Studio News: ***NEW ALBUM RELEASE***

Metal XOR Studio is proud to announce
the release of the debut album from
the newest Studio project, Equinox Dulcet

This is the debut album from Equinox Dulcet, consisting of the seven songs used for the Equinox Dulcet website project in 2008. It is a collection of instrumental music influenced by music from around the world.

All seven songs can be heard at the Equinox Dulcet website.

Project Spotlight #21: What is Equinox Dulcet?

In May 2006, a new project was unknowingly born with a song titled "Lamplight Over". It was created using nothing but the computer music program called Reason. A week later, another song was started. By November of 2006, twenty-seven instrumental songs had been started, many of them had also been finished. It was clear that this was music unlike any the Studio had produced thus far, so it was set aside as a new project called Equinox Dulcet.

A resurgence of the project happened in 2007 with only four new songs being started, none of which were finished.

In July 2008, the seven songs that were finished were used for the Equinox Dulcet website, a combination of music and pictures to incite the reader/listeners' imaginations.

In December of 2009, the seven songs were finally compiled on CD and released as the debut Equinox Dulcet album titled Ethical Travels on a Green Planet.

Collectible Cards: Album set 3

The third set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 36 base cards and 1 promo card.

This third set is about the 1993 Mune Mud album Pryme Material. Each of the 17 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 15 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. One card describes the studio. One card discusses the lyric book. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view all of the album sets of MXOR Cards today.

Collectible Cards: Album set 2

The second set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 32 base cards and 1 promo card.

This second set is about the 1992 MuneMud album Underwater Problem Factory. Each of the 19 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 9 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. One card describes the studio. One card discusses the lyric book. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view all of the album sets of MXOR Cards today.

Video File #12: ORC "Placid"

"Placid" video is now online!

Today is the release of the first music video from ORC. The song comes from their 1999 debut album Purging the Great Abyss. The video contains footage of the vocal recording session mixed with adventures in a cornfield. It offers a rare glimpse at the first Metal XOR Studio, Metal XOR-A.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #22: November '09

The last two months have been rather active at the Studio. The amount of new Mune Mud recordings has decreased, but Trashman and the Blood Baker have recorded some new tracks. It will be at least another year before a full Trashman album is released, combining last year's recordings and this year's is not enough material for their debut album.

There were two new videos released since the last State of the Studio: a Trashman and the Blood Baker video and a Muffin Loaf video.

And the Studio has branched out into a new medium: collectible cards. October saw the release of the first Mune Mud album set of cards, Olympus. You can read all about it here. Plans are to release a new set every month.

You can expect more cards and videos from the Studio by the end of the year, those are the projects at the top of the list. But there may also still be an album released...

Next update... January 1, 2010!

Video File #11: Muffin Loaf "Rock and Roll"

"Rock and Roll" video is now online!

Today is the release of the second music video from Muffin Loaf. The video shows time-lapse footage of the band (and other staffers) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003, building the stage set for their performance that evening. The music comes from their rehearsal on March 15.

Click here for the YouTube post.

Collectible Cards: Album set 1

The first set of collectible cards from Metal XOR Studio was released today.
It contains 34 base cards and 1 promo card.

The first several sets of cards will focus on a different Mune Mud album. This first set is about the 1991 album Olympus. Each of the 24 song cards describes one of the songs on the album. Each of the 8 equipment cards describes a piece of equipment used in the recording of the album. The other 2 cards give facts about the album itself. A promo card (pictured above) is also in the set.

Please visit the online gallery to view the first album set of MXOR Cards today.

Video File #10: Trashman and the Blood Baker "Modern Prometheus"

"Modern Prometheus" video is now online!

Today is the release of the fifth music video from Trashman and the Blood Baker. The video features an up-and-coming fish star named Comet and a miracle of the mechanical age.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #21: September '09

The summer is on its way out. And the musicians are on their way in.

Mune Mud has returned to the Studio, working on new tracks for the next album. Unlike previous albums where all the music was done by the Jason, Jimmy has provided the bass parts for the tracks recorded so far. When will the album be finished? Could be a while.

Last year around this time a new project was formed called Trashman and the Blood Baker. Many songs and videos were created but not enough to be compiled and released. Plans are to continue the project this fall. So watch for information regarding more music from the undead.

The Studio recently added a MIDI controller to its secondary computer and most software has been upgraded. So the musicians have access to more sounds and techniques than ever before. Look for some exciting new sounds to come from the Studio.

We'll be deep into fall and all things gray next update. Be sure to check back then to see what's been happening in the musical world of Metal XOR.

State of the Studio #20: July '09

Recording has resumed in the Studio. Songs for a few different projects have been worked on in the last couple of months. We have seen the return of Mune Mud, NueroMud, and Trashman and the Blood Baker to the Studio. No albums are in sight at the moment, but as more recordings are made from the above projects, we get closer to a possible release later this year.

Will has also had a couple of new recording sessions. The Studio plans on releasing his first albun either this fall or winter.

A new video has been released. It is the first video for the project NueroMud. Other videos are planned to be released later this year.

So as the heat turns up outside, it's the perfect time to turn to the air condition inside and work on music. That's the plan for the next few months in the Studio. Check back for more details in two months...

Video File #9: NueroMud "Song of Songs"

"Song of Songs" video is now online!

Today is the release of the first video from NueroMud. NueroMud released two albums, the first one was ...Libra 971 in 1994 and the second one was Nine Days Wonder in 1995. "Song of Songs" comes from the second album.

Click here for the YouTube post.

State of the Studio #19: May '09

Although 2009 started off quiet in the Studio, there have been stirrings of activity in the last couple of months.

More recording sessions of Will singing have taken place. Recording will continue for a while until there is enough material to release his first CD. The same thing was done for Paige which led to the release of My First Album in August of 2007.

ORC has also been active. A few new demos have been recorded, a couple of them are even almost complete songs. In addition, a new ORC website has been set up featuring their debut album Purging the Great Abyss from 1999. Also on the site you can hear their newest demos.

This is the 10th anniversary of ORC's Purging the Great Abyss. There have been talks of a special edition CD but nothing has been finalized yet. Any future news regarding that will be posted here.

A software upgrade is on the horizon for the Studio. So there will soon be many new sounds available for upcoming projects.

As summer looms, things are looking positive for the Studio. Another update will be posted in two months on how things are going at Metal XOR!

Studio News: ORC Recording Session

Thursday, April 9, saw the return of ORC to the recording studio.

They assembled at Attic Works Studio for a 2-hour vocal recording session for their newest song, "Forerunner". Five demos of the song currently exist, with demo 4b being the reference track for this recording session. Recently the rhythm guitar tracks were recorded and vocal editing is underway.

This will be the first song in an experimental method of distribution. From ORC's Purging the Great Abyss website, there will be a link to a page featuring the new song, "Forerunner". On that page will be various versions of the song to listen to and download, in addition to the lyrics for the song.

Stay tuned to this blog for the upcoming release of their new song...

Studio News: New Website

Metal XOR Studio is proud to announce
The ORC Purging the Great Abyss official website.

The new site gives a brief description of ORC's debut album and allows the visitor to listen to and/or download every track on the album.

Additionally, a link to the PGA lyric book is on the page for those who have trouble understanding some of the screaming.

For those of you who missed out on ORC fifteen years ago, here's your chance to catch up! Click here to go to the site.

State of the Studio #18: March '09

The observant fans may have noticed the absence of a State of the Studio post last month. The decision was made in January to change the feature to bi-monthly in an effort to cut costs in these economic troubled times. But that was not enough.

In order to keep the Studio operating, a more significant action was needed. Therefore it is with great displeasure that I must tell of the recent changes at the Studio. For the first time in the Studio's long history, job positions have been eliminated and projects put on hold.

Last month 71% of the staff was released, salaries of the remaining employees were decreased by 20%, and the workload of the remaining employees has tripled. All albums that were in progress have been placed on hold, allowing the Studio to save money on the power bill. And funding for the unannounced RING Project (Recording In No Gravity) has been cut, therefore Mune Mud's proposed recording sessions in earth's orbit have been postponed.

But with all of these recent changes, we do still hope to pull through this and return to providing the quality music that our fans have come to know. There will still be activity at the Studio throughout the summer months (someone will be here to mow the grass and set mousetraps). Please bear with us and we'll see you on the other side of all of this.

Have a joyful spring!!!

State of the Studio #17: January '09

Happy New Year!

Last year was a record year for the Studio. It was the first time three albums were released in one year: Mune Mud's Precursory 33, Isthmus' Parabolic Dish Festival 10th Anniversary Edition, and ORC's Thru the Vent.

And there are at least three albums scheduled to be released this year. You'll have to keep checking back here to find out what projects they are.

As far as recent Studio activity, recording is still going strong for the newest project to the Studio. The project has changed drastically from what it was a couple of months ago and I'm sure it will change some more before it's finished.

Recordings for Will's first album continue. Hopefully that will be finished later this year.

And yet another project has been considered. But it's still in the early planning stages and I'm not sure if anything will materialize from it.

Although nothing specific to report at the moment, there's still a lot going on. Be sure to check back in a month to see what happened in January...