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Witchvox Chapter: Pagan Music
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Bardic Circle Featuring...
The Reverend Rat ...
Imbolc and Ice- FULL ALBUM!
(by Michael Dolan, The Reverend Rat)
Audience Count: 3,822
The Story...
 In January of this year, The Wire (www.wirenh.com) announced the RPM Challenge: Wouldn't it be great, they thought, if every band in the area released albums all at once? This was the challenge- spend February recording an entire album in only 28 days. Amazingly, 220 local acts signed on, taking the opportunity to explore new musical directions, collaborate with different people, or simply put a years-old stack of songs down on tape. On March 1, the Wire staff gazed upon the sight of no less than 165 finished CDs. A massive release party was held on March 9- so large it spanned 5 venues. The RPM Challenge, The Wire, and all 220 acts made a little bit of history, and I am proud to have been a part of it.
I've been writing and performing for years, and have released 5 albums of demo material. Most is more secular, although a couple years ago I began to write some vaguely Pagan themed material. It was about this time that I started thinking about a side project- I wanted to do Pagan ROCK. The problem with a lot of Pagan music is the same problem with Christian music, in that it tends to be religious first, and music kind of as an afterthought. Add to this how much tends to be electronica, gothic metal, or rennaisance fare (yes, that was an intollerable pun) , and the basic rock-and-roll genre leaves much to be desired for Pagans.
I took the RPM Challenge as an opportunity to record that album of Pagan rock I had been dreaming about, although some of the tracks ended up a little harder than I planned. The album has 8 tracks (9 including the Arcana Remix that for some reason or another didn't end up on the original disc) including:
The Magus
A little ditty about storms, alchemy, and the power of nature, wrapped up with some vaguely Thelemic overtones. A bit more prog-rock than I normally go for, but it seemed to fit with the lyrics.
Arcana
A song about the tarot. The disc includes both the original version I penned a few years ago, and a brand-spanking-new remix that gives it a harder, industrial sound.
Originally Pagan
Ever wonder where all the Christian holidays come from? Yep, we thought pretty much all of it up first. This song gives a few of the better examples to a nice poppy beat.
Easter
Speaking of stolen holidays, here's one about the true meaning of easter- Love, renewal, and nookie!
The Oak King and the Holly King
A first person retelling of the story of the Oak and Holly kings, embodiment of the seasons. The music for this song is a loose palindrome, that is, it reads the same forwards as backwards. The guitar lead was actually recorded clean, then copied and reversed at the end before applying the effects.
At the Standing Stones
Very celtic mythology, I couldn't resist breaking out the mandolin for this one. In Celtic legend, doors to this world open and close without warning, a white animal with red ears may hold magical powers, and fairies are not cute little sprites. This is a tale of faery, the otherworld, and questions better left unasked.
Pretty
Okay, I've always had a weakness for unstable goth girls. This isn't about anyone in particular, more an amalgamation of a few different people I've met. You've probably met them too...
Recorded: See below.
Guests/Players: Just myself.
Technical Notes: Recorded in my Mac-based home studio. For those who are all that interested in the specifics:
Hardware: Mac G4, M-Audio FW-410, Evolution UC-33, SM57 and Oktava 319 mics.
Software: GarageBand, Doggiebox, Melody Assistant, BIAS Deck and Peak.
Instruments: '07 Fender Roadhouse Strat with SD humbuckers, Fender Super 60, Ibanez bass, Yamaha keyboard, and Lotus mandolin.
Artist Profile: Michael Dolan is a songwriter, artist, and craftsman from the New Hampshire seacoast. On stage, he is known as The Reverend Rat, and is a veteran performer, having played venues from Maine to Las Vegas.
Website: http://revrat.com
LISTEN to the mp3 File: Click HERE
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