Tuesday Challenge #7

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I had noticed a trend in all the previous pieces to start out with a quiet intro, and then build up. So I was determined to start at 100% this time and I think I succeeded. In fact, I think it goes to 11 ;)
I think it’s probably one of the best intros I’ve ever written – at least for a metal piece – it really catches your attention. It also puts me vaguely in mind of Queensryche. (but only the intro)
Not much to say about the rest – it’s 100% metal this time, nothing but guitars, bass and drums.
I had planned to write a bit more of a proper melody, and do the dual guitar sixth interval thing, but I couldn’t think of anything to fit – so there’s only a little bit of melody in the B sections, and I don’t do 6th intervals, just octaves and 5ths.
The main guitar solo is too long – and yet another blues based solo. I really need to start practicing some other techniques, blues based solos really don’t work for metal – at least not modern metal. I also seem to be incapable of doing a nice expressive solo over a fast piece; it’s just a random torrent of notes that after enough takes coalesce into something bearable. I think I’m going to have to give myself a challenge next time – something like 10 notes to use over 8 bars, and make the best of it.

My original plan was to have the half time section followed by a repeat of the first section, and either fade, or write a real ending, but I found that it didn’t really work. As a result, I just made it stop right there – I kind of like the fairly abrupt way it ends, having reiterated the intro, but at the same time I’m not really sure it’s quite right.