Week 3 of the Process: Much ground has been covered in a short time and thus my earlier optimism remains founded. Sanguine and The Carcass have turned in proficient performances that will ensure triumph for the album. Many have asked, "What will it sound like?" and "What is the title?" All I can offer is that the release will speak for itself, while the title will be announced in about two more weeks. In the meantime, Ross Dolan of Immolation was present on Saturday to contribute vocals to one of the songs. It was both exciting and an honor to have him contribute, as Immolation is among our all-time favorite bands and they have influenced the work of AVRS since its inception. Sanguine and I were admittedly sheepish when it came to directing him on ways to approach the lyrics. Who are we to tell one of the most enduring voices in Death Metal how to perform? The gravity of this was mitigated by the fact that Ross is also a close friend and an affable person in any case. He did very well with the material and at the same time fulfilled my long standing aspiration to feature him on a recording.
As I write, Sanguine is diligently recording additional guitars. I am particularly impressed with his efforts on this record as he is performing with a degree of surety and ease that I have never seen before, though it is still coupled with his usual intense workmanship. While I hesitate to curse us with any grandiose statements, if this album failed to sell a single copy I would be completely satisfied in knowing we did something great. In the end this must be the reason to pursue the art. All other motivations are merely afterthoughts.
