SEPTICFLESH – The Great Mass – March 15, 2011

As previously announced, the main artwork of SEPTICFLESH’s forthcoming album “The Great Mass” will appear on the CD + DVD Digipak edition, the gatefold LP and the dust jacket of the collector’s artbook. Every week, a hidden part will be unveiled, gradually forming the nightmarish full scale artwork of Seth Siro Anton. The transformation will be completed on April 18th, the day on which the Mass will be unleashed upon mankind? Check out www.septicflesh.com to see the latest step of the unveiling, and go watch a video trailer on YouTube!

Here is the fourth part of the studio story, by Hard Rock Mag editor Sven Letourneur.

PART IV – Escape from the studio in Czech Republic / Back to work and first days of mixing in Sweden

On last October 2nd, you went to Czech Republic for a one-shot headlining show. How was it? I suppose it felt good to get out of the studio pressure and play live? Did you get some energy from this show to finalize the album?
Christos (guitars): It was a great gig but we were too tired to really enjoy Prague, which is a great place to be. Of course, it was a good break after our intensive work and it helped us to “recover” and escape from our hectic mood. Everything was recorded and Seth and Fotis would leave the next day for Sweden to go and see Peter Tägtgren for the mix.

One year ago, you were initially planning on working with Fredrik Nordström. What made you switch to Tägtgren in the end?
Fotis (drums): Fredrik Nordström is an amazing producer and made a great production for “Communion”, but on this album we wanted a new sound, something darker and different. We decided to mix our new album with Peter Tägtgren, having witnessed his amazing work as a producer for many bands in the extreme metal scene like Celtic Frost, Immortal, Dimmu Borgir, etc. So we wanted to listen to his “approach” to the final mix of our songs. We wanted a different point of view to our sound than the one that we had already explored with Fredrik. It’s not a case of a better versus worst approach, just a need for something different. And I truly believe that he gave his best.

You told me a bit about the trip to Sweden. Since his studio is lost in the North of the country, it seems to have been a real adventure. Two Greeks lost in cold Scandinavia where everyone talks Swedish must have felt strange!
One day before the trip to Sweden we had to play a headlining show in Prague. The thing is, that when we got to Sweden, Peter was still on the plane coming back from a tour he had in Mexico and he had no idea that we had already arrived at the Arlanda airport. So we had to choose between either stay in Stockholm or take one train and two other busses to Ludvicka, where the Abyss studio is and wait for him there. We were really lucky that he landed an hour later and called us.

How did you decide that it would only be Seth and Fotis going to the studio for the mixing?
Sotiris (guitar / vocals): Fotis is experienced in the mixing process as he has worked at Devasoundz studios, taking care of the mix and the recordings of other bands. Also, he is the mind behind the rhythm and so it was an obvious choice. Seth has a great sense of balance so he was the most proper guy to make suggestions to Peter about both our metal and classical sides. As the main vocalist of the band he was also entrusted to take care and that field.

How was it with Peter when you first met him? Did you start right away, what was his opinion about the songs, arrangements, studio tracks as you gave him? Can you tell us how you worked with him on balancing the various parts? It seems you also did some editing with him during the mixing process?
Fotis: Peter Tägtgren is a really cool guy and I like the fact that he has his feet on the ground. We started mixing the album right away, even as he was still jetlagged. He never made any remarks about our music or the structure of the songs. The truth is that when he was given the orchestra files, then he realised it was not going to be an easy task to make the mix. Seth and I knew exactly how the songs should sound and since Christos had already the orchestral arrangements and volumes fixed, we managed to mix the orchestra properly with the aggressiveness of metal. Something like a marriage between heaven and hell…

Producer Peter Tägtgren made the following comment on his collaboration with the band “I can imagine how much time and planning lay behind this album… And I’m proud to have been a part of this incredible album!”