I am writing and recording a new Soliloquium album. Figured it would be fun to share the progress, kind of like a recording diary. It’s been quite a long and slow one this time, but at least you guys can learn more about what’s going on and get some fun inside content. If you want to keep up more, don’t miss my Instagram page.
Soliloquium new album overview
- Songwriting – 100% done
- Drums – 100% done
- Electric guitar recording – 100% done
- Acoustic guitar recording – 100% done
- Guitar amping & editing – in progress
- Extreme vocals (growls/screams) – in progress
- Bass – upcoming
- Clean vocals – upcoming
- Guest performances – upcoming
- Mixing/mastering – upcoming
Drums – Spring 2023
In early 2023, I realized I had the material for a new album. There were still many blanks to fill in, but I trusted the songs enough to send the demos and structures to my session drummer. Under the final weeks of the spring of 2023, he layed down the tracks efficiently, and I’m extremely happy with the performance.
I think there’s definitely more to the drums than usual, in terms of details, quirks and overall dynamics. One reason is that I put more time on matching them with the character of the songs and vocals, another is that Xines is such a monster drummer.
Electric guitar recording – July 2023
Having the drums in the bag, I started recording the electric guitars in July 2023. There was a serious time pressure constraint, given that I was soon leaving on a long trip. Luckily, I managed to play well enough, and not screw up anything technical connected to the recording. There were some small details left to fix when I returned in October, but overall it was a full win. I was quite surprised to see that I didn’t need to correct more parts. It probably means I performed better on guitar than on “Soulsearching”.
Acoustic guitar recording – November 2023
Acoustic guitars haven’t been present on a Soliloquium album since 2018’s “Contemplations”. Partly because they are a bitch to record, but mostly because I simply haven’t written any interesting parts. This album will, however, have an acoustic-driven song. Thanks to one of many talented and patient friends, caffeine, and some decent playing on my part, we nailed all the parts in one November evening. I’m very excited to hear what you guys will think of this particular song!
Guitar amping & editing – November/December 2023
It was suggested that I would get more involved in the guitar sounds this time, as I’ve left two albums completely up to other people to sound design. And it’s probably a good idea. This time, the rhythm guitar sound and other sounds are a product of teamwork, rather than me giving up control over them. Hopefully, this is a good thing for the end product. At this stage, it really does feel like we have a better-sounding album on our hands.
Extreme vocals (growls and screams) – December 2023
After having all the guitars down, it finally became time for the extreme vocals. I wasn’t sure how this would go, as I went from having a strong voice in Portugal in October to hitting a combination of seasonal depressions and man colds.
My antidote to it was shutting up for around a week, which is not easy given my 24/7 singing habits. It paid off, because the songs came out even stronger than the demos. Generally, performing the growls and screams is always one of the most enjoyable parts of recording a new Soliloquium album. It doesn’t require much of me technically, but it’s highly therapeutic and intuitive.
Bass – January-March 2024
During early 2024, our bass player Jonas recorded the bass tracks for the album. As always, it sounds great, and we’re already treated to some acoustic bass. One step closer to getting the album finished!
Keyboards/electronics – March-April 2024
A new Soliloquium album also needs a solid dose of keyboards, electronics and other add-ons. I got started on this in early March, together with producer/wizard Jari Lindholm, and we got some good foundations added on all the tracks. We probably need one more session later to spice the songs up further.
Clean vocals – March-April/May 2024
In early March, the first tracks of clean vocals were tracked in Ingarö, Stockholm. There’s always huge pressure on my part in connection with the cleans, but so far, it’s gone reasonably smooth. The eternal question “will my voice and my melodies really carry this song?” rings, no matter if it’s going great or not.
Guest vocals – Winter-Spring 2024
One out of three guest vocalists have recorded their tracks, and there’s also a guest guitar solo and a guest keyboardist on the album. You will know more about this closer to the album’s release date!
What’s next with the new Soliloquium album?
I’ll keep updating this as the album recording/release process moves forward. Hopefully you’re as stoked to hear the end product as I am.
Check out the previous Soliloquium music
This coming album will be the fifth full-length album, so if you haven’t heard Soliloquium yet, you have some homework to do. Hit up the old albums on: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
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