EP track listing

Okay, this is the official track listing for my band's upcoming EP, Living in the Last Days. Officially, it's only me and my cousin, Josh, in the band Analyzed Within. I will be working on placing bonus material in a digital package for all those who download the entire album from Bandcamp.

Remember, the EP is going to be free. Just name your price - type in $0 if you want it for free; however, any contribution helps. Okay, enough talking! Here's your list. Coming soon! Nearly all of the songs are tracked! Josh is working his lyrical magic just down the road from me.



ANALYZED WITHIN
Living in the Last Days EP


1. Beginning of Sorrows
2. Living in the Last Days
3. The Testing of Christians
4. The Lion Has Come to Defeat the Dragon
5. The Mount of Olives
6. Our Hope is Here

Practicing the single

I was just practicing our single, "Living in the Last Days." Analyzed Within, Josh and I, hope to have it out by Christmas. I was playing along with my little mix I made separate from what I sent to the studio. I'm practicing the "stage presence," as in headbanging and singing along as I would live. Still some more work to do.

EDIT: My neck is still sore! 12/08/2012

Vocals #2

Our second session was more productive than the last.



If you missed the first session, it is a few posts back. My cousin is sounding much better with his scream. I am excited about when we actually get to record this. We plan on getting together this Saturday at least one last time before recording. We need to finish the lyrics. I told him to be working on verse two some more before we meet, while I analyze the song and see what more we can do with the lyrics. I think it fitting to have bridge lyrics right before the guitar solo kicks in. I still can't decide which guitarist to choose for the part.

We originally were going to hang at this gravel area (you see in the video) and go over lyrics. However, since his neighbors were gone, we took his car to his apartment. Josh, my cousin, showed me how to scream properly, but I was too shy to try. Good think I didn't try anyway, because my vocal chords felt strained and scratchy, after our session, from normal singing. I just don't use my vocals for singing much at all. The only time I sing is at church - and I usually sing bass.

Vocals no. 1

Video uploaded from the other day. First vocal session with my cousin. Follow me on Facebook.




My cousin and I are going over the single "Living in the Last Days." It is the title track of my upcoming EP. The guitars are recorded raw with no additional mixing or mastering at the moment. That job is for the studio.

We had literally just learned these lines I wrote. Just experimenting, so don't be harsh. We had a blast, in case you couldn't tell. ;) I am the one with the glasses.

If you are wondering what we are doing with our phones, we are reading the lyrics.

First vocal session

I had a really cool vocal session with my cousin yesterday before work. Initially, I was surprised his scream was not very loud. I thought there was more volume. But actually, you really don't need more volume with a microphone. :) Just turn it up like you would a guitar. I think his tonality is right. We just have a few things to work out. We only just started. This was just under two hours. This is a screenshot of a video that will be uploaded soon.

Guitar Rhythms Tracked

Last night, I spent three hours tracking the main guitar rhythm for my upcoming single, "Living in the Last Days." I had to take a trip to the store to pick up a new 9V battery for my active pickups, however. My Jackson SLSMG, set up and down-tuned to Drop A, has EMG 81/85s. I installed a fresh set of strings. I use the six middle strings in the Ernie Ball 8-string set, numbering gauges 13-64. I am not going to talk about tone yet.

I got a cool idea, using a jazzy clean sound with some delay. That is the red track you see in the picture. I'm satisified with the result. The studio I will give my work to for mixing and mastering will amp the MIDI for the bass through Trillian, and MIDI for drums through either Superior Drummer or Steven Slate. I was offered reamping for my guitar, but I want complete control over my tone, even though EQing will take place. I hope the end result is nice.

And I am excited to meet with my cousin today for writing lyrics. I plan to bring my camera. I want to record a few snippets of our progress for YouTube. I do have several lines written already, but since I hope he will be doing my vocals, it needs to flow and work well with how he wants to sing and scream.

I must have changed the verse riffs five times, but I think I have something that will work well.

21 today plus latest adventures

I turned 21 today. And that DOESN'T mean I can drink. That's for stupid people.

I did have a good day today. I worked most of the day, but that's okay. The world does not revolve around Brandon Burch. I also didn't have the foresight to ask off on my birthday. My store manager gave me a card and shook my hand. It was cool. They didn't make a big fuss about my birthday, so that was cool. Believe it or not, I was even glad they didn't get me a balloon. LOL. I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like a lot of attention. I got a lot of wishes on my personal facebook. That was really cool. :) It's weird because I am more often an introvert than not. It used to be the other way around.

Dad told me, "You're a man now." That is surreal to me. It's hard to grasp that I have been on this earth 21 years. The LORD has blessed me. I hope God comes back in my lifetime. It's kind of cool, because at least 1/5 of my life is probably over, if not more. HAHA. NO, I AM NOT TURNING SUICIDAL! LOL. It means I am that much closer to seeing my Jesus in heaven above.

Anyway, I don't feel like an adult. But I guess I can just be a kid at heart if I want. :) I still read Teen Fiction.
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I had an interesting "adventure" yesterday. I dropped by the revenue office to renew my driver's license before it expired. I got off work at 3:00, and I knew I didn't have time to renew the following day (today) because I got off at 5:30. The revenue office would be closed by then. It took me a while to find it, even after a customer from my work had given me directions. I was looking for railroad tracks. I had been told if I crossed the tracks I had gone too far. I never did see them. Pizza had been ordered at home so I didn't mess around. I swallowed my manly pride and asked for directions at a gas station. I was told to cross the railroad tracks and it would be in a little strip-mall. I STILL never saw the railroad tracks, but I found the mall and went inside the revenue office. (I later found out the railroad tracks were under the huge bridge I went over.)

I politely waited "in line." A minute went by and I noticed a dispenser across the room that said, "PICK A NUMBER FOR REVENUE ONLY." Ah..that's not me. I am not revenue. This is my driver's license. Then I saw a dude walk in and pick a number and sit down. I didn't think much of it until an old guy came in asked where he could get a number. I thought to myself, Well there's not really a line. There's just one customer at a time. And there's a whole lot of people sitting down. Crap, I bet I was supposed to pick a number. I bet I look stupid. I shall nonchalantly walk across the room and pick a number. I was right. I was supposed to pick a number. I even asked a man who later sat next to me. "Yeah, everything's revenue," he said after I explained my reasoning.

Sixty-four, my number, finally came. After a few minutes of starting to go through the process of renewal, the lady at the desk said, "Wait, we're not renewing are we? Because this doesn't expire 'til 2013." I could hardly believe it, I had to look at the license myself. I felt so dumb! I tried to forget about any people that might have overheard. I just laughed about it and said, "Okay, I'll see y'all in a year," and walked out.

Needless to say, the pizza wasn't cold.
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I am supposed to meet up with my cousin this weekend and work out some lyrics for my single "Living in the Last Days." I have already written a lot the lines for the song, but they are definitely open for change. I am excited to hear the tonality in his voice.

I have recently made a very close friend who has a lot in common with me. We have already talked and hung out a lot. My life has been a blessed one lately, even in the midst of trials. I thank God for His grace. I LOVE YOU, LORD.

New Album Art!

This is my composition I did tonight in GIMP 2, basically a stripped down version of Photo Shop. These are three photos composited. I downloaded the photos from NASA. This picture is all about layering.

I was actually trying to find a good volcanic picture, erupting with darkness all around. I see a vague image in my mind, but I'm sure it doesn't really exist. However, this final product is fine. That dry landscape is like a desolate mood that might be nice to set. This may not look professional, but it sure beats the extra expense of an artist.

So it's obvious what my album is about by the cover title, "Living in the Last Days." Analyzed Within is my musician name.

Quoting from my fan page:

I wanted to create an artist name that described me, and be original as possible. I over-analyze most everything. A choice of a menu item is a case study. So all information that enters inside of me is analyzed within. Additionally, there is a parallel. As a believer in Christ Jesus, His Holy Spirit lives inside of me. I am analyzed within, for He is always watching me.

-Brandon Burch

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EP writing has begun

For those of you who didn't find out from my fan page, I have started writing and recording my EP (mini-album). I would like to quote here what I posted on my page, which also made me lose a like. haha.

I sort of laugh because it just shows you how powerful the Holy Spirit of God is....just read below.

Dear Fans:


The concept of my new EP: The End Times. It would be awesome if I could find a vocalist for my stuff. It's a Christian message by the way. ;) Not to start a religious war, but the coming of Christ IS going to happen. I think about the end times often. I think we are living in the last days, people. I want to tell the world about it in my music, with or without vocals.


I am not going to hide my light under a bushel. I want to be reasonably straightforward with my music and its message. This is who I am and what I believe. If it means blazing a trail, then blaze a trail I must. If people don't like it, I'm sorry they feel that way.

I'm not yet sure what to call this EP. I have only just starting recording, much less writing, this mini-album.

-Brandon Burch

I am bringing back to life an old song called "Living in the Last Days." I played it (in my car stereo) for my friends at church camp the year before last. I have changed up the song a lot. I only kept one riff the same, besides the chorus being exactly the same as before. But more epic! If you are curious to hear the original version of this song, it is here. I actually haven't heard it in a while. I actually love the opening riff now. I bet I could play it better now if I use it in another song. By the way, this album is going to use tunings Drop Ab and Standard Bb. I don't think I'll use any others because I want the same sound throughout the album. By that I mean, the sound of my Jackson SLSMG tuned down low, using heavy gauge strings.