INTO SHADOWS: New Project Collaboration by Aaron Cloutier of DAVOLA

Hey all

So last month was an insanely busy one and I just finished up a couple projects. One of them being my collaboration with an artist who goes by the name of Jimmy Papafagos because that was what they were handing out after he been born and such. You know how it goes……..Names and shit………………….. Anyway, All of the music was written by Jimmy but he needed a singer. Long story short, I jumped on it and had my way with his smoldering 2 mix and here’s what we churned out. Had a lot of fun doing this and actually took this as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and write from a much more honest and direct place lyrically. This isn’t Davola but we could tour together if we were real bands ha ha. Working on that. The name of his project is called “Into Shadows”. To my ear, the music sounded reminiscent of Soilwork and Mnemic. Modern vibe with some thrashy elements as well as a lot of atmospheric type melody. If you’re fans of those bands then I think you’ll enjoy.

Anyway for any of you interested in the nerdy audio deliciousness as far as what my process was and what sounds I used for the vocals, the list reads like this:

7 vocal tracks in total all recorded into a simple M-Audio Fast Track 2 channel recording interface using a shure sm57 dynamic microphone. My DAW of choice for this was pro tools M Powered 8.0.3 on my beloved macbook pro. I’m definitely not technical when it comes to gear or my recording set up. Simple works. Whatever allows you to create as fast as possible meng.

2 lead vocal tracks bused to 2 separate mono auxes. From there I inserted two separate plugins of Ezmix 2 by Toontrack using the stock presets “In Your Face Vox” and “Mighty Vocals” as well as the warm and tasty tones from the Analog Channel 2 compressor from McDSP.

As for the 5 background vocal tracks, all the aforementioned plugins were used save for the extra Ezmix plugin with the “In Your Face Vox” preset.

All drums were created by Jim using EzDrummer with the following expansion packs: Drum kit from hell, The Metal Machine and MetalHeads

So. There it is. A cool little experiment in vocal effects on my part. Something a little different. Anyway hope you like what you hear. You can find more of Jimmy’s music at

https://soundcloud.com/jimmy-p-5 and

http://www.reverbnation.com/jimboguitar

Good musician. Good dude. Show him some love.

Special thanks goes out to Fernando Turrillas at the Core Inside Productions for putting this video together for us!

You can contact Fernando at http://thecoreinside.jimdo.com/ to inquire about his services.

If you feel like reading the lyrics at your own pace, you can find them below as well. Would love seeing some vocal covers to those who are interested. Thanks all.

-Aaron-

Virago

Written by James Papafagos and Aaron Cloutier

All music written and performed by James Papafagos ©2015 James Papafagos

All lyrics, vocal patterns and vocal melodies written and performed by Aaron Cloutier ©2015 Aaron Cloutier.

Lyrics

Prying off these cold dead fingers
Loosening my grip of the past unto which I will visit

(ONE LAST TIME)

(NOW!)

I see the light of day
How could I be so blind?

Just a twisted knot
On the end of my submission

I’ve seen (the) illusion face to face
and then I watched it fade away

I stay alive!!!

(BURN A-WAY)

Eradicate the toxin that we’ve made.

(CLEANSE DE-CAY!)

Acrimony drawn from blackened veins.

I’ve seen! She’ll fuck you up!!!!!
Existing to covet

Was it based on love or based on lies?
Self deception reels you in

(PRETEND BEFORE IT DIES!)

Lost days are not forgotten.

The sting of her malice reaches in as it pulls you from the inside under.

Locked inside this world of attrition,

(GNAWS AWAY AT YOUR VOLITION.)

But innocence will (BREATHE AGAIN!)

I walked a path unknown, led by my ignorance

(MALEDICTION)

It’s all dead and gone. To the pain that I will leave forgotten

(UNFORSEEN)

My curiosity, a rope around my neck

(BURN AWAY!)

But I will never regret……..

I’ve seen your second face

(LIAR!)

Beaten down from your rhetoric.

(DECEIVER!)

Say anything to get everything you need

(VIRAGO!)

Evil taking shape of GOODNESS……..GODDESS……GODLESS…….

She will take your life!!!!

Take a breath

(BURN AWAY)

Eradicate the toxin that we’ve made.

(CLEANSE DECAY!)

Licentious wasted life un holy STAIN

VANITY WILL NEVER FILL YOUR SPACE

MY VIRAGO