“Tides was written and recorded during an extremely intense winter here in Ireland. It is the first time we have ever worked on material in the winter and I think that had an influence, even if I did not realize it at the time. During the writing I was also spending a great deal of time at a house on the coast, with the Atlantic Ocean just a stone’s throw away. I could not help but become captivated by its energy. While at this place, I learned stories of the hardships endured by people living on small Islands off this coast before the modern world existed. These people were entirely at the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean and as such were very much in tune with its movements and rhythm.

With Tides we also chose to go for a less studio-esq experience and record in a more raw way. The recording of White Tomb was very much a studio experience whereas Tides was more impulsive, we did not spend any time fretting over perfect takes or sounds. I think that is why the end product is less polished and more emotionally driven. That is an approach I would like to take in the future, especially with vocals. A metal ‘shriek’ is a painful, honest expression – but how can it be honest if it is recorded over and over until it sounds correct? (Of course the same approach might not apply to melodic singing, which has a ‘right’ sound.). With the second album I would like to find a balance between having an honest and real (not hundreds of takes) recording that adheres to what we would consider to be album standards. ”

Read the whole interview at Brooklin Vegan: an interview w/ Altar of Plagues ++ the lyrics to Tides!.
Get the mp3 Atlantic Lights from the Tides EP here directly.
Buy the Tides EP here (cd) or here (LP+book),or here (LP).

Though it only lasts two tracks but conversely- 35 minutes, the new EP from Altar of Plagues, Tides, is every bit as powerful as White Tomb, one of my favorite LPs of last year. AoP’s new Tides EP is currently up for pre-order via Burning World Records cop it, but until that package arrives, make sure and dig on “Atlantic Lights” from the EP 50% of the record! , which makes it’s world premiere here!

via Short Wave Warfare 04/20/10.

Get the mp3 of Atlantic Lights here. And while you are at it get some material from Nachtmystium, Culted, Year of no Light and Black Breath while you are at it.

Brooklyn Vegan logo

Brooklyn Vegan did a nice plug for Roadburn Records in his round up of all things metal where he regularly focuses on all things Roadburn (Saint Vitus, Stinking Lizaveta, Orange Goblin among others.) Check it out each week.

‘With Roadburn happening this weekend, if you won’t be there then at least you can take comfort in the fact there are a few bands that will record their set for later release. Two more bands to add to that list (we announced Orange Goblin previously) are Year Of No Light and Fear Falls Burning. Look for their LPs to surace on (surprise!) Roadburn Records, along with Orange Goblin’s Live LP.‘

Actually he did not get it quite right: the live album by Year of no Light/Fear Falls Burning will be one album and this will be their set of Roadburn 2008. But appriciated nonetheless!

Read more at This Week In METAL (04/16/09) – BrooklynVegan.