Casting Crowns Metal

I uploaded this a few days ago and have received positive results. I haven't done this in a while.

People are asking me to do a full cover. I had thought about that, but there are parts in the song I wouldn't know what to play, such as the quiet verse. Glad people are enjoying this cover though. It's just my personal "metal" take on the chorus of the song. It's in the style of Analyzed Within. (that's me)

Brandon

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.

Been trying out new camera

Just as the title says, I have been trying out my new camera. Not much today at all though. I have been sleeping most of the day. I am catching on sleep I missed before my overnight shift the previous night. I should be better prepared for the 10 pm - 7 pm shift this time. Man, God really is teaching me something here - I just know it. I have barely started, but I can feel him leading me somewhere with this. He's totally in the "storm." I say storm because the body feels that with the "sleep shock." haha. It all depends on your attitude. I can do all things through Christ. I just have to want to. I am in my own unique situation, as everyone on this earth is, and I must make the best of it. I just woke up 30 minutes ago and I am feeling alright. By the time my shift rolls around I will be spiff!

I will eventually get around to editing my documented video adventure of getting my new camera. I just need to find out how resolve the story. It is a cool camera. I have taken cool pictures and one really neat video with Jordan. He is my cameraman in this video:

Goodbye Vox VT 30 amp

Today I sold my Vox VT 30 amp. I no longer enjoyed the sound. It's too thin for my taste. I'm searching for another amp. This is a long term goal, as the tone I am seeking will require a fat wallet.

Even before I sold this amp (I was thinking about it) I played a Marshall Haze 15 in a store close to me. It sounded nice - at least for the first amp I ever tried in my searching. It had a great gain. However, I had a inkling I would not enjoy it for long. The amp just didn't impress me all that much. It was a good smaller size, but it definitely wasn't a 10/10...more like a 7/10.

But after all, it was only the first amp I tried. I had to play on some more before I made a final decision. I tried a few other smaller amps in the store, but none came close to the Haze 15. The clerk even cranked it up for me to play to hear what it would really do. Wow. Loud. Big. Cool.

When I sold my amp today at another guitar shop, I played on two bigger amps that really impressed me. They were a Mesa Boogie Mark Five and a Marshall JCM 2000 Dual Super Lead. They were BIG amps! One of these definitely would be too big for my room. Perhaps having a bigger room and a fatter wallet will go hand in hand in years to come.

The Mesa I played had the most complex and customizable head I had ever seen! The clerk walked me through so many different tones possible on that amp. It was very expensive though. Nevertheless, I was very impressed with the amp, and with what I've seen so far, I'd give it a 10/10.

You can see the two amps I played are sitting side by side. How convenient!

The Marshall JCM was very cool and had a killer high gain tone, just as the Mesa. However, the fact that it didn't have a wide variety of tones was a disadvantage. I'd give it a 9/10 for that reason. However, it was half the price because it was used. That didn't make any difference anyway. I have no where near the money for either of these amps. Let's just call this a very long term goal. Perhaps it would span a few years from now.

I was thinking of getting a Mesa Dual Rectifier as Anthony Armstrong has in the band RED, but I haven't even tried it, and yet again, a new amp that I would enjoy the most is way out of my price range.

So what do I have for an amp now, you ask? I have a cheap Ibanez GTA 15R. That and a Tube Screamer guitar pedal is what I'll use to produce live performances for others. But I usually use POD Farm anyway. The reason I sold the Vox right now is because I don't use it anyway - except for clean channel occasionally, but I can get that from my little amp. I didn't see much sense keeping it if I wasn't happy with it. I just got a little bit of store credit. :)

And so the tone adventure continues!

While I was there at the shop playing on these amps, I also dropped off my red Jackson SLSMG for modification and setup. I am getting it modified for Drop A tuning! I'm going to use GHS Baritone Guitar strings (14-70 gauge). This will definitely be heavy! It will probably be the end of next week when I get the Jackson back. In the meantime, I will be playing my two Ibanezes.