So, here’s the first journal entry documenting the processes, thoughts and emotions associated with the making of a Wolcensmen record…
It always begins like this, with a folder full of very rough ideas (see screenshot). I never start afresh, but rather with a collection of clips I have amassed gradually over time. Usually when I’m out walking, musical (and sometimes lyrical) ideas come to me. When I get home, I either hum them into my mp3 voice recorder, or transpose onto guitar and then quickly record. Every now and then I move those sound files into an ‘ideas’ folder on my PC (there are hundreds by now) and then sort them into different musical styles. I have a folder for ‘black metal’ ideas, a folder for ‘folk/acoustic’ ideas, and some other folders.
Each time I begin work on a Wolcensmen project, I check through the appropriate folder and decide which ideas to run with and which to reject. With the last album, Fire in the White Stone, I had to pick ideas which would correspond to the moods of the story (since it was a concept album). With the forthcoming 3rd full-length, I have whittled the list down to 81 potential ideas. As you can see in the screenshot, I’ve labelled some of the files ‘Yes’ and ‘Maybe’, or given them a brief description so that I can identify them. I’ll probably end up using 15-20 of of the 81 ideas. Usually, each of the chosen ideas will form its own song, but sometimes I’ll manage to combine 2 within the same song. I may use ideas that are 15-20 years old, from before Wolcensmen was formalised, whereas some will be composed recently.
This is how I have worked for each Wolcensmen album since the demo, as well as for Gràb and Winterfylleth.
This is a vital stage, for it sets the foundation of the record. I’m very mindful of variety on an album; diversity of moods, keys, tempos and structures. It’s very easy as a composer to fall into patterns and formulas, and as a listener, I don’t want to hear 10 variations of the same song. I want a breadth of expression. This is why I amass ideas over time, rather than starting afresh with each album – I don’t want to only express the mood of the next 3 months (or whatever). This way of doing things allows me to establish variety at the very first step. I’m also not the type of composer who writes and demos 20 songs, then picks 10 for the album. I make my selections first and then mould each of them to completion.
Then again… maybe I should try to be a little less rigid for this project?!