Italian “epic” metallers Tragodia (sorry guys, no one gets to use the word epic anymore unless you want me to think about bacon pirates) have released the second in-studio video for the upcoming album Mythmaker, which will make its way across the Atlantic via Kolony Records.
If there’s one thing I appreciate it’s fresh cilantro, but if I had to appreciate a second thing it would be bands that give enough of a shit to put time into a studio documentary. While these videos aren’t A Year In The Life Of Metallica, they’re a far cry better than the random cell phone skits that most bands cobble together nowadays to fulfill a marketing obligation.
So what’s going on with the gear? First of all, drummer Daniele Valseriati uses Ufip cymbals, which I have to admit to being completely ignorant of. I’ve certainly never seen them in the states. It also seems like he’s playing one kit on the album but sampling another, which is a little unusual, but it makes sense for the same reason layered guitars sound thick. Still, usually if a drummer isn’t using simples of their own kit they’ll just go to the studio or software’s library. But hey, I give you an “A” for effort, Mr. Valseriati. Also, nice Mapex maple/walnut hybrid snare you have there.
On the guitar end, it’s nice to see Mesa/Boogie’s Royal Atlantic in use by more bands. Mesa has been killing it lately, and expanding the company’s sound beyond the old Rectifiers. You can tell when a new Mesa amp has “it” because all the company’s endorsers start gravitating towards that model. The same thing happened with the Mark V. In fact, the big metal names like Lamb Of God and Dream Theater have been using the Royal Atlantic and Mark V in tandem. Intronaut have been getting killer tones out of the Atlantic as well. Tragodia also have a Mesa Nomad in the studio, which is a cool enough amp; but if you want a good, used, discontinued Mesa on the cheap then the F-100 is the one to get. Mesa discontinued the Nomads in favor of the F line, and then the Express amps in turn replaced the Fs.
Oh, and there’s a 5150 in the studio, for reamping. Shocker. It’s a metal record. Of course there’s a 5150. I’m sure there are SM57s as well. Crazy. Actually what is crazy is that I caught a glimpse of a Marshall JMP-1 in a rack there. It doesn’t seem like Tragodia actually used it on the record, but of all the little one-space tube preamps I’ve always thought the JMP-1 was underrated. The only band I’ve ever seen use one live was Ready/Set, a side project of Dysrhythmia drummer Jeff Eber and original Bassist Clayton Ingerson, but I dug it.
Speaking of bassists, I think Tragodia have one, maybe. They cut to his performance for about 3 seconds, and then quickly move on. I guess here’s not a featured player on this record. Way to perpetuate the metal stereotype, buddy.
Anyway, the clips of music I’ve heard here sound pretty cool, phantom bassist notwithstanding. Tragodia’s new record, Mythmaker, will arrive on US shores on November 5th, but most Europeans can pick it up on November 1st.
