to access the music). Lyrics are also available at the digital download site.

Studio News: Listening Party

2010-12-11T11:29:00.000-06:00

A listening party was thrown earlier today at Attic Works Studio, bringing to a close the long process of recording and mastering a new album. The album is Mune Mud's The Zodiac Road. The release date was also announced... next Tuesday, December 14. The album will be available on both CD and as a digital download.

Among the participants were Jimmy, who provided bass for some of the songs and who mastered all of the final mixes, and Jason, Mune Mud front-man himself. Each of the new songs were debuted and twelve songs were chosen to be on the album.

Stay tuned to this blog for release day information. The Zodiac Road is almost here...

Studio News: New Mune Mud album coming...

2010-12-01T19:26:00.003-06:00

It's official, Mune Mud will be releasing a new album this month.

The exact date has not been released, but it will be soon. Here are a few facts:

The new album is titled The Zodiac Road
It will contain twelve tracks
During the recording sessions, nineteen songs were completed while nine others remain unfinished
It will be available on CD and as a digital download
This is the first new studio Mune Mud album since Hobson's Choice in 2004
Recording began in June 2010 and will be wrapping up in the next couple of weeks

The fictitious magazine Eclectic Musician printed an interview with Mune Mud in its November 2010 issue. Click here for that story.

A preview track called "I Dream" was released at the end of October. Click here for that story.

And to finish off the official announcement,

below is a sneak peak of the album cover.

State of the Studio #28: November '10

2010-11-01T08:01:00.001-05:00

There hasn't been much news coming from the Studio because all efforts have been focused on one project: the new Mune Mud album. This is the first studio Mune Mud album since Hobson's Choice released in 2004.

An interview was recently conducted with Mune Mud and can be read in the November issue of Eclectic Musician. Click here for the interview.

A preview song from the upcoming album was also released. You can listen to the song here.

You can expect to hear more about the return of lunar music in the upcoming weeks. By the next State of the Studio, the album will already be out. Enjoy the new music!!

Listen Online!

2010-10-29T07:49:00.002-05:00

"I Dream"

The first recordings of the Mune Mud project were made during a week-long break between semesters at school in June of 1990. The three songs recorded that week were "Plutonic", "I'll Be Here", and "I Dream." All three of those songs appeared on the 2008 retrospective release Precursory 33.

While all three had remained unchanged for twenty years, it was decided to revisit one of them for the upcoming Mune Mud album. "I Dream" was chosen for a remake and is being released as a preview track for the new album today.

This is an early preview version of the new song. It is not yet complete and still needs final mastering, but this will give the listener an idea of how a song can change in twenty years.

Click here to listen to "I Dream", the 2010 preview version.

Click here to listen to "I Dream", the original song from 1990.

Interview

2010-10-07T19:56:00.001-05:00

For more than a decade the fictitious magazine Eclectic Musician has been the exclusive publication to feature Metal XOR Studio. It has now published its fifth interview with the Studio in its November 2010 issue.

The fifth interview mainly focuses on the upcoming Mune Mud album. A recap of Studio activity in the last two years is also covered. Plus, this is the first interview with pictures! Enjoy the read.

2010 November Eclectic Musician Interview

State of the Studio #27: September '10

2010-09-01T08:59:00.000-05:00

A new Mune Mud video was produced last month, inspired by a recent trip to West Virginia. It was the second Mune Mud video to be released.

With new software and hardware at the Studio, recording is well underway of a new Mune Mud album. Material was recorded last year towards a new album, but it's unclear as to whether any of that will be on the upcoming album. A passing comment from Jason shed a little light on the subject, "Compared to the new songs I'm working on, last year's recordings are too slow and serious for this album." The new album is planned to be released by the end of the year.

A couple of new websites are also in development for the Studio. Watch here for more info on those.

Until the November update, enjoy fall!!!

Video File #14: Mune Mud "A Moment Forgotten"

2010-08-08T08:11:00.006-05:00

Today is the release of the second Mune Mud video,
"A Moment Forgotten".

The pictures and video were taken during a recent vacation to West Virginia. The song was recorded for the video after the vacation. It may be featured on the upcoming Mune Mud album.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #26: July '10

2010-07-01T08:16:00.004-05:00

New equipment. New software. New studio. Although the official announcement has yet to be made, Metal XOR Studio is up and running again. Watch for details in the upcoming weeks.

Recording has resumed. Mune Mud is in the Studio working on new material for an upcoming album. The first video from the new material was released on May 30. What kind of music will be featured? Stay tuned for more details as they are made available.

As previously stated, the Studio purchased a piece of new gear recently. It now has the ability to record up to 16 inputs into the computer at the same time and on different tracks. This will make recording bands such as Isthmus and Muffin Loaf much easier and more versitile in the future. It also adds new options for recording solo, as with Mune Mud.

This fall looks to be busy in the Studio with continuing recording and hopefully a new album release. Check back for an update in two months.

Video File #13: Mune Mud "Envelope"

2010-05-30T22:12:00.006-05:00

The first Mune Mud video is now online!

Today is the release of the first Mune Mud music video. The song is "Envelope" which was recorded in July/August of 2009 for the next Mune Mud album. It consists of footage from a "live" performance of the song and from a small bistro located in the heart of Soeul, North Korea (sort of).

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #25: May '10

2010-05-01T22:07:00.004-05:00

Summer is near and the Studio has not yet been officially reopened. The equipment is there, the personnel is there, but the business is not.

There have been a few small jam sessions, but no official recordings yet. Plans are to reopen the Studio sometime during the summer to prepare for another round of Trashman and the Blood Baker recordings this fall.

And work on a new Mune Mud album will also continue once the Studio has reopened.

Stay tuned for the official announcement.

Studio News: A New Book

2010-04-16T10:33:00.006-05:00

In the past, the character known as Orc Musixian has paid several visits to the studio. We last saw him in the summer of 2009, during which time he created a blog and shared some of his memories and experiences. Those entries have been collected into his first book,

titled "26 Narratives of Mine".

26 Narratives of Mine

State of the Studio #24: March '10

2010-03-01T10:47:00.002-06:00

The biggest news since the last update was the closing of Metal XOR-E Studio. All of the equipment has been moved to its new location and waits to be reassembled. Details on the new studio, including its name, will be made available soon here at this site.

Discussions are underway for a new music project for the new studio. Details on that will also come soon. Everything else is on hold at the moment.

So as the Metal XOR plane circles the airport waiting to land, please continue to check here for further updates.

Studio News: Metal XOR-E Closes

2010-02-06T13:21:00.004-06:00

There is bad news AND good news in this announcement. The bad news first.

As of today, Metal XOR-E has closed its doors.

It's not due to the economy or lack of interest in the studio's projects, but the studio is relocating. And now the good news.

The studio will soon be rebuilt and as busy as ever.

As with each previous move, the studio will be rebuilt and its name will slightly change. Click here for a history of the studio with all of its name changes.

Work began today on disassembling the studio's components. Over the course of the next week or so, they will be shipped to the new location and reassembled where work on current projects will continue.

Keep an eye on this blog for the upcoming announcement of the opening of the newest version of Metal XOR Studio!

State of the Studio #23: January '10

2010-01-01T22:53:00.001-06:00

I arrived at the Studio today in my flying car. I was deep in conversation with my cousin who works up at the Omni Estates lunar colony. And I left my three-course-meal-in-a-pill sitting on the counter at home, so I had to run out for lunch today. Oh, wait, let me return to reality.

The year 2010 is here. The year 2009 is history. Metal XOR saw a lot of new things in 2009. But more specifically, the last two months saw collectible card sets #2 and #3 released. The debut album from Equinox Dulcet, Ethical Travels on a Green Planet, was also completed. And another music video was released, this one was the song "Placid" from ORC's 1999 Purging the Great Abyss album.

Card sets chronicling the Mune Mud catalog will continue to be released this year as new Mune Mud material continues to be recorded. Who knows what 2010 will bring to the Studio? Maybe even a new studio...

Check back in two months for more.

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

2009-12-08T09:12:00.004-06:00

Metal XOR Studio is proud to announce
the release of the debut album from
the newest Studio project, Equinox Dulcet

This is the debut album from Equinox Dulcet, consisting of the seven songs used for the Equinox Dulcet website project in 2008. It is a collection of instrumental music influenced by music from around the world.

All seven songs can be heard at the Equinox Dulcet website.

Project Spotlight #21: What is Equinox Dulcet?

2009-12-07T09:07:00.003-06:00

In May 2006, a new project was unknowingly born with a song titled "Lamplight Over". It was created using nothing but the computer music program called Reason. A week later, another song was started. By November of 2006, twenty-seven instrumental songs had been started, many of them had also been finished. It was clear that this was music unlike any the Studio had produced thus far, so it was set aside as a new project called Equinox Dulcet.

A resurgence of the project happened in 2007 with only four new songs being started, none of which were finished.

In July 2008, the seven songs that were finished were used for the Equinox Dulcet website, a combination of music and pictures to incite the reader/listeners' imaginations.

In December of 2009, the seven songs were finally compiled on CD and released as the debut Equinox Dulcet album titled Ethical Travels on a Green Planet.

Collectible Cards: Album set 3

2009-12-02T21:25:00.003-06:00

The third set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 36 base cards and 1 promo card.

This third set is about the 1993 Mune Mud album Pryme Material. Each of the 17 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 15 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. One card describes the studio. One card discusses the lyric book. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view all of the album sets of MXOR Cards today.

Collectible Cards: Album set 2

2009-11-13T21:29:00.003-06:00

The second set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 32 base cards and 1 promo card.

This second set is about the 1992 MuneMud album Underwater Problem Factory. Each of the 19 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 9 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. One card describes the studio. One card discusses the lyric book. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view all of the album sets of MXOR Cards today.

Video File #12: ORC "Placid"

2009-11-11T05:30:00.002-06:00

"Placid" video is now online!

Today is the release of the first music video from ORC. The song comes from their 1999 debut album Purging the Great Abyss. The video contains footage of the vocal recording session mixed with adventures in a cornfield. It offers a rare glimpse at the first Metal XOR Studio, Metal XOR-A.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #22: November '09

2009-11-01T07:59:00.002-06:00

The last two months have been rather active at the Studio. The amount of new Mune Mud recordings has decreased, but Trashman and the Blood Baker have recorded some new tracks. It will be at least another year before a full Trashman album is released, combining last year's recordings and this year's is not enough material for their debut album.

There were two new videos released since the last State of the Studio: a Trashman and the Blood Baker video and a Muffin Loaf video.

And the Studio has branched out into a new medium: collectible cards. October saw the release of the first Mune Mud album set of cards, Olympus. You can read all about it here. Plans are to release a new set every month.

You can expect more cards and videos from the Studio by the end of the year, those are the projects at the top of the list. But there may also still be an album released...

Next update... January 1, 2010!

Video File #11: Muffin Loaf "Rock and Roll"

2009-10-22T15:00:00.001-05:00

"Rock and Roll" video is now online!

Today is the release of the second music video from Muffin Loaf. The video shows time-lapse footage of the band (and other staffers) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003, building the stage set for their performance that evening. The music comes from their rehearsal on March 15.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Collectible Cards: Album set 1

2009-10-13T05:30:00.007-05:00

The first set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 34 base cards and 1 promo card.

The first several sets of cards will focus on a different Mune Mud album. This first set is about the 1991 album Olympus. Each of the 24 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 8 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view the first album set of MXOR Cards today.

Video File #10: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Modern Prometheus"

2009-10-01T20:08:00.003-05:00

"Modern Prometheus" video is now online!

Today is the release of the fifth music video from Trashman and the Blood Baker. The video features an up-and-coming fish star named Comet and a miracle of the mechanical age.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #21: September '09

2009-09-01T05:30:00.003-05:00

The summer is on its way out. And the musicians are on their way in.

Mune Mud has returned to the Studio, working on new tracks for the next album. Unlike previous albums where all the music was done by the Jason, Jimmy has provided the bass parts for the tracks recorded so far. When will the album be finished? Could be a while.

Last year around this time a new project was formed called Trashman and the Blood Baker. Many songs and videos were created but not enough to be compiled and released. Plans are to continue the project this fall. So watch for information regarding more music from the undead.

The Studio recently added a MIDI controller to its secondary computer and most software has been upgraded. So the musicians have access to more sounds and techniques than ever before. Look for some exciting new sounds to come from the Studio.

We'll be deep into fall and all things gray next update. Be sure to check back then to see what's been happening in the musical world of Metal XOR.

State of the Studio #20: July '09

2009-07-01T05:30:00.002-05:00

Recording has resumed in the Studio. Songs for a few different projects have been worked on in the last couple of months. We have seen the return of Mune Mud, NueroMud, and Trashman and the Blood Baker to the Studio. No albums are in sight at the moment, but as more recordings are made from the above projects, we get closer to a possible release later this year.

Will has also had a couple of new recording sessions. The Studio plans on releasing his first albun either this fall or winter.

A new video has been released. It is the first video for the project NueroMud. Other videos are planned to be released later this year.

So as the heat turns up outside, it's the perfect time to turn to the air condition inside and work on music. That's the plan for the next few months in the Studio. Check back for more details in two months...

Video File #9: NueroMud "Song of Songs"

2009-06-20T07:32:00.007-05:00

"Song of Songs" video is now online!

Today is the release of the first video from NueroMud. NueroMud released two albums, the first one was ...Libra 971 in 1994 and the second one was Nine Days Wonder in 1995. "Song of Songs" comes from the second album.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #19: May '09

2009-05-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

Although 2009 started off quiet in the Studio, there have been stirrings of activity in the last couple of months.

More recording sessions of Will singing have taken place. Recording will continue for a while until there is enough material to release his first CD. The same thing was done for Paige which led to the release of My First Album in August of 2007.

ORC has also been active. A few new demos have been recorded, a couple of them are even almost complete songs. In addition, a new ORC website has been set up featuring their debut album Purging the Great Abyss from 1999. Also on the site you can hear their newest demos.

This is the 10th anniversary of ORC's Purging the Great Abyss. There have been talks of a special edition CD but nothing has been finalized yet. Any future news regarding that will be posted here.

A software upgrade is on the horizon for the Studio. So there will soon be many new sounds available for upcoming projects.

As summer looms, things are looking positive for the Studio. Another update will be posted in two months on how things are going at Metal XOR!

Studio News: ORC Recording Session

2009-04-12T05:30:00.004-05:00

Thursday, April 9, saw the return of ORC to the recording studio.

They assembled at Attic Works Studio for a 2-hour vocal recording session for their newest song, "Forerunner". Five demos of the song currently exist, with demo 4b being the reference track for this recording session. Recently the rhythm guitar tracks were recorded and vocal editing is underway.

This will be the first song in an experimental method of distribution. From ORC's Purging the Great Abyss website, there will be a link to a page featuring the new song, "Forerunner". On that page will be various versions of the song to listen to and download, in addition to the lyrics for the song.

Stay tuned to this blog for the upcoming release of their new song...

Studio News: New Website

2009-04-01T18:00:00.006-05:00

Metal XOR Studio is proud to announce
The ORC Purging the Great Abyss official website.

The new site gives a brief description of ORC's debut album and allows the visitor to listen to and/or download every track on the album.

Additionally, a link to the PGA lyric book is on the page for those who have trouble understanding some of the screaming.

For those of you who missed out on ORC fifteen years ago, here's your chance to catch up! Click here to go to the site.

State of the Studio #18: March '09

2009-03-01T07:58:00.003-06:00

The observant fans may have noticed the absence of a State of the Studio post last month. The decision was made in January to change the feature to bi-monthly in an effort to cut costs in these economic troubled times. But that was not enough.

In order to keep the Studio operating, a more significant action was needed. Therefore it is with great displeasure that I must tell of the recent changes at the Studio. For the first time in the Studio's long history, job positions have been eliminated and projects put on hold.

Last month 71% of the staff was released, salaries of the remaining employees were decreased by 20%, and the workload of the remaining employees has tripled. All albums that were in progress have been placed on hold, allowing the Studio to save money on the power bill. And funding for the unannounced RING Project (Recording In No Gravity) has been cut, therefore Mune Mud's proposed recording sessions in earth's orbit have been postponed.

But with all of these recent changes, we do still hope to pull through this and return to providing the quality music that our fans have come to know. There will still be activity at the Studio throughout the summer months (someone will be here to mow the grass and set mousetraps). Please bear with us and we'll see you on the other side of all of this.

Have a joyful spring!!!

State of the Studio #17: January '09

2009-01-01T05:30:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year!

Last year was a record year for the Studio. It was the first time three albums were released in one year: Mune Mud's Precursory 33, Isthmus' Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary Edition, and ORC's Thru the Vent.

And there are at least three albums scheduled to be released this year. You'll have to keep checking back here to find out what projects they are.

As far as recent Studio activity, recording is still going strong for the newest project to the Studio. The project has changed drastically from what it was a couple of months ago and I'm sure it will change some more before it's finished.

Recordings for Will's first album continue. Hopefully that will be finished later this year.

And yet another project has been considered. But it's still in the early planning stages and I'm not sure if anything will materialize from it.

Although nothing specific to report at the moment, there's still a lot going on. Be sure to check back in a month to see what happened in January...

State of the Studio #16: December '08

2008-12-01T05:30:00.003-06:00

The music keeps flowing in the Studio. There are two projects to speak of at this time: one that has not been announced yet and the other is a newcomer to the Studio, Will Watson.

For the not-yet-announced project, work continues on many songs. And a very recent development could lead to a new musician recording with the Studio. Details on the project may be revealed soon. In addition to music, two more music videos (video 3, video 4) were produced in November. Could Metal XOR Studio release its first DVD in 2009?

Will Watson held his first recording session last week. He is the 2 year old brother of Paige Watson and son of me. The three songs were "Jingle Bells", "Old MacDonald", and the theme to the Gummi Bears TV show. I will continue to record him periodically as I did Paige so next fall we may see Will's first album.

So many projects, so little time. But progress is being made. So stay tuned to the blog for all the Metal XOR Studio news as it happens.

See you next year...

Video File #8: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Please, Just Leave Me"

2008-11-22T15:07:00.004-06:00

"Please, Just Leave Me" video is now online!

Today is the release of the fourth video from the new music project called Trashman and the Blood Baker. The song comes from their upcoming debut album, scheduled for release in late 2008.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Video File #7: Trashman and the Blood Baker "The Other (Live)"

2008-11-02T05:30:00.005-06:00

"The Other (Live)" video is now online!

Today is the release of the third video from the new music project called Trashman and the Blood Baker. The song comes from their upcoming debut album, scheduled for release in late 2008.

The video was shot during a vocal recording session for a song called "Cry of the Banshee" at Attic Works Studio on Saturday, November 1, 2008. The impromptu performance was the first to use material from the upcoming album.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Studio News: Recording Session #3

2008-11-01T21:02:00.004-05:00

The third collaborative recording session took place this afternoon (first session, second session), this time it was at Attic Works Studio again.

Two things were accomplished in the two-hour session. The first was a music video of a live performance of "The Other" in the studio. This is a song from the upcoming debut Trashman and the Blood Baker album. The second was recording the main vocals to another song titled "Cry of the Banshee."

Work began on this album back in September and has been going strong since. And amidst all of the writing and recording of music and lyrics, time has been found to release three videos from the upcoming album. They still plan to release the album by the end of the year, so stay tuned for all the latest news regarding this huge project.

State of the Studio #15: November '08

2008-11-01T05:30:00.002-05:00

I can see turkey on the horizon!

The Studio was busier in October than it had planned to be with the yet-to-be announced project. In addition to all of the song writing and recording, two videos were also produced (video 1, video 2). A lot of material has been recorded for this new project, so November will see a lot of editing and hopefully completion of songs.

November may be the month when the new project gets announced. Be sure to watch this blog for any news that gets released.

I'll see you in December...

Video File #6: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Shadow People"

2008-10-23T05:30:00.009-05:00

"Shadow People" video is now online!

Today is the release of the second video from the new music project called Trashman and the Blood Baker. The song comes from their upcoming debut album, scheduled for release in late 2008.

The photos were taken several years ago at an old farm house near Metal XOR Studio.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Video File #5: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Carnaval des Morts"

2008-10-19T05:30:00.004-05:00

"Carnaval des Morts" video is now online!

Today is the release of the first video from the new music project called Trashman and the Blood Baker. The song comes from their upcoming debut album, scheduled for release in late 2008.

The footage comes from photos taken during a local fair from the past few years and various images found on the Internet. Additional photo editing was done at Attic Works Studio.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Studio News: Recording Session #2

2008-10-13T17:43:00.003-05:00

A recording session took place this afternoon at Attic Works Studio. It follows shortly on the heels of last week's outdoor recording session. It was the second session for the as-of-yet-unannounced project that began last month at Metal XOR Studio.

Today's session consisted of vocal work on two songs. The first is entitled "Infectant" and the other is a short piece temporarily titled "Ram Rap", which sounds like a rap song from India.

We managed to catch Jason between verses this afternoon and this is what he had to say about the project:

"It's coming along great. The ORC album we attempted earlier this year didn't even make it this far. I have many tracks started for this album, many are on the verge of being completed. Work is ramping up here at Attic Works also. This is a true collaborative effort between the two studios. And if we keep up this pace the album will be out before the end of the year."

Stay tuned for coverage of future recording sessions as this album continues its forward motion to completeness.

Studio News: Recording Session #1

2008-10-09T05:45:00.005-05:00

A vocal recording session took place last night for Metal XOR's newest music project. And we were there to cover the entire event.

This secret project was started last month. It has employed accelerated processes for recording an entire album, hopefully to be released next month. It is a brand new project, so this album will be its debut.

Last night's session was recorded a couple of miles outside of town on an inactive country road. Under a bright half-moon, Jason and Jimmy set the recorder on the back of Jason's car, each grabbed a mic, and using an MP3 player with a headphone splitter to hear the music, they spent about an hour recording many takes of the vocals for the song titled "The Other".

This album will be part concept, as was demonstrated last night. There are ideas for other alternate recording methods. It is hoped that the final album will be unlike anything released by the Studio to date. And only time will tell how if these audio experiments will be successful or not.

Video File #4: Paige "Jesus Is"

2008-10-05T22:07:00.005-05:00

Paige sang this song at church this morning. It was from this summer's Vacation Bible School program. It is called "Jesus Is". She had sung another song earlier this year before VBS began as a VBS 'sneak-peak'.

Today's videographer was her grandpa with his Canon digital camera. Daddy was operating the sound board. And Mommy was her on-stage support.

State of the Studio #14: October '08

2008-10-01T05:30:00.002-05:00

October is here! Fall has officially begun! This is my favorite month of the year. And things are busy in the Studio.

First, there was an unexpected album release last month. ORC held an impromptu jam session over the Internet. Eleven sons were pulled from the recording and became the new ORC EP Thru the Vent. It had a very limited release and was almost considered a novelty album, but it has made it into the official Metal XOR Musik Catalog.

Second, a new project is underway. Nothing official has been mentioned of it yet, so stay tuned to the blog for more details.

And finally, Paige's second album and the debut Equinox Dulcet album are still expected to be released by the end of the year. But due to all the recent new recordings, they have already been pushed back from their expected release dates. If 2008 doesn't see their completion, 2009 will.

So until next month, enjoy the weather! It will be cold before we know it.

Album of the Week #46: Thru the Vent

2008-09-28T05:30:00.004-05:00

Project name: ORC
Album name: Thru the Vent
Release date: September 23, 2008
Release format: CD
Studio name: Metal XOR Studio

Tracks:
1. Mariner's Lament
2. Pruritus
3. Chicken Quest
4. Giu
5. Brown River
6. Exquisite Blackness
7. I Wish You the Best
8. Land of Make Believe
9. HipHop HobGob
10. We Go Down
11. Here We Go

On Saturday, September 20, 2008, Jason and Jimmy connected on their computers with the Voice Over IP program called Ventrilo, as they often do. That particular night Jason had his recorder going, recording everything that was said or done by either of them.

Jason started the evening by working on music for a new project. Jimmy was also playing around with his own music. When Jason finished, he started playing an online game called Vanguard. But Jimmy kept working on music.

Behind Jason's game sounds, Jimmy was playing music and singing, making up the lyrics as he went along. After a few songs Jason joined in by singing as Jimmy played his synthesizer. After they logged off for the evening, Jason went back to the recording and pulled out eleven songs that they created that night. And those eleven songs are what became this EP.

It is a short album and hardly any thought went into it, but it is the first ORC release since their debut album in 1999, Purging the Great Abyss. Their attempt at recording a new full-length album in January of 2008 ended before the album was finished. But for this latest impromptu jam, the album was released just three days after being recorded.

The Asian theme of the packaging came from the picture used on the front of the album cover, which Jimmy had as his desktop wallpaper at work for a while. They agreed the picture should be used in some way with ORC, so when it was decided to release this as an album, they already had their album cover. The rest of the packaging followed that theme.

And the title of the EP came from the fact that the music was created over the Internet using the program Ventrilo, or Vent for short.

There are more EP's of such live jam sessions in the ORC catalog. Plans are to release more of them in 2009.

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

2008-09-23T05:30:00.008-05:00

Metal XOR Studio is proud to announce today's release of ORC

Thru the Vent

This is the first ORC release since their debut album Purging the Great Abyss from 1999. This is a short EP of eleven songs recorded in one session over the Voice Over IP program called Ventrilo. They had no intention of recording any new songs, much less an entire album, but the recorders happened to be rolling as they goofed around that night. And this is the result.

State of the Studio #13: September '08

2008-09-01T05:30:00.004-05:00

Summer is winding down. And for that I'm thankful. I'm ready to get fall started!

Last month saw the one-year anniversary of this blog. Over the course of that year I have posted a lot of information! It took a lot of time to research, take pictures, scan documents, set up Internet resources, and especially type all the posts. It was a nice way to compile many loose ends into one organized source.

But there are also other non-musical projects always in progress at the Studio. Some of those have been neglected over the last twelve months with this blog being at the top of the priority list. But there have been a few weekly features come to a close recently and now seems to be an appropriate time to bring some of those other projects into focus.

This site will remain the hub for all Studio projects to come, musical or not. And when new websites are created they will be listed in this site's link index. And of course all musical news will still be posted here.

So what are the Studio's plans for music for the rest of the year? Two more albums: one being the first Equinox Dulcet album and the other Paige's second album. Plans are to release the Equinox CD later this month. And plans are in the works for a possible new music project. And there are a few posts that still need to be made.

This monthly State of the Studio feature will definitely continue. And there will be an occasion Listen Online song posted at the site. But posts will decrease drastically to make time for the other projects.

And after all that, see you on October 1!

Equipment File #26: Peavey amp

2008-08-27T05:30:00.003-05:00

Peavey Bandit amplifier

This is the guitar amp the Studio used for many years, as far back as 1990.

In the early days, this amp was used for the electric guitar, the drum machine through, and vocals. Many of the early Mune Mud songs have reverb on the drums and vocals, that reverb was from this amp.

As the Studio acquired more equipment, the amp was used less and less. When the sampler pedal was bought in 1991, that was the new unit to use for vocals. When the 4-track recorder was also purchased in 1991, drums were then recorded directly into the recorder. But the one piece of equipment that was most responsible for the amp becoming a huge paperweight was the Alesis effects unit. The guitar could go through the Alesis and get all of the amp sounds and effects, plus a whole lot more.

The amp was eventually used only for live jams. It was used to record some of the Isthmus albums and various other projects.

For the last several years the amp has been in the Studio's basement, exposed to cool damp conditions that have aged its weathered vinyl skin beyond its years. It probably still works, it just doesn't look great. Until a specific need arises, the amp will remain in the basement keeping much of the older equipment company.

Ethical Travels #7: Arun Molivar Man

2008-08-24T05:30:00.003-05:00

Ethical Travels concludes with "Arun Molivar Man"

Click here to enter. . .

Blog News: 1 Year Anniversary

2008-08-23T05:30:00.003-05:00

Happy 1st Anniversary

This blog is one year old today! 365 days and 315 posts!

I was going to open the Studio and have all the fans come over today for cake and grape juice but I forgot to buy grape juice, so I decided to cancel the celebration. Maybe next year.

Thanks for reading!

Equipment File #25: Sony receiver

2008-08-20T05:30:00.004-05:00

Sony STR-D665 receiver

This is the second receiver the Studio has owned. The first one was also a Sony and it was bought from Studio associate Brad P in the late 80's. When that unit died, this one was bought to replace it.

The flow of audio in the Studio goes like this: all audio is funneled through a mixer into the computer. From the computer it goes into the receiver. From the receiver the audio goes to the speakers. Fairly straightforward.

The unit is still going strong today. And with a little luck it will be around for a long time to come.

Collector's Corner #28

2008-08-18T05:30:00.006-05:00

On September 18, 1992, one of my biggest dreams (at the time) came true... I met the group Faith No More.

I had a friend at the time that worked for a rock music magazine. He usually got a "press pass" when bands came to town so he could go backstage and interview them. This night he had three backstage passes. He invited me and another friend to go with him.

At the time, they were the band that influenced me the most. They are mentioned in this and this previous post as a major musical influence.

The pictures we had for the band to sign were 1'x1' pasteboard album covers that were hung in music stores when new albums came out. It was a treat for fans to be able to collect those squares of their favorite bands.

So when I met them, I had each of them sign mine as such (from left to right):

Mike Patton (vocals) - I had him sign it to Mune Mud. I also mentioned I liked his other band, Mr. Bungle. So for that band he put the "B" in front of him.
Billy Gould (bass) - I had him also sign it to Mune Mud.
Mike Bordin - He misunderstood me when he asked how I wanted it signed. I said "To Jason... how original, huh?" and he thought I said "To Jason the Original".
Roddy Bottum (keyboard) - He just signed his name.
Jim Martin (guitar) - The band was having problems with Jim at the time, so he wasn't in with the rest of the band meeting fans. In fact, shortly after this concert he left the band. So Mike Patton drew the circle over Jim's face when I asked where Jim was.

So this little artifact is now hanging in the Hall of Fame Wing of the Metal XOR Studio Museum.

Ethical Travels #6: Temple of Ustonu

2008-08-17T05:30:00.002-05:00

Ethical Travels continues with "Temple of Ustonu"

Click here to enter. . .

Article: Web Log Omnibus

2008-08-16T05:30:00.002-05:00

What is the Web Log Omnibus? It is a printed copy of the Web Log feature.

What is the Web Log feature? It is a weekly feature posted every Friday that contains twenty-five posts from this blog in .PDF format. The .PDF file is embedded in the post so the reader can scan through and read the file on the site, they can make the file full-screen so it is easier to read, or they can download the file and have a hard copy for themselves.

Each week when another post is made, the Studio prints out a hard copy. These pages are placed in two 3-ring binders which has become the paper copy of the website, organized by category. And these two binders make up the Web Log Omnibus. It also serves as a backup in case the website should ever crash.

As new Web Log features are posted (every twenty-five posts), the Web Log Omnibus will grow. Hopefully it will grow to three binders some day, then four, etc.

Web Log #12: Posts 276-300

2008-08-15T05:30:00.001-05:00

This twelfth entry contains posts #276-300.

Web Log 12 (276-300) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Equipment File #24: Yamaha mixer

2008-08-13T05:30:00.003-05:00

Yamaha MC802 mixer

This is the third mixer the Studio has used. At one point when the Studio was redesigned, it was decided to use a smaller mixer than the EV board it was had at the time. So this 8-channel board replaced it.

This is the board still in use at Metal XOR-E Studio today. After the streamlined redesign the Studio underwent in November of 2008, this board is actually overkill. But until space becomes an issue again, this will remain the Studio's mixer.

Ethical Travels #5: The Manor Court

2008-08-10T05:30:00.002-05:00

Ethical Travels continues with "The Manor Court"

Click here to enter. . .

Web Log #11: Posts 251-275

2008-08-08T05:30:00.001-05:00

This eleventh entry contains posts #251-275.

Web Log 11 (251-275) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Equipment File #23: EV mixer

2008-08-06T05:30:00.003-05:00

EV BK-1242 mixer

This is the second mixer the Studio used. The first was an old blue 8-channel mixer that Jason's place of unemployment was going to throw away in 1990 (no pictures are available of the first mixer). It was used for years until he was able to acquire this one several years ago.

This mixer was used to run all instruments and equipment through to the main amplifier in the Studio. It was a good board, just too big for what little space the Studio had set aside for a mixer. It has since been replaced by a smaller Yamaha mixer.

Collector's Corner #27

2008-08-04T05:30:00.004-05:00

It was a catalog like this one that was the inspiration for the ORC song "Flying Cloud Drive" from the 1999 album Purging the Great Abyss.

The song was a walk through the world of new age, full of terms and lingo that they still don't fully understand to this day. They opened the catalog and chose random words that "sounded cool" for the song lyrics. The name of the song came from the company's address, it was located on Flying Cloud Drive. But the catalog pictured above is a newer catalog and has a different address.

The original catalog is believed to still be somewhere within the walls of the Studio, misplaced at the moment. But the one above is being held in its place in the Metaphysical Wing of the Metal XOR Studio Museum.

Ethical Travels #4: Club Jungle

2008-08-03T05:30:00.002-05:00

Ethical Travels continues with "Club Jungle"

Click here to enter. . .

Web Log #10: Posts 226-250

2008-08-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

This tenth entry contains posts #226-250.

Web Log 10 (226-250) - Upload a Document to Scribd

State of the Studio #12: August '08

2008-08-01T05:30:00.002-05:00

A milestone was recently reached and another will be reached this month. The recent one was the blog's 300th post!!! That's crazy! And the upcoming milestone is the blog's one year anniversary on August 23! Watch for a special post on that day.

The biggest project at the Studio right now is the Ethical Travels feature. It will conclude at the end of the month and the first Equinox Dulcet CD will be released in the near future collecting all seven of the songs from Ethical Travels. In case you've missed it, click here to visit the Equinox Dulcet website.

The Collector's Corner feature returns this month with a few new entries. Be sure to watch for those, they're always fun to read.

The Equipment File feature will continue through this month and into next month. The list of equipment used by the Studio throughout the years is a long one, but it will be coming to an end relatively soon.

And the Web Log feature gets caught up this month. And watch for an article that will be posted explaining what the Web Log Omnibus is.

So it's business as usual here at the Studio. I'm waiting for the brutal heat of summer to leave, then fall and winter projects can be considered. See you on the first of September.

Equipment File #22: Shure SM-58 mic

2008-07-30T05:30:00.002-05:00

Shure SM-58 microphone

This is the microphone that replaced the Shure SM-57 microphone in the late 90's. It has mainly been used to record vocals. It is still in use at the Studio today.

Blog News: 300th Post

2008-07-28T05:30:00.004-05:00

This is post #300!!!

It is rapidly approaching the one-year anniversary of this blog. Not bad for originally hoping to keep it going for at least 2-3 weeks. And when I first started, I expected to post 2-3 times a week. In doing the math, I have ended up averaging more than twice that many! So I can certainly say that this blog has been a success in my mind.

As for future content... there's more to be had. And I have no doubts that I will soon be typing up #350. See you there.

Ethical Travels #3: Antikythera Mechanism

2008-07-27T06:30:00.001-05:00

Ethical Travels continues with "Aerikythera Mechanism"

Click here to enter. . .

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-27T05:30:00.001-05:00

It was on this date in 1996 that Metal XOR-B Studio was taken down. After nine months of use it was time to move the Studio once again. It was moved back to a prior location, the same place where Circle IX Studio had existed a couple of years earlier.

For more information on Metal XOR-B, click here to read the Studio Chapter feature that gives a detailed account of that Studio.

Web Log #9: Posts 201-225

2008-07-25T05:30:00.001-05:00

This ninth entry contains posts #201-225.

Web Log 09 (201-225) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Equipment File #21: Shure SM-57 mic

2008-07-23T05:30:00.003-05:00

Shure SM-57 microphone

This is the microphone the Studio used starting back in 1990 with the Mune Mud debut album. It was mainly used for vocals, but occasionally it was used to mic the guitar amp for a fuller sound. It was used until the late 90's when the Studio finally got a Shure SM-58 microphone.

This mic is still in storage and ready to be used again.

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-21T13:00:00.003-05:00

It was on this day in 1998 that Isthmus released Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1.

It's been a fast ten years!

Single #12: Ocean Body

2008-07-21T05:30:00.003-05:00

Song name: "Ocean Body"
Album name: The Search for Metropolis
Release date: January 1, 2002

Tracks
1. Ocean Body (album version)
2. Ocean Body (demo)
3. Ocean Body (instrumental)

Song History
This was the second single from the 2001 Mune Mud album The Search for Metropolis.

The original version of the song, now referred to as the demo, was recorded in August of 1995. It was recorded during the NueroMud Nine Days Wonder sessions, but ended up being a Mune Mud song when re-recorded in July of 2000. The newer recording is what was used for the album. The album version was longer than the original, there was an extra verse after the solo and the end was longer. The song was recorded about a friend who had taken a vacation to California.

Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

The demo version of the song was actually the first version recorded five years prior to recording the album version. The ending on the demo was cut short because the 4-track master tape ran out. It was never used on an album because it didn't seem finished, but it was good enough to be the b-side to the newer complete version of the song.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

Ethical Travels #2: Caravan of the Wilds

2008-07-20T05:30:00.002-05:00

Ethical Travels continues with "Caravan of the Wilds"

Click here to enter. . .

Web Log #8: Posts 176-200

2008-07-18T05:30:00.001-05:00

This eighth entry contains posts #176-200.

Web Log 08 (176-200) - Upload a Document to Scribd

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-16T13:00:00.003-05:00

It was on this day in 1996 that the Mune Mud album Monograph was released.

Happy 12th Anniversary!!!

Equipment File #20: Vega wireless system

2008-07-16T05:30:00.002-05:00

Vega wireless system

The story of this wireless unit can be read in a recent post here. To summarize, in 1994 this wireless unit was accidentally purchased where I work and they had no use for it. So I bought it from them for $25. I attached the belt back to the back of my electric guitar to make the guitar wireless, but since I have always done most of my playing sitting down in the studio I soon removed the unit and continued using a cord.

This unit is in Studio storage in case it is ever needed again.

Single #11: From Cousin B

2008-07-14T05:30:00.003-05:00

Song name: "From Cousin B"
Album name: The Search for Metropolis
Release date: December 4, 2001

Tracks
1. From Cousin B (album version)
2. Camilla
3. From Cousin B (instrumental)

Song History
This was the first single from the 2001 Mune Mud album The Search for Metropolis.

This song is a very strange mix of themes, all pulled together to tell a very strange story. The first source was from Jason's job. Doug Fleenor is a brand of lighting equipment they use where he works. The second source was from the 1953 movie The Long, Long Trailer starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. This has always been one of Jason's favorite movies, so there are lines and sound clips taken from the movie for this song. And the third source came from a Beatrix Potter story called "The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher". In fact, the title of the song comes from the way Beatrix Potter dedicated the book.

Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

Jason, his sister, and his cousin used to hunt for ghosts in their house when they were really young. His sister once had a nightmare about white mannequin people haunting their upstairs, so after some investigating they came to the conclusion that one of the ghost's name was Camilla. This song was written about Camilla and their ghost hunts. It was recorded during the Metropolis recording sessions but not used on the album.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

Ethical Travels #1: Moon Spell

2008-07-13T05:30:00.002-05:00

Ethical Travels begins with "Moon Spell"

Click here to enter. . .

Collector's Corner #26

2008-07-12T05:30:00.002-05:00

This is the advertisement that was emailed to promote the 2002 Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory 10th Anniversary Edition CD Extra.

Collector's Corner 26 - Upload a Document to Scribd

It was also included on the CD as part of the bonus content.

There was never a paper version printed so this ad will live forever in the digital domain.

Web Log #7: Posts 151-175

2008-07-11T05:30:00.001-05:00

This seventh entry contains posts #151-175.

Web Log 07 (151-175) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Article: Album of the Week Summary

2008-07-10T05:30:00.006-05:00

The weekly Album of the Week feature that has appeared every Sunday since the beginning of the blog has come to an end with Album of the Week #45. As new albums are released you can expect a new Album of the Week post to be made. Below is a complete list of the albums in the order they were featured.

#1. Mune Mud Mune Mud (debut album)
#2. Mune Mud Olympus
#3. NueroMud ...Libra 971
#4. NueroMud Nine Days Wonder
#5. NueroMorgue Devis Tortura
#6. NueroMorgue E. Phantasmata
#7. Binary Pipedream Binary Pipedream
#8. ORC Purging the Great Abyss
#9. Harry and Jason The Vintage Years Volume 1
#10. Isthmus Electric Field Donut
#11. Isthmus Lambskin Temple
#12. Isthmus New Mexico Igloo
#13. Isthmus Ideas
#14. X-Selsior One Way
#15. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1
#16. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 2
#17. Nikki and Jason Love Songs
#18. Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory
#19. Mune Mud Pryme Material
#20. Mune Mud Devaulted
#21. Mune Mud Monograph
#22. Mune Mud Equation of Time
#23. Mune Mud Sleep State F
#24. Mune Mud The Search for Metropolis
#25. Mune Mud Hobson's Choice
#26. Mune Mud Hobson's Second Choice
#27. Mune Mud Singles Collection
#28. The Two-Tones Heimlich Maneuver
#29. Paige Watson My First Album
#30. Mune Mud Mune Mud (re-release)
#31. --- Merry Christmas to Me
#32. --- The Deuce
#33. --- Diversity au Troi
#34. --- Quardaphonic
#35. --- Songs to Enjoy
#36. --- Best of Harry and Jason
#37. --- Best of Harry and Jason II
#38. --- Best of Darrin and Jason
#39. Mune Mud Olympus 10th Anniversary
#40. Mune Mud Underwater Problem Factory 10th Anniversary
#41. Mune Mud Pryme Material 10th Anniversary
#42. Mune Mud Equation of Time 10th Anniversary
#43. Mune Mud Sleep State F 10th Anniversary
#44. Isthmus Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary
#45. Mune Mud Precursory 33
Update
#46. ORC Thru the Vent
#47. Equinox Dulcet Ethical Travels on a Green Planet

Equipment File #19: Josef Bremen violin

2008-07-09T13:00:00.005-05:00

Josef Bremen violin

This violin was purchased for $50 in the mid 1990's by the Studio. It was to eventually replace the string sounds used from the keyboards but never quite achieved that much use. In fact, it was only used in one recording, "Intercostal Communication", from the 1999 ORC album Purging the Great Abyss.

It still rests in Metal XOR Storage in case the Studio needs a real violin sound again.

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-09T05:30:00.001-05:00

It was on this day in 1996 that the first Isthmus album, Electric Field Donut, was release.

Happy 12th Anniversary

Studio News: New Host Found

2008-07-08T05:30:00.003-05:00

I reported last month that I was having problems with the site that hosted all my audio and document files. I'm glad to announce that the problem has been solved. I have found a new site to host my files. I had to try a few different sites to find one that met my requirements, but it has been found.

Over the last week I uploaded all the files to the new site and fixed all the links that had become broken when the last host closed. So all links are back and working properly.

And in all the new linking I found a new MP3 "jukebox" for this site. It can be found in the sidebar on the right side of the page. You can play every song that has been featured on this site in the Listen Online feature. The player is too wide for the bar so it cuts some of the song titles off, but I will address that some time in the future.

Single #10: Reflection

2008-07-07T13:00:00.002-05:00

Song name: "Reflection"
Album name: Sleep State F
Release date: November 18, 1997

Tracks
1. Reflection (album version)
2. One Second
3. Reflection (instrumental)

Song History
This was the second single from the 1997 Mune Mud album Sleep State F.

Jason had just watched a documentary on TV about prophecies and predictions about the end of the world. After the show finished he got up, turned the TV off, and recorded this song. The bridge in the middle of the song was taken from an unused NueroMud song from 1995 called "Midnight at ____ Bridge".

Track Breakdown
The first track is the version that appeared on the album.

Jason stayed at some relatives' house for a week while they were on vacation. He took his 4-track recorder, his guitar, his delay pedal, and a microphone and recorded four songs that week. They were basic and recorded quickly. Two of them, "Contact" and "Overfed", appeared on Sleep State F. "One Second" was one of the two unused tracks, the other being "Sepia". This was the first place this song was made available.

The third track is the instrumental version of the album track.

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-07T05:30:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, July 6, 1994, I found out we had a wireless microphone beltpack at work that was ordered by mistake and could not be used. I asked about it and was told I could buy it.

The next day, which was fourteen years ago today, I bought the unit for $25. I brought it home and attached it to the back of my electric guitar and used it as a wireless unit for my guitar. In theory it worked great, but since I was doing most of my guitar playing sitting down in the Studio, I took the unit off and put it in storage for future use.

Ethical Travels #0: Introduction

2008-07-06T09:00:00.004-05:00

When I took two weeks off from work in September of 2006 for the birth of our son, I used my spare time (when he was sleeping) to record some new music. It was different than anything I had recorded before. But once the two weeks were over and I got back to real life, I lost the free time I needed to complete a new album.

The songs have been in the computer for almost two years. I don't want to wait until I eventually have time to finish the album, so I have decided to release one of the seven completed songs each Sunday for the next seven weeks in the form of a Sunday blog feature called Ethical Travels. The new music project is called Equinox Dulcet. After all seven songs have been released they will be compiled on a CD and it will be the first Equinox Dulcet EP, titled Ethical Travels. Hopefully in the future I can complete the project and release the full-length album in its entirety, titled Ethical Travels on a Green Planet.

I have set up a new site to document Ethical Travels and Equinox Dulcet. Click here to visit the site. Each Sunday this blog will have a link to a new song and story at the other site.

This Day in Studio History

2008-07-06T05:30:00.001-05:00

It was on this day in 1998 that the Studio first used the audio editing software Cool Edit. With this program the songs could now be mixed down from the 4-track master into the computer and be edited with effects, cleaned up, or re-arranged. Once the songs were finished in Cool Edit they were put in a play list and the cassette copies of an album were made from that list.

Prior to this software, once a song was recorded on the 4-track master it was finished, it just needed mixed down. But now songs, or parts of the songs, could be changed after they were recorded. This new process was first used for the Isthmus album Parabolic Dish Festival Volume 1 which was released in July of 1998.

Studio News: Equinox Dulcet

2008-07-05T05:30:00.007-05:00

Metal XOR Studio is proud to introduce

This is the newest music project at the Studio. It is a solo project from Jason that uses nothing but instruments and sounds from within the computer. The songs are new age flavored and each one sounds like it has its origin in a different culture. This project is the basis of the new weekly Sunday feature called Ethical Travels. This Sunday will be an introduction to the new feature and details how Equinox Dulcet music will be presented.

This is an exciting new project that has been in the works for nearly two years. Now is the time to share it with the world. Come back Sunday for the unveiling of this new endeavor.

Just For Fun #12

2008-07-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy July 4th

From all of us at Metal XOR Studio

Web Log #6: Posts 126-150

2008-07-04T05:30:00.001-05:00

This sixth entry contains posts #126-150.

Web Log 06 (126-150) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Metal XOR Studio

State of the Studio #35: January '12

State of the Studio #34: November '11

Video File #15: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Tormented"

State of the Studio #33: September '11

State of the Studio #32: July '11

State of the Studio #31: May '11

Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE ***

Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE***

State of the Studio #30: March '11

State of the Studio #29: January '11

Listen Online!

Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE***

Studio News: Listening Party

Studio News: New Mune Mud album coming...

State of the Studio #28: November '10

Listen Online!

Interview

State of the Studio #27: September '10

Video File #14: Mune Mud "A Moment Forgotten"

State of the Studio #26: July '10

Video File #13: Mune Mud "Envelope"

State of the Studio #25: May '10

Studio News: A New Book

State of the Studio #24: March '10

Studio News: Metal XOR-E Closes

State of the Studio #23: January '10

Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE***

Project Spotlight #21: What is Equinox Dulcet?

Collectible Cards: Album set 3

Collectible Cards: Album set 2

Video File #12: ORC "Placid"

State of the Studio #22: November '09

Video File #11: Muffin Loaf "Rock and Roll"

Collectible Cards: Album set 1

Video File #10: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Modern Prometheus"

State of the Studio #21: September '09

State of the Studio #20: July '09

Video File #9: NueroMud "Song of Songs"

State of the Studio #19: May '09

Studio News: ORC Recording Session

Studio News: New Website

State of the Studio #18: March '09

State of the Studio #17: January '09

State of the Studio #16: December '08

Video File #8: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Please, Just Leave Me"

Video File #7: Trashman and the Blood Baker "The Other (Live)"

Studio News: Recording Session #3

State of the Studio #15: November '08

Video File #6: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Shadow People"

Video File #5: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Carnaval des Morts"

Studio News: Recording Session #2

Studio News: Recording Session #1

Video File #4: Paige "Jesus Is"

State of the Studio #14: October '08

Album of the Week #46: Thru the Vent

Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE ***

State of the Studio #13: September '08

Equipment File #26: Peavey amp

Ethical Travels #7: Arun Molivar Man

Blog News: 1 Year Anniversary

Equipment File #25: Sony receiver

Collector's Corner #28

Ethical Travels #6: Temple of Ustonu

Article: Web Log Omnibus

Web Log #12: Posts 276-300

Equipment File #24: Yamaha mixer

Ethical Travels #5: The Manor Court

Web Log #11: Posts 251-275

Equipment File #23: EV mixer

Collector's Corner #27

Ethical Travels #4: Club Jungle

Web Log #10: Posts 226-250

State of the Studio #12: August '08

Equipment File #22: Shure SM-58 mic

Blog News: 300th Post

Ethical Travels #3: Antikythera Mechanism

This Day in Studio History

Web Log #9: Posts 201-225

Equipment File #21: Shure SM-57 mic

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE

Studio News: NEW ALBUM RELEASE