ValveDriver
Not every song requires vocals
Portland, United States
Joined : 25th Sep 2012 - 13 years ago
Last Online : 7th Nov 2025 - 1 week ago
Comments on ValveDriver tracks
Other users have posted 490 comments on tracks by ValveDriver
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
Its cool for me also to see others taking interest in your music bro. So, please keep them coming!
As far as the vocoder goes; No. I didn't use one. It's just a generous amount of LFO, envelope filters and added effect manipulations. Like chorus, distortion, dimension expanders, frequency shifting, etc. A lot of the times, with a good waveform a decimated distortion on the cutoff and resonance can give it a vocal effect, too.
Even though heavy metal is so deeply ingrained into my life that it may as well be part of my DNA, I still love doing this synth stuff because of all of the tweaking of knobs, and shifting of frequencies, the creating. It's the sound design more than the music really. It's like the equivalent of a painter inventing new colors.
"Its cool for me also to see others taking interest in your music bro"
Of all the comments I've received on my tracks, that is quite possibly the most meaningful. Thank you sir.
I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right. Others taking interest. After being (mostly) absent for so long, there are a lot of new "faces" that don't have any idea who Valvedriver is. It's like starting over. Which is okay. I can shed some of that notorious infamy! HAHA!
As always, my friend, it's good to hear from you. I always look forward to it when I put up something new. Even if there are tracks that never existed that might have rap in it, but don't, because Valvedriver would never do that. Ever. It doesn't exist.
Eric, take care, man.
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd by ValveDriver
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
As far as the dark atmosphere, there was a time when I was known here for being "the dark one". I mean, no one ever called me that...thank god. But in reference to music, that's what I was associated with.
I don't know if you ever listened to the first Labyrinth Of The Absurd or not, but if you like this one as much as you do, you will probably like that one just as much.
Thank you again for your extremely kind words. It's encouraging.
Take care.
Valvedriver
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
I'm glad you liked it. I agree that too many producers rely way too heavily on a limiter. Louder isn't always better. Unless you're at a Cannibal Corpse concert. Then it's pretty awesome. But as far as this kind of music goes...clipping is not an instrument!
If you haven't listened to Part 1, give it a whirl. It's different than this, but also very similar.
Thanks again, man. I truly appreciate it.
Take care.
V.
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd pt 2 - Pain Has A Face by ValveDriver
I'm surprised at this direction compared to your other works, it shows versatility, cool track, fun to listen to, keep digging up old stuff or make something new, I'll probably listen to both.
Yes. Treating the dubstep sounds as an instrument is very important. I've heard a LOT of dubstep that should have never been let out of it's cage because the mix was so uneven and just blasted to it's fullest levels. If used properly, the dubstep sounds can be really freakin' cool. In "Velvet Highway" (and other tracks off mine), I used them as accents and enhancers in he background to really push the main instruments forward.
This direction is actually the original starting sound of "Valvedriver" I've taken down a lot of my older work to make room for the newer. Most of what you've heard is the new direction. Even though I am a die hard metal fan since 1986 when it first got walking legs, (Like, everything from Metallica to Cannibal Corpse, and Slayer to Nile) I still love to do the synth based darker shit, too. I enjoy the tweaking and sound engineering. More so than actually making the music.
Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment.
Take care.
on Overmyth I - Inception Of The Truth by ValveDriver
All three were fun to listen to. I see you are making some new stuff after a pretty good gap. Looking forward to it.
If you ever want to collaborate, I can go the death metal rout all day, and my drummer's nickname is "makes everything metal." He'll do double bass on a ZZTop cover :)
on Overmyth II - Cathedral Of The Witch by ValveDriver
Overall awesome job, love the double bass, I wish I could shed my bias as a guitar player and quit with the qualifier "good for VSTs" because blind study I may not have been able to tell (especially when you use both), and it shouldn't matter as long as it sounds good.
If it was me, I would put an EQ on the master and scoop the mids a little more, but once again that could just be my ears or stereo, and I am no expert.
Another thing to consider is to EQ all three parts of the Trilogy together, then render the separate pieces, to make the production consistent between them (unless you have 50 tracks, which you may).
Bass sounds good, nice and clean in my sub, no mud.
Great track, like the more aggressive sound.
If I ever get to a point where I put my work on respective albums, then I will definitely be mastering accordingly. But for now, I'm streaming on Looperman and Soundcloud where people don't really listen to more than one track, more than one time.
Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment. I apologize for the extremely late reply. None the less, I appreciate your input.
Take care
V.
on In The Dreams Of The Damned by ValveDriver
I'm sure it's healthy to go "outside the box" for a while (since the question for metal for 5 years has been "but does it Gent?").
You've got the VST work down so I say go weird or go home, especially when you keep ending up over 7 min, just call it prog metal :)
on Overmyth III - Conquering The Bathelyst by ValveDriver
I'll end up listening to the rest of them, great track. I feel lazy making my tracks in 2-6 hours (I have to set my own time constraints), but I'm a perfectionist too and would have never finished my first track otherwise.
on Velvet Highway by ValveDriver
I'm trying to expand my soundscapes and you seem to have no problem doing so. Keep up the great work.
Now, as far as automating the frequencies, there are a few ways I do it. Very rarely with hardware knobs. Right now I don't have a space set up for any hardware, so...that's not really an option.
Most of the automation I can program right in the VST using envelope filters.
in some cases, like the intro to this track, I used the Fruity parametric EQ2 preset "20hz + 18khz cut" and then assigned an automation track to the 18khz from low to high.
Check out some of my other work for more examples of automation. If you have any more questions about how I do things, please, feel free to ask. I'm always willing to share.
Take care.
V.
on Velvet Highway by ValveDriver
Man this was a much welcomed surprise for me this morning. Mondays, especially after a long weekend, are usually a bitch here at work and today was no exception. We had a nasty storm here over the weekend and voltage spikes and power outages added to the drama getting my production lines running this morning. So after after much chaos and confusion I made it back to my office and settled down at my desk with a cup of coffee. Upon noticing the Looperman email from ValveDriver, I knew things were about to take a turn...for the badassery.
I keep a pair of ear buds here at work and even though they aren't all that great I had to sample the track straight away. It definitely put a smile on my face hearing those familiar synth tones reminiscent of "No Salvation", the epically wicked world debut and my initiation into the world of the"ValveDriver" ! This track, much like No Salvation, has a great industrialized vibe to it. It easily creates images of machination strewn across a dark and remote landscape. Is is some Other-Worldly realm, an alternative reality or maybe the dark side of our consciousness? The lyrics suggest maybe a dream state or sub-conscious connection.
I really enjoy music that allows me to use my imagination and adds that other dimension to the listening experience. The droning nature of the synths, subtle dubstep wobbles and groaning saw bass all combine for a great brooding groove as this progresses. I really like the mid section here, almost an interlude that depressurizes or backs off the intensity as you bring in the vocal. Very cool structuring. As mentioned, this track is a complete return to the nucleus for you and even though your later tracks are certainly more mainstream metal, these electronic variables are still way cool and still deliver the gut punch that turned us all on to the ol' ValveDriver in the first place.
So, yeah, of course I dig it bro. And thanks for putting a little (Blackhole) Sunshine into an otherwise typical crap shoot of a Monday morning.
As much as I love the Northwest, they just don't have shit for storms out here.
I always kept a pair of shit earbuds at work too. Technically we weren't supposed to use them in the equipment, but when you're sitting in the cab of an old Peterbilt, doing 10 mph, driving in what is essentially a big circle, spraying water on a road where the dirt is the same consistency as talcum powder...you need some fuckin' Cannibal Corpse or Nile to maintain sanity.
As far as this track goes, I like the direction it went, but I'm afraid I could have done so much better. But, with the life changes over the last 5 years, it's left me feeling a little lackluster in the creative department. That and I just haven't had the time to really sit and fully submerge into a piece. I'm hoping that with this next chapter of life that I'm about to begin that I will have the opportunity to really dive back into it. This track was mainly for the purposes of pushing through and getting one done that can at least pass as finished.
"...has a great industrialized vibe to it. It easily creates images of machination strewn across a dark and remote landscape."
After working in a steel mill for nearly 2 decades, the sounds and rhythms kind of ingrained themselves into my existence, and it kind of comes through, I guess. The next track that I'm working on is full on machine. I'm using the same VST's but I'm making patches that sound like machinery. Along with those, I'm using and manipulating recordings of actual industrial sounds.
In fact, I think I'll go work on that now. See if I can break this...rusty cage....of a creative block.
Take care, Eric. We'll chat more soon.
Aaron
on In The Dreams Of The Damned by ValveDriver
Thank you for taking time to not only listen, but to comment as well. And with such kind words.
If you enjoy the darker atmospheres in my work, I suggest listening to my track "Labrynth Of The Absurd". It's labelled as Dubstep, but only in the sense that it has some wobbly bass and a 140 bpm.
Again, thank you for the kindness.
Take care.
V.
on Velvet Highway by ValveDriver
Steven
I appreciate the compliment. Your opinion has always mattered a great deal to me.
With respect, take care.
Aaron
on Velvet Highway by ValveDriver
A cordial greeting
Thank you, with great appreciation, for taking time to listen and time to leave the kind words,
Take care.
V.
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
All the riffs were built, by me, one note at a time in my FL piano roll. All of the drums were mixed and built one hit at a time to go with each riff. Same with the bass and acoustic guitars.
It can be done!
Thanks again, for taking time to listen and comment.
Take care.
V.
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
Thank you again.
Take care.
V.
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
Thanks again for the kind words.
Take care.
V.
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
Very well put together.
Take care.
V.
on Labyrinth Of The Absurd by ValveDriver
on Onward Toward Golgotha by ValveDriver
It is great quality and I hope to one day make muzic that is as well mastered as this, so crisp and attentive to the detail of the sounds...I love the transformers, I can imagine this being a part of a movie soundtrack. :-)
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
Second. Thank you for not only taking the time to listen to it, but to leave a kind comment as well. I always find it interesting to know what others hear in my work. The fact that you heard Black Sabbath and Metallica is no surprise to me. Those were two of the earliest and most influential bands of my teen years. You may not hear it, but there's even some Pink Floyd in there. Some of the Old Timer Loopermen that are familiar with me and my work may pick it up. They know that I'm a Floyd Junkie..
Anyhow, again, thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the track.
Take care.
V.
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver
I couldn't understand why there wasn't a comment by me on this from last year. Then I remembered that I probably did a big review on Facebook. Still well worth listening again to this massive mossterpiece.
First 1:30 is a bit noisy but that's OK. And then the badassery makes itself known and takes over from the somewhat Celtic previous stuff. Slightly reminiscent of Led Zep's folkier stuff, which then gets totally smashed out of the way.
2:38-2:44 I could have done with a fat kick but it's a stylistic choice to do without.
2:58 swing your hairy heads, metallers! And then get widdling on your air guitars.
Nice organ (ic), Floydy break after that. Back to the forest from the huge mountain.
4:48 that's the fat kick I was referring to before (when it wasn't there).
6:24 fukcin' badass skullcrushery!
7:05 haha to that widdly guit fiddlin!
7:20 saving the best riffs to the end. Nice stops and space.
Wicked guitars throughout. Maybe as I don't really play anymore I should just Shreddage it up. Nah, real playing's always better. Unless you can do this.
Mountainous congrats again. Badass bear music!
on Moss Mother Part 1 - Sun by ValveDriver