Blood Death Ivory - Overview
ZooG's uncensored diary

Work on Blood Death Ivory started in October 2006. The ground work was done from April to November 2007, but the main focused work on the album happened from December 2007 to February 2008.
This diary contains ZooG's notes during the last 3 months...and they reflect the personal hardships involved with writing an album.

TERMINOLOGY EXPLAINED:

33% Sign Off - The song is complete and all parts are working - bass, melody, vocals and vocoders are finalised. Much more mixing and editing to be done.

66% Sign Off - Mixing and editing is done. The song is now ready to be approved by Destroyx and Zoog.

80% Sign Off - The song and mix are complete. This version will get mastered by David Walker.

A note from ZooG:
This diary is honest...brutally honest. I find writing an album a very difficult and draining experience. It is my hope that this will inspire artists and musicians to continue making their art - no matter how hard it gets and no matter how much you doubt yourself. Please always remember, someone somewhere needs to hear your music or see your art. Don't stop expressing yourself through your art. Be inspired, don't stop!

DECEMBER 2007

19/12/2007
* Worked on Jugular. the lead vocals ROCK...the vocoder is really random...IT ROCKS.
much simplifying still to do.

* Worked on the AU tour. went shopping ...bought STUFF and a huge plush hedgehog for the girl....and you thought we were hardcore...??!!


20/12/2007
* Worked on the vocals and mixes for: Devilicious, Girl Poison, Skinny Little Bitch, Jugular.

* Worked on AU tour and BAAL's drum kit issues....this is why we don't have a drummer!

* Put down vocals for GRIND. I made an interesting observation...this song is an utter pile of stinking shit. I fucking hate it. Much work to be done...

* Someone wrote to me and told me that they thought we were selling out. I told him that in order to sell out, you must re-sculpt yourself to appeal to DJs, record companies and the general CD purchasing community. I don't have a problem with selling out...it's just that music for the greater community bores the FUCK outta me...christ I hate EBM (Electronic Business Music). I used this anger to rework GRIND...it's now really hommie...and i hope this will piss this that person off. Sellout? bling bling!

* Guitar part for KILL KITTY fell out of the sky whilst i was making soup for the grrl...she has the flu

21/12/2007
* GRIND is a piece of shit. I am sooooo pissed off.

* The hag-bitch next door yelled at us this morning for leaving our doormat in the wrong place (??!!)...so I'm doubled pissed off. Christmas is coming up and we're spending it alone....

* I want GRIND to be a song that gives you paper cuts, then I want to rub salt on the wounds...gggrrr. I fought the song. The song fought back. I kept fighting until I won....and she's a brutal little puppy now...

22/12/2007
* In the pit of your soul there is a circular hole. It is a prison guarded by 12 demons. These demons hold a shining pearl coloured God in the pit. They keep the God prison with self doubt, insecurity and other negative thoughts. This pearl God is your purest creative genius. If it is freed there will be trouble. worked some more on GRIND.

* Didn't go out to see Cobra Killer because Destroyx is sick.

* After all these years I still have huge self-doubt issues. It is pathetic.

23/12/2007
* GRIND vocoder is now down. It's now coming together. Destroyx's vocals will top it off once she's feeling better.

24/12/2007
* It's never a good sign when you listen back to the works in progress and they make you want to vomit, and the song puts Destroyx to asleep. these "works in progress" suck shit. Even though I hate this stuff so very much.. I'm still going to release this. I'd rather publicly display SHIT than be like everyone else and do nothing. I acknowledge that I am a talentless coward...but I will stand on my little dung pile and scream out what I believe in...even if it is just a pile of shit.

27/12/2007
* Xmas rocked! I usually HATE it, but I spent Dec 25+26 with Destroyx. We ate, slept, watched DVDs. It was the best.

28/12/2007
* LUST WORTHY came together...the psycho harmonies were written tonight...Destroyx will sing them.

* Listened back to Girl Poison...I hate my voice. I utterly fucking hate it. So I deleted it and put in Destroyx's. I love her voice....but i don't hate my voice in Devilicious..

* Sent guitars to George for Lust Worthy. I also sent him a sneak preview of 4 new (almost) complete tracks.

* We're not going to get The Tenth Stage's remix done...I feel like a fucking rat about this...but either it gets done or we get our album done. Roby and John are treasured friends and I feel like an utter cunt for letting them down. I am as sick as a fucker....damn cold!

28/12/2007
* Put down another version of GRIND vocals... I think I finally got it.

29/12/2007
* Recorded Destroyx's GRIND vocals. She hit it in one go. Did a lot of work on the new track PAINT HELL RED- the drums are really sick, plus put down basses and lead line. Finally used the DSC-01 oscillator...also used the SH101...the SH101 is the MASTER of fat basses! The EMS and Doepfer diode filters work like evil bitch sisters together on PAINT HELL RED's drums.

31/12/2007
* KAOSed Destroyx's vocals in GRIND. Edited my and her voices together. It's sounding rather evil.

* PAINT HELL RED also made big progress...came up with a melody line and wrote sketch lyrics based on the original tale of Little Red Riding Hood...a very fucked up tale involving cannibalism and a little girl getting revenge on a wolf.

JANUARY 2008

01/01/2008
* PAINT HELL RED was completely re-arranged...it's now got a call/response vibe...it is going to ROCK.

* Spent several hours wrestling with JUGULAR ...deleted several percussive instruments plus thinned out a LOT of bleepy synths...there's 44 tracks of bleeps in this thing!

* GRIND: reviewed mix and vocals...tweeked and sounding thumpin'

* Happy new year!!!


02/01/2008
* Recorded vocals to THE MACHINE. We reviewed/discussed/rehearsed the vocal style and laid them down. My take took a while, Destroyx did her usual one take wonderment...we did a second take for safety. Also put down vocoders.

03/01/2008
* THE MACHINE....slotted vocals and vocals into place. Did some basic mixing and I decided I hated the drums. Got an annoying phone call from my parents, had a screaming match. I don't feel like working right now.

* They taught me how to worry and be anxious. I foolishly listened and learnt. I'm trying to shake their disease but it fills me with horrible anger.

* Implemented and mixed vocoders...plus normalised and compress them. Mixed THE MACHINE and prepped it for sign-off.

04/01/2008
* Semi completed lyrics for PAINT HELL RED. Signed off DEVILICOUS to 66%. Made a big start on KILL KITTY's lyrics

05/01/2008
* I'm tired of doubting myself. I'm tired of always being nervous. I'm tired of the constant feeling of guilt and pending doom. I'm tired of burning my life up over darkness.

* Recorded a demo vocal track for PAINT HELL RED to see how the lyrics sound...they completely suck. I listened back and nearly threw up...they are embarrassing. Much work still to do on that one.

* SKINNY LITTLE BITCH was signed off to 66%. We are very proud of that track. I made a call to cut out most of my vocals from this track...my vocal take ROCKED, but it clashed with Destroyx's. I spent 10 hours editing it and putting it in place...but ultimately it did not work as a duel vocal track...so someone had to go. We made the right call - the track rocks.

* GIRL POISON was also signed off to 66%. this song is very complex...I'm still a little reserved about some finer points.

06/01/2008
* Made the realisation that, after almost 4 years of exhaustingly hard work, we have made almost no money from Angelspit. We gave ourselves a gift of €200 each for spending money. But besides that we have just broke even.

* Put down the vocals for KILL KITTY. Good news is that they ROCK. Bad news is that we recorded them with the HI SHELF knob on the mixing desk all the way down. TRANSLATION: the vocals were recorded with no tops....so we're going to use this as an exercise with playing with SFX...! we can use exciters and choruses to add top end...plus we have never done this before... "forced learning" is heaps good fun.

07/01/2008
* We took about 4gig worth of MP3s off my computer about 1 month ago. We did this to make way for the album.
I've had a month without 80s...enough is enough... Ijust need my fix of Duran Duran!!

* Went out for lunch.

* Edited vocals for KILL KITTY. Worked on lyrics for RED and PAINT HELL RED. Listened back to THE MACHINE...the vocal takes are robotic and lifeless. They suck. The demo was more funky and bounced...so we're re-doing them...this will take a few days to catch up.

* I am tired, drained, extremely depressed and full of self loathing right now. I have no confidence, can not handle being in public, have had several panic attacks on the train, my nervous stutter is coming back. I am anxious and I deeply despise myself...for no reason. exhaustion is setting in...and there's a month to go to the deadline. I am tired of appologising...and I don't remember why i'm appologising. But I am a master of pardoning myself...I've spent my life doing it.
PS: I am a sheep with the heart of a lion. I don't care, i don't care, I DON'T FUCKING CARE.

08/01/2008
* I went to bed early (around midnight). got up 8am...I have a much better outlook today. put down the guide vocals to PAINT HELL RED. That song will really ROCK.

* I worked on vocoders and vocals in KILL KITTY...it's rather complex. I'm trying to simplify it while keeping the textural complexity. Put down the vocals for RED. Edited them together...sounding good.

09/01/2008
* DAY OFF! I answered a billion emails, worked on sending out orders, cleaned the house. we planned to see a movie...but it didn't happen.

10/01/2008
* Another slack-off day!! send out more orders. wrote the intro and outro for the Angelspit's webTV episodes (called BLIPVERTS) plus 8 short musical stingers for it.

* Reviewed KILLY KITTY and got it up to 33% sign off ready. Talked about backing vocals for RED. Chatted with George about guitar sounds for SHAVED MONKEY and PAINT HELL RED...plus started editing guitars for SHAVED MONKEY.

11/01/2008
*...ANOTHER SLACK DAY! We got up, posted 20 orders (€180 in postage!!!)

* We found a new cafe and sampled it's coffee and cake....which was pretty fine for Berlin (we are from Newtown in Sydney...which has THE BEST cake and coffee on the planet!). Had a big chat about how the hell we're going to release this album. did a time and finances budget. We need US$13,000...fuck...we don't have a cent.

* Did the shopping. Worked on JUGULAR and signed it off to 66%. Laid down weird choral vocals for RED...they still need work. Put in the bit crushed delay vocals on RED. got the guitars for LUST WORTHY...the are HUGE! Started editing them.

12/01/2008
* An attempted day off...We checked out a wholesalers show for alternative fashion. We need to consider getting stuff for Surgeon-X...PLUS we wanted to check out how together we need to be to set up a wholesale store for our Tshirts and odities.

* Edited all the guitars for SHAVED MONKEY. videoed and edited our first BLIPVERT!! "How to write lyrics". i think it was pretty helpful and cool. Got the official OK for the Australian Tour!


13/01/2008
* Demo vocals for SHAVED MONKEY...plus majorly edited the music.


14/01/2008
* Worked on KILL KITTY..attampted to sign it of to 66%...but we decided that the vocals were crap...rather disheartening that one...

* Talked with Record label about remixes. Patrick is good to us - he puts up with our endless rants and complaining.

* Signed off on GRIND to 66%. Worked on RED, re-recorded the theremin part - it's now ready to face 66% sign off. Went to buy a plane ticket to get back to Australia...not many left..and those left are EXPENSIVE. Lucky we have a BRILLIANT friend named Shane who works for Virgin - he always helps us out. We are going to miss Berlin.

15/01/2008
* Re-recorded KILL KITTY vocals...They are now MUCH better. sent out remix kits for 3 tracks. Fuck I hate remixing.

16/01/2008
* Edited KILL KITTY...and signed it off to 66%. Worked on SHAVED MONKEY...came up with an alternative chorus.

17/01/2008
* Worked on SHAVED MONKEY's bleeps...and tweaked it heaps...this song is starting to ROCK! The chorus is still not working...it will probably be a hybrid of both versions..

* Reviewed RED - it has some BIG problems...so we overhauled the structure to give it more dynamics.

18/01/2008
* Fought with RED...we won. THE MACHINE vocals put down...AGAIN...not easy...not pleasant..
...but MUCH better.

19/01/2008
* Worked on THE MASCHINE...it's punk and outta control...and i like it. it needs to be simplified a little...plus we need to get rid of some of the "hurty" frequencies (2.8kHz and 7kHz) Harsh is good, but it should not be uncomfortable on your ears. PAINT HELL RED vocals went down, then were edited. it's amazing how when you polish a good idea it can shine up to be brilliant.

* People call us lucky. it's not luck - it's hard work. We did not go to so many clubs and parties because we were working hard...that's not what I call luck.

*...I miss hanging out with our brilliant supporters on our Forum.

20/01/2008
* Went to the BODE museum. it rocked. Tightened up the vocals in PAINT HELL RED...it's lookin' good. Worked on LUST WORTHY...it's very messy...in fact...it's a disaster...needs a LOT of work.

21/01/2008
* Laid down bass for LUST WORTHY...it's very simple. Just one fat oscillator going through the MoogerFooger filter.
I think this song will be more "ROCK"...simple, less sound design, bare bones basic.

...14 hours later...

we re-wrote the lyrics. completely reprogrammed the drums...it's now a half time feel, and built a big fat mono-synth bass line kinda thing...and there's A LOT more work to do...

22/01/08
* Worked on LUST WORTHY. Dear god...this song needs salvation....it might not make it onto the album.

* I went online. Surgeon-X is fucking out AGAIN...this time the SLL Certificates are out of date...we spent a stupid amount 3 months ago having them renewed for 2 years...now they are out-of-date...so I had a tantrum...

* We went out to look around Berlin, planned on seeing 2 movies. but we bumped into a friend from Canberra (in the middle of Berlin!!) and hung out with the lovely Miss Bridget. I wish we could let her crash here...but our flat is a mess.
we got home about midnight. Stayed up until 2 planning the NEW UBER WEB HUB for Australia...then decided it was a huge waste of time because no-one will help us and no-one will give a shit. it's true, the scene sucks because we suck.

23/01/08
* The battle with LUST WORTHY continues. Put the industrial percussion through the modular...did the "RIP THE FUCK OUT THE SOUNDS" menuver...hey presto! awesome drums. This track is now looking MUCH better

24/01/08
* Put down my soft vocals for LUST WORTHY. Also added vocoder. I used my soft vocal take as the vocal driver for the vocoder - it resulted in a beautiful breathy vocoder sound.

25/01/08
* LUST WORTHY...Put down Destroyx's vocals - she ROCKS. Also put down my loud tracks (screaming, loud singing). This song is difficult because of all the harmonies...The individual vocal lines therein are non-diatonic...meaning that in order to hit all these weird chords, each vocal line has to hit weird and unconventional notes....which is REALLY hard. But I think we managed it.

* There is a line in this track which goes "I am a tissue, use once, throw me away". I was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend. He used this line to described a lady. I thought it was the most vile and indecent way to describe another human being...we included it into the LUST WORTHY because it perfectly went with the theme of the lyrics. Funny thing is, when I was recording the vocals it had to scream "I AM A TISSUE" until i got it right. When taken out of context it's a really random and funny line. Destroyx and I ending up rolling around laughing...so we were incapable of singing the "I am a tissue" part...and the line was reduced to "use once, throw me away".
I AM A TISSUE!

26/01/2008
* Editing vocals for LUST WORTHY...! STILL!!!

* Happy invasion day.

27/01/2008
* LUST WORTHY...it hit 33% We think this is the most worked on Angelspit song to date...we put more time into this than we did with Vena Cava...

* Signed off MASCHINE to 66%

* We eat waaay too much indian! Our favorite Indian restraunt is now doing a €6,50 "all you can eat" buffet...we committed gluttony..!

28/01/08
* Recorded vocals for SHAVED MONKEY. THE LAST VOCALS ARE NOW RECORDED!! Edited the vocals and mixed the song to 33%. it was originally 4minutes 30 seconds...but we dramatically shortened it to 3minutes 25seconds...we felt it was too wishy washy...now it's a very punchy industrial punk track.

* Received the last of the guitars for PAINT HELL RED from George...god....all the guitars AND vocals are now recorded!!!

29/01/2008
* Worked on guitars for PAINT HELL RED...they weren't quite right...so i threw a tantrum and took Destroyx to the movies. Had a big chat to Mr Patrick Von Penguin about record label stuff.

30/01/08
* David Walker (the mastering genius) gave us some feed back about THE MASCHINE...and it doesn't suck!!

* George resent the guitars for PAINT HELL RED...fuck...that guy is MADE OUT OF ROCK! HE'S BRILLIANT!!
edited them, mixed the track...and it hit 33% w00t! LUST WORTHY also got signed of to 66%

31/01/08
* Worked on BLACK remix for The Tenth Stage

FEBRUARY 2008

01/02/08
* Worked on BLACK remix for The Tenth Stage

02/02/08
* Worked on PAINT HELL RED remix...it got aborted because i am a SHIT REMIXER.

03/02/08
* Helped Destroyx get her last assignment off!! Wanted to see Alec Empire in Berlin...but he cancelled because Nic Endo damaged her ear drum.

04/02/08
* DAY OFF!! watched sci fi and LIQUID SKY...!

05/02/08
* Listened to all tracks for continuity. Tweaked them a bit...had to make sure the kick drum had the same volume throughout the album.

06/02/08
* Fixed heaps of balancing and EQing problems. most tracks now at 80%

07/02/08
* Got GIRL POISON to 80%.

* DEVILICIOUS: threw away the bass and lead....like completely scrapped them. the sound were originally played on a horrid Prophet 5 plug in. spend 4 hours building the lead synth sound on the modular. Spent 2 hours building the bass sound. there is absolutely no comparison between the new and old versions...the new sounds are absolutely incredible. PLUG INs SUCK!

* Went to see Chicks On Speed at the Maria Club in Berlin - Peaches walked on stage!!...I got a very cool idea for a remix of DEVILICIOUS... we LOVE the breed of techno that comes out of the Maria Club

08/02/08
* Signed off DEVILICIOUS to 80% finally.

* Got very drunk. Sang the theme to the original FLASH GORDON very loud. I am DYING for sushi and Karaoke a la Sydney...!

11/02/08
* Listened to the mixes on a brilliant speaker system...it actually sounds quite good!

12/02/08
* Mixing, listening, reviewing, tweaking..

13/02/08
* Went to Paris for Valentine's Day and my birthday.

18/02/08
* Mixing, listening, reviewing, tweeking...god, it think it's done!

* Now we focus on the artwork and mastering. We don't think this will be released until at least June...and we still have NO IDEA what the album will be called. The central concept behind it is huge though..

...several months later....

01/06/08
It is June 1st. Blood Death Ivory is completed, mastered and pressed. Destroyx and I have just received 20 boxes (1000 copies) back from the CD manufacture plant. I am holding a pressed copy in my hands and play it VERY loudly on our speakers. We am very proud of this CD. Destroyx's artwork is brilliant - the detail is genius. The music ROCKS and I am confident that we have surpassed Krankhaus. We hope people will enjoy this CD, but ultimately what matters is that we have finished this to the best of our abilities and presented our thoughts with honesty and sincerity. We have already thrown ourselves back into the next album...2 tracks written and another four on the way...but more about that mid 2010...!

Read more about Blood Death Ivory.