Once upon a time, it was cool to be yourself. In this day and age, that is long gone with the cultural influence of the City Girls. If you don’t already know, the City Girls is a girl rap group from Miami Florida who is notorious for their raw lyrics and real attitude. There lyrics are humorous and catchy and in all, their songs definitely leave a lasting impact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrfIZgAfhAM
But, they have almost left too much of an impact on urban culture as nowadays, everybody wants to be a City Girl. City Girls stand for using men for their money, scamming, and wearing long lace fronts. There is nothing wrong with these things (except for maybe scamming) in any other context, but girls nowadays are doing the things solely because they think they are a City Girl. The funny thing is, the City Girls don’t even write their own lyrics, it is actually lyricsts like Lil Yachty who are credited with providing the group with most of their verses and hooks. Though these girls are really about it, the girls singing along with stronger conviction than the artists themselves have, are not. I think that many of the fans have adopted the City Girl persona because of the power it gives them. Women nowadays are tired of taking crap from men and what it means to be a City Girl is to take power over men, have your own money, and just be a boss. I am all for boss women believe me, but you don’t have to be a “Big Birkin Bag hoe, 5-6 figures”, in order to be one and have power. So, let’s listen to the City Girls, without actually trying to be a City Girl, please.
Do you consider yourself a big fan of old school hip hop? Do you know every song by Bone Thugs, Biggie, and Mobb deep already? Well if so, I’m here to show you some artists and songs you may not know! These are some of my favorite 90’s rap songs that never got as famous as they should have. There is a link to the playlist below. Most songs are not available on Spotify or Apple Music, so for convenience they have all been put into a YouTube playlist. Most can be found on SoundCloud too if you wanna do that.
DJ Blazkowicz again, and its time once again for a look at the talent at work on the music of video gaming. Today’s entry is on Tetsuya Shibata, a Japanese composer often associated with the Publisher Capcom, and creator of over 20 musical scores. Tetsuya Shibata has worked on Resident Evil, Darkstalkers, and my personal favorite, (apply echo sound effect) Devil May Cry.
As is tradition here in this newly established bi-monthly series, let’s slow down for a second and take a look at our composer’s work before we go any further. Note that Shibata himself claims to concentrate on variety in his video game original soundtracks, so if one puts you off consider giving another a try!
Here we have examples of some fast paced yet also laid back grooves, some vaunting orchestral tracks, and of course, the glorious rock edge of Devils Never Cry. Shibata covers a wide variety of styles, but his musical interests generally trend towards Jazz, Rock, and Classical. Shibata has been vocal in the past about variety in soundtracks, expressing a desire for other composers to push themselves to produce a broader soundscape for the medium.
Born in Osaka, Japan, Shibata credits his mother, herself a singer and music teacher, for giving him his start in composition. In his youth, Shibata listened to wealth of classical music, transitioning into Brit Pop in middle school, hard rock in high school, and finally jazz in his college years. Shibata exited college with a desire to compose, and friends and family directed him towards the video game industry, specifically Capcom’s Sound Management Section in 1997. The new composer proceeded to work on the Monster Hunter series, before proceeding to the hardest project of his career, Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, in which he took over all sound production. Here Shibata chose to replace electronic tracks with vocal ones, in the belief that the extra time and texture would allow the songs to stand out among their contemporaries. During interviews towards the tail end of his career as a video game soundtrack composer, Shibata looked forward to a future where video game music would surpass that of film, becoming a work of greater skill and complexity.
Eventually, Shibata felt stifled by the video game industry, and expressed a desire to pursue music composition in a range of mediums beyond gaming, such as film and television. The composer created Unique Note, a music company that has since worked on musicals and television shows, but also did work for the genre bending role-playing game Half-Minute Hero, and soundtracks for the PSP game Fullmetal Alchemist: Senka wo Takuseshi Mono. He continues to work at Unique Note to this day. That’s it for Tetsuya Shibata and by extension, this entry of Quick Looks! Next up we’ll be studying up on the composer for Silent Hill, Akira Yamaoka. Until then, try not to get lost in the fog, and stay away from any abandoned cities, alright?
Hello again, folks! DJ Blazkowicz of Jackpot OST is back with another quick look at one of the talented composers working behind the scenes in the video game industry. For our entry today, we will look at Mick Gordon, the composer for Wolfenstien: The New Order, Seasons 1 and 2 of Killer Instinct (2013), Prey (2017), and of course, Doom (2016). If anyone is wondering why many of these titles are followed by their year of release, welcome to the Age of Reboots!
Though he currently works with high profile video game studios such as Arkane and id Software, Gordon got his start playing in metal bands and pubs at 13, in Brisbane, Australia. With no interest in other genres, such as rock music or pop, Gordon began composing small tracks and sending them to local video game companies. As many of the companies preferred to source their talent locally, Gordon was soon able to break into the video game industry at Pandemic Studios.
Mick Gordon’s musical style is known for some amount of screaming, thrashing guitars, but a close look at the tracks he’s worked on reveals a surprising depth of tone and instrumentation. Killer Instinct (2013)’s Warlord features a driving metal guitar, yes, but there are also percussion elements meant to mimic struck bones and a heckin authentic 13 man Swedish choir. Back to Rise, from the same game, is a techno-rap brag track featuring throwback beats, the rap talents of Omega Sparx, and direct references to the Killer Instinct series’ 1994 and 1996 incarnations. Arguably his most famous entry, Doom(2016) features much more recognizable metal influences, with the added twist of old equipment scrounged from specialty stores around the world. To create just the right sort of unsettling distortion to give a sense of adrenaline soaked madness to the game’s track, Gordon included a Soviet era synthesizer, among other vintage units, to deliberately distort computer generated synth tracks. As a result, clean, computerized beats become the jagged, violent pulses that can be heard in the Doom track above.
Like many modern video game composers, Mick Gordon enjoys working with Responsive Video Game Music, a system in which verses, chords, and bridges are swapped in and out of a moment based on the actions of a character. Though not a Mick Gordon title, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a solid example of this sort of user directed sound experience; as players battle bosses, the background song eventually switches from an instrumental to a vocal track to heighten tension and excitement. Gordon takes this technique one step further by connecting everything from reloads, to breaks in firing, to the appearance to stronger enemies, to pause screens into the timing of his tracks. Though not visible on the released soundtracks available for purchase, many of his “songs” are actually 40 minute long monster tracks that are carefully assigned to different in game events. As a result, though players will not always notice during gameplay, it is their actions that are controlling how the music is being presented.
In the studio, Gordon collaborates alongside developers in ways that can be expected of modern composers. As always, striking the right tone and effect for a given scene requires an enormous amount of cooperation between all branches of the development team, and that includes sound designers. However, Gordon has mentioned that the process can be very different from one company to another. At id Software, developers of Doom(2016) (as well as the original 1993 version for MS-DOS), Gordon was directed to devote almost all his efforts to the dynamic music present during combat. However, at Arkane Studios (developers of Prey 2017), Gordon was given broader instructions that focused more on the emotional tone of a scene. For example: “You are floating in space” or “You miss home.”
That’s it for this session of Quick Looks! Plenty of composers out there these days, and we’ll keep doing our level best to bring their stories and songs your way.
Hey folks, DJ Blazkowicz from Jackpot OST here. Every year, wonderful albums and tracks release from the music industry, but have you ever considered taking a look at video game soundtracks?
Okay, hear me out for a second; it’s not just bleeps and bloops anymore I swear. Often, video game soundtracks can have an incredible amount of texture and quality to them, as they are required to provide an audio foundation for an entire interactive experience without distracting from gameplay. In this series of posts, I intend to focus in on individual composers by discussing a small part of their discography, their work, and share some notes from interviews.
Today, let’s get a few examples from composer Keiichi Okabe, known most recently for the soundtrack of the surprise hit of 2018, Nier: Automata.
Keiichi Okabe began his career as a sound designer in the gaming industry in 1995 as an arranger, a specialist who works early in the development process of a song to ensure its elements mesh well. As an arranger, he worked for Namco on the Tekken series before forming his own company, MONACA. Through collaboration with Square Enix, he has worked on all games of the Nier series, Drakengard 3, and the downloadable content of Final Fantasy XV.
Since Nier Gestalt/Replicant, Keiichi’s pieces often share a dreamlike melancholy, with fantastical melodies that incorporate unobtrusive vocals. However, in times of drama or action, Okabe isn’t afraid to deliver driving percussive beats backed with rhythmic chanting and frantic strings. If you are struggling to understand said chanting, don’t worry! Okabe often utilizes fantasy languages in his works, such as the Nier series’ “Celestial,” a combination of Gaelic and Japanese tweaked to sound like a realistic evolution of current languages. This lends many soundtracks a quality of emotion and depth, but without the risk of audible lyrics distracting from gameplay. The fictional Celestial language was the product of continuous collaboration with Nier Automata’s lead vocalist, Emi Evans, who also collaborated on Automata’s previous work, Nier Gestalt/Replicant.
Though Okabe is the founder of MONACA, he does not consider himself as an “artist.” Okabe continuously claims that he provides a supplemental role to the game designers he works in conjunction with to create his tracks. Each song the composer creates is solely for the purpose of furthering the narrative and setting, enabling on screen events and writing to have a greater emotional impact on a player. To accomplish this, Okabe works closely with the producers and directors of the project he is attached to. This collaboration entails a lengthy process of writing, composing, iteration, and endless revision until the music is deemed fit for installation into a scene or area.
With the success of Nier: Automata, Keiichi Okabe has found himself suddenly thrust into the spotlight in a way he is rather unused to. In game design, sound production generally concludes three months prior to a game being shipped, and sound designers can expect a few interviews during this period to boost sales. However, in the case of Nier: Automata, Okabe immediately began work on mastering the game’s separately released soundtrack, an additional unreleased soundtrack where he collaborated with other artists, the live event “Memories of Puppets,” and finally the sound work for a live stage play.
Hope everyone enjoyed this little peek behind the curtain! DJ Blazkowicz will be bringing you fine people more tracks and trivia from the aural hinterlands of video gaming’s original soundtracks. Until then, enjoy the tunes!
What’s up Butcher Crew!? Since more and more tours are being announced and I will be going to a lot of shows, here, soon, let’s go through the thoughts, feelings, and phases that one will go through when finding out, attending, and leaving a show. I go through these moods for EVERY SINGLE SHOW and I’m sure that you have gone through these phases, too. What shows are you looking forward to this year? What feelings do you get when attending a show?
*Sees that a tour has been released, instantly freaks out when you see the tour is coming close to you, and you automatically post it on social media*
I have done this wayyyy too many times with the caption of the show being “YOOOOOO”
*you go to Facebook, find the event page and click “going.” Then you see who else is going, and try to make a plan to ride with your friends*
We are in one too many group chats trying to figure out where we are all going to meet and who is driving. It’s very stressful because no one responds in a timely manner, and then all they respond is, “Wait, what are we doing?”
It’s a day or two before the show, and you post the show on social media again and tell people to “show up or they’re whack”
“if you don’t go, you’re whack.”
It’s the day of the show and you and your buddies are driving to the show jamming out to a playlist that you made of the bands setlist that you found online at setlist.fm
Have you ever been in a car where everyone is jamming out? No? Me either. Some people are “too cool” to violently dance and punch the ceiling while driving.
You get to the venue and you’re outside j-chilling with your friends when more of your friends pull up and you are all juulin’ and boolin’
Even though you saw them at the show that you went to a few days ago, you still greet each other like you haven’t seen them in years. It’s a rule.
You get inside the venue (after getting X’s on your hands because #underage) and now you’re ready to RAWK!!!
*Violently walks around the pit hyping everyone up*
The band that you have been waiting to see comes on and they play one of your favorite songs, and you forget how to act.
You lose all control of yourself and you just go wild because, why not?
The show is over, and you and your friends are bruised up, tired, and sad that you have to go back home.
This is the saddest part of every show because we all have to go back to our normal lives.
A few days after the show, you post on social media how much fun you had and remind everyone that they were whack if they didn’t show up.
This is when you start seeing people post pictures of them and their friends on social media even though you took a picture like this with the same people last week at a different show.
You see another show is coming through your city and you freak out and repeat this process all over again, even though it’s only been a few days since the last show.
It really do be like that sometimes.
I go through this process literally every time I go to a show. I have no shame and no self-control. Who’s with me?
What’s good Butcher Crew?! I hope you all are well. Since I am your Master Butcher, and butchers wear butchers aprons, your Master Butcher has different types of aprons for different occasions. These aprons vary depending on what type of show I am going to. If I am going to a hardcore show, I have a certain attire that I wear. If I am going to a rap show, I wear something different. This is what I mean by aprons, because your Master Butcher can adapt to any situation. So, when I am in my Butcher Shop, depending on what I am listening to when I am chopping, stretching, or hanging bodies, I use a different apron.
Hardcore Apron
My hardcore apron is flannel, over a hockey jersey. I will usually wear Vans, here, because they’re easier to two step in. This apron is very loose fitting because of all the arm and leg movements I do when I mosh.
Metalcore Apron
This apron is very form fitting because I wear it with very skinny jeans. It is denim and faux leather. I will also wear my Vans with this apron because push pits consist of a lot of running so, we have to be prepared for some exercise.
Death Metal Apron
Now, this one is the real deal. This is one of my favorite aprons because it is primarily leather, with a hint of denim. But this is my most brutal apron because it also has fish net! I wear it with my combat boots. When you see me with this apron on and my combat boots, you are subject to a beating (if you didn’t get my Dying Fetus reference, well, you’re going down the Slot Drain).
Deathcore Apron
My deathcore apron is very similar to my hardcore apron because it is mostly flannel, but it also has denim on it as well. It is basically a combination of both my hardcore and death metal apron. I will wear my Vans with this as well because sometimes there is hardcore moshing, and other times a wall of death. Either way, ya girl is going to be prepared.
Classic Rock Apron
Let’s be real, this apron is covered with patches – AC/DC, Metallica, Tool, Pink Floyd and many others. But also, it has LOTS OF DENIM, DENIM, DENIM!!! And, best of all, it looks like a vest!
Rap Apron
Now, I do not wear this apron a whole lot because I like staying in the metal scene. But I have gone to some rap shows and although I do keep my metal attire a theme in all my aprons, this one mainly consists of rolling papers. Do I really need to explain why that is? …Didn’t think so.
EDM Apron
This apron has never been worn you guys. That needs to change. BUT if I were to go to a rave, this apron would be perfect! It’s very bright neon colors with a lot of beads so I can trade beads with other ravers at the show (idk if they really do this but I saw people exchanging bracelets at a rave I watched on Youtube, so…). It has electrical wires – it’s an electric chair, duh!!!
Country Apron
This apron will probably never be worn, but if it ever is, it is made of hay. But this apron would go great with my camo crocs. Yeehaw!!
So, there you have it! Your Master Butcher, The Saw’s many butchers aprons! Am I missing any? Is there more I need to add to my collection? Let me know!
What’s up Butcher Crew?! Happy New Year!!! I hope 2019 treats you right! I have a feeling that 2019 is going to be a great year. I learned a lot this past year about myself, the metal community as a whole, and what I want to accomplish in the future. Some of my new year resolutions are putting up more content on The Saw’s Butcher Shop website, better balance academics and my social life, and just have fun and roll with whatever comes my way. What are your new year resolutions?
Speaking of the new year, there are some albums that are dropping this year that I want to hear, and shows coming through that I want to see! Here are some of the shows and albums to which I am looking forward.
Albums:
*In no order regarding favorites
Whitechapel–The Valley – to be released on March 29
Korn – asdfghjkl ~twist~ * in my best Jonathan Davis’ impression*
Amon Amarth – Early stages of recording
Slipknot – Just about ready to go!
Megadeth – Dave has signed-off social media to finish the new record
Tool – As of this writing, have finished the lyrics and most of the instruments
Avatar – They are “clowning” around, but it should be finished this year
Chevelle – Heavier; old school Chevelle, think early Chevelle
Fleshgod Apocalypse – No news; but I know it will be magnificent!!!!!!
King Diamond – New live album this month with new material by the end of the year
Lamb of God – They have been writing while on tour
Rob Zombie – Hey Rob, can this album sound like Hellbilly Deluxe?
Shows:
*In chronological order
Never I & Reflect//Refine w/ Brigades, East Viridian and Arborlea – Milestone Club in Charlotte at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 26
Metallica – PNC Arena in Raleigh at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 28
Born Hollow, Harm, Trudge, Empty, Gaffer Project, and Glow at New York Pizza in Greensboro at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 1
Born of Osiris: The Simulation Tour at Blind Tiger in Greensboro at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 2
Hypocrisy, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Aenimus, Bloodsoaked, and Noctomb at The Maywood in Raleigh at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28
KISS: End of the Road Tour at PNC Arena in Raleigh at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6
Hatebreed w/Obituary, Fit For An Autopsy, Cro-Mags, and Terror at The Fillmore in Charlotte at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17
Epicenter at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham on Friday, May 10- Sunday, May 12
Ozzy Osbourne: No More Tours 2 at PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4.
Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast Tour at PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 22.
What are some shows that you are excited to see in 2019? And what albums are you excited to hear in 2019?
Out of all the albums that I have reviewed, I have never rated an album a 10/10. It takes a special kind of album to get a perfect rating. What gets an album a perfect rating? First and foremost, on the album there are no “filler” songs. All of the songs are bangers and were not put in the album to fill up space. That is the main thing with 10/10 records. Every song on the record are good and are never skipped when they come on.
Now, I have a lot of 10/10 albums from across different genres and generations. These are based on my personal preference, so some of my 10/10 albums may not be the same as your 10/10 albums. This is to give you an insight about what records I think are perfect. Did any of your favorites make my list?
On WKNC, I started doing a local metal lunch segment on Mondays from noon-1pm. I call this segment, The Bone Cruncher, and I have been getting a lot of positive feedback on it!
I have been around local bands my entire life. I grew up with my two older brothers in bands and they would play at our house. When I was 8 years old, I was singing for them (but I was too young to be in the band, RIP me, lol). My cousin, Derrick, was in a metal band, Seventh Denial, for the longest time. My mom was the “band aunt” and we would set up their merch at shows for them. I remember them playing at Jester’s Pub and The Rock Shop. Then, Joey and Wes from Seventh Denial were in the metal band As Oceans. As I’ve said before, the first band I ever saw live was Oxygen Thieves. My parents were friends with the guitarists (Shawn and Mike Stengele). I would, later, see them again, blowing it out… at a church (that’s a great story, too!)!
As I got older, and started going to shows, I would see local NC metal bands opening up for big name bands such as Miss May I, Volumes, Obituary, We Came As Romans, and Traitors, etc. Some people wouldn’t show up to the shows early because they didn’t want to see the local acts. If people did show up early, they wouldn’t jam to these bands. These local bands bust their asses and it seems like their hard work goes unnoticed. But, I want to tell all my boys in local bands something: Your hard work is not going unnoticed. I see you, I hear you, and most of all… I believe in you.
I have been going to a handful of local shows, here, recently, and man let me tell you, these shows are not dead. Seeing all the fans singing, jamming, moshing, and dancing to local bands is something that always puts a smile on my face. The dedication and brotherhood (regardless of gender) that is within the local scene is insane! How all the bands are so close to each other and want to see one another succeed is amazing. It’s like they are one big happy family. I have always wondered what it would be like to be a part of this brotherhood. And now I have a view to a kill!
Becoming The Saw and hosting The Saw’s Butcher Shop has really helped me get involved and close with a handful of local bands. But it wasn’t until I started doing the local lunch on Mondays from noon-1pm (The Bone Cruncher) that I got closer to my local scene of metal bands.
Once doing The Bone Cruncher, I have been getting tagged in posts, direct messages, and snapchats from guys in bands thanking me for playing their tracks, and supporting local metal, overall. I want to take this time to thank the bands. I am so happy that I have this platform to play local bands and give them more exposure to more listeners and potential fans. But, I should be thanking you guys. All I do is edit the songs, talk about the bands and the songs I will be playing, and simply press “play.” You guys, on the other hand, are busting your asses to make AMAZING music. All of the song writing, band practices, paying for equipment, studio time, and opening shows are a lot more difficult and complex than my job. You guys have no idea how thankful I am to have a small role in helping you all follow your dreams.
If it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be here. You guys are the reason that I do what I do. If it wasn’t for your hard work and dedication, I wouldn’t be on the radio. I would just be a typical college student. But you, you give me purpose and motivation. I should be thanking you guys for making great songs and I am honored to play them for the world to hear. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share your talent. To my NC local metal bands, y’all are my base, my support system, my cover. Thank you for supporting me on this journey and helping out in any way that you all can. Thank you for supporting my vision. Thank you for letting me support your vision. I do this for you, all of you.
I now want to personally thank some individuals that have been with me through it all:
East Viridian: Y’all were the first local band that I ever interviewed. Thank you for being just as excited as I was to interview you guys. Y’all were so much fun to hang out with and I hope that I can see and hang out with you all soon. A big shout out to Zac Byrd. Talking to you while tattooing a saw blade on me was something I will never forget.
R.j. Riggle & Jayson Mitchell from VALLEYS: You guys have literally been with me from the start. Thank you for supporting my vision and always being there when I need you. You two have made me very excited to be working with local bands. Thank you for being excited to work with me and giving me ideas to use as I go onward. You guys don’t know how thankful and happy it makes me that y’all have my back.
R.J. RIGGLE
JAYSON MITCHELL
Kevin La Chiana from Constellation Atlas: Bro, you are like one of my best friends. Thank you for supporting me through it all as well. Thank you for getting me in contact with all these local bands and helping me create new ideas to advertise both of my shows in The Saw’s Butcher Shop: The House of Horrors & The Bone Cruncher. Knowing that you see something huge within what I’m doing and helping me in any way through this journey has really meant a lot to me.
KEVIN LA CHIANA
Jarod Sowards from MESS: Jarod!!!!!! Thank you for being so humble and down to earth literally every time I see you. Your band kicks ass and I can’t wait to see y’all making it big. You have done so much for the local scene and your hard work is paying off. Thank you for taking me along for the ride. Anything you need, let me know. I got you 100%.
JAROD SOWARDS
Because of these guys, and all the other bands that have contacted me. You guys are the reason I do what I do. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. So, thank you for allowing me to help you guys in any way that I can. And always remember, The Saw has your back. You guys are my boys.
Your dedication and determination is not going unnoticed, I promise.
Remember that all bands (Metallica, Wage War, Whitechapel, Pantera, and Korn, etc.) all started as local bands. I am excited to see how far each and every one of you will go.
