Colds and Composing

  At least three new songs in the works, and they are sounding very good.  Now if only this cold lets me stay awake for longer bouts, I can get everything done much faster.   With the music, continued lessons, building the band's dedicated website, and gaining a new family pet, life has been hectic...but I've been use to 'hectic' for quite some time now.  It's nice for the band to work on music though.  Last Thursday felt very laid-back for us.  We gathered and tore into 'Mariner's Lullaby' and pushed into more than three seperate parts within the music.  Sara focused on the lore of the music to add her vision while Outlaw and Nightfall bounced rhythmic ideas off each other.  They work well together and as always, Outlaw's comedic banter kept everyone laughing.  So long as Dayquil continue's to do it's work, we'll keep doing ours!

 For Honor, Loyalty, and Trust!
 Knight Soul

Epica and The Last Alliance Symphonic Metal Double Hitter

   Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a moment and really thank everyone for coming to watch us play with Epica on November 24th.  It was a great show which I'm glad we were able to share it and be with so many of you!  The newest song in our line up, 'The House' was definitely an instant hook for the fans, and we loved hearing from everyone throughout the night!  Both, Nightfall and Outlaw, tossed so many picks to the crowd that we ran out of them!  And whomever has my drumsticks.... hold on to them as there might not be many more shows left that I'll be playing drums.  I'm still working on the 'live' transition where I'll be playing my keyboard instead, however it's coming along well. 

 

   While we did grab video of the show, a lot of the audio is crackling.  We're looking into the option of using a remote mic for audio recording in the future shows, but our camera man did capture some great shots both from the floor and on stage.  We're toying around with the idea of doing a 'behind the scenes' video with a release of our first music video in the future, but nothing is set in stone yet.  I'll share more once we know for sure.  We did get a couple black and white pics from the show from a friend and fan.  I'm placing them into our photo album on www.reverbnation.com/thelastalliance and to our www.myspace.com/thelastalliancemusic sites before the end of the day.  If you haven't 'friend'ed us on those sites, go ahead and do so and definitely join our Metal Mailer on our Reverb Nation site.  You'll be happy that you did!

  See you at the next show!

For Honor, Loyalty, and Trust...

Knight Soul

What happened at the Battle of the Bands, you ask?!

   It was a great night playing at Peabody's this past Sunday! It's kinda rough that we were beat for first place by a rap group (not that they were bad for their genre but they didn't have a single instrument. Instead they sang to pre-recorded loops played back into the PA. This was suppose to be a battle of the "'bands'") but we took 2nd place which was still a cash prize, a headlining future show at Peabody's, and even though we didn't nail first place, they STILL put us into the online Nationals for a shot at $25,000, and a US Tour!!

And it was great to see familiar faces at the show! Every person there (and there were a lot of people) made what we do very VERY worthwhile. It was fantastic to watch a sea of 'The Last Alliance' shirts moving in the crowd too!

Hope to see everyone at the next show. It will be announced very soon but we're going to take a small break (about a month) for writing new music (which we hope to unveil at the next show).

Remember to hit us up at http://www.reverbnation.com/thelastalliance and join our mailer (The Metal Mailer) for updates!!!!

For Honor, Loyalty, and Trust...
Knight Soul

Changing Times; Reflections Desired

   We are sill looking for just the right drummer and lead guitarist, though in the meantime, I have some great news!  While I am continuing on as the drummer for our upcoming shows, I will also begin progressing on my Keyboard through studies at the Baldwin Wallace Music Conservatory.  Also, still working on 5 songs at this time so things have been pretty busy.

   Went to see Phantom of the Opera this past weekend, too!  What a great experience!!  It was simply fantastic!

The Weekend Won't Last

   What a fantastic weekend... but sadly the joys are silently and slowly leaving, and memories of why the weekend started out the way it did slowly creep in.  I have a good friend whom will be moving away permanently, and he had come to say his final goodbye.  Mutual friends gathered.  Great food, great company... even spent the night at a buddies house whom came with me to my Church the next day.  We joked that he'd catch on fire the moment he walked in the sanctuary..  This morning, as I woke at home and took in the slightly darker parts of a dreary Monday morning, it hit me.  The week begins by my silent sadness of feeling a part of me is leaving.  And though we said it wasn't going to be the last time we will see each other, a pressing unspoken thought wedges in my mind, providing me with a sadness I choose not to word.  It is better to hope it is merely random banter bouncing around within my head.  But what if.... . .  .  .   .

Make you famous!!

Check out the band blog site at http://thelastallianceblog.blogspot.com/.

 Posted new pics of fans showing off their alliance!  Simply outstanding!!

New Song In The Works

   Hey all!  So before this gets posted anywhere else, I wanted to give everyone the 'teaser' heads-up.  I have started another song which you will be able to hear first on www.reverbnation.com/thelastalliance when it is near completion.  Plus we are so close in releasing The Journey as a good final mix and Necromantic Recollection will be hitting both the Reverb Nation site and our MySpace site soon!  Thank you all for your continued posts and feedback on our sites.  It keeps all of us in The Last Alliance going everyday.

   Plus we still have a spot open for the Lead Guitarist position and Drummer position in our drive to place North America on the maps for the Symphonic Metal genre!  Try outs are still taking place so if you are in the Cleveland, Ohio area and want to join us, message us at TheLastAllianceMusic@gmail.com.

   Hope everyone had a great weekend and a Happy Father's Day! 

P.S: Cookouts in the woods ROCK!!   Plus met up with some past friends!

Birthday

So today is my Birthday, though this is going to be only place I reveal such information openly. It's not that it's a well kept secret, but rather that I tend to celebrate it quietly. Looking back this past year, I can see how wildly life has thrown me around. Friends whom were distant re-appeared back in my life. And family relations seem strengthened. For each bitter moment, there have been just as many (if not more) moments of established accomplishment. Like a fine masterpiece heard for the first time, there are emotions of greatness and of turmoil found within the blending chords of creativity. Though this thought is seldom appreciated - and often overlooked - ...the greatness of one is cherished due to the understanding of the other. Thus, it brings me to the reason I write the words which you are reading now...




It may be my Birthday, but I celebrate what has transpired in my life - by music - but through you. How many times have we opened our Myspace or Facebook accounts only to find them there; the myriad of advertisements of bands and bandmates trying to promote themselves (because in their defense, that is what the industry has come to). Truthfully, until I found myself within a band, I would get annoyed and frustrated more often than not. But, through the dedication and devotion of my bandmates, their family, and good friends, I've come to realize that there is a calling greater than I had at first believed. I've found that music can develop bonds and strengthen pacts which may have been lost. I've found that there are those whom I can call 'brother' in this world who are family to me by Metal, and that bond is the truest bond that exists. I've learned that even at my weakest point, a driving riff and the right chorus will allow me to stand where others fall.... and this year, I've witnessed how powerful it can be when the music you develop brings together the strong, the proud, and the brave. It is in that time.... when you look out from the stage, just before you're about to cut into your first song... you see that there is a bond which everyone takes part in. And the second right before the guitar grinds it's distorted sounds... before the sticks fall hard and crack upon the drum heads.... before time itself realizes that it has been stopped - just briefly - for a moment to make it all a memory....



.... there is you. The reason we want to share what we create in the band.... the reason we practice.... the reason we create.... the reason we set aside so many other avenues to an otherwise standard life which we almost forcibly leave behind. You are the reason. These words.... are for you. You will find no advertisements at the end of my post. No band plugs... No subtle prompt to visit another site.... All you will find is appreciation. No matter if one....ten.....or hundreds read this, you are all a damn good reason to continue doing what I (and all of The Last Alliance) will do for this next year....and with hope... many more to come.



For Honor, Loyalty, and Trust,

Knight Soul

Practice Makes Perfect...

Practicing the keys again. Pretty much have Lyrics For a Love Lost down, and High Tech Electronics should have sent my drums back (minus my Hi Hat pedal) so we are ago for the Cleveland Music Festival.

Sadly, heavy thoughts weigh on my mind. Time will tell if this proves to be a good thing (as I tend to write and create deeper pieces in such moments) or if it turns out to be a negative event. I have hope (which I didn't have about 8 hours ago).

A Chaotic Mind...

My eyes wish to shut and offer up my chaotic, rampant mind to a world of slumber. With only a few minutes rest between hours, final preparations have been made for today's meeting with a possible band marketer. I'm both excited and tired, which is proving to be a conflicting combination. For now, I await whichever shall take hold of me first. For by either way... I am left to imagine what dreams may come.