WHILE HEAVEN WEPT Triumph: Tragedy: Transcendence: CD/DVD

[CruzDelSurMusic]

Available on pre-order now!
RELEASE DATE: 19/11 WE SHIP 12/11 !!!

Recorded live at the Hammer Of Doom 3 Festival in Würzburg, Germany on February 6th, 2010 "Triumph: Tragedy:Transcendence" features a diverse setlist representing every album and era of the band.
Masterfully mixed by Chris Salamone and WHW mainman Tom Phillips, the band's signature "wall of sound" is completely intact and bolstered by the energy from an amazing audience.
Classic While Heaven Wept material is completely reborn with singer Rain Irving's soaring vocals and the band's penchant for improvisation recalls the spirit of 70's Rainbow resulting in a very special event captured by Germany's Streetclip TV team.
"Triumph:Tragedy:Transcendence" is released as a limited edition CD/DVD set. Both the audio and video programs feature stellar sound quality and the video is a gorgeous professional multi-camera recording as well. Besides the whole show (with one extra track!) the DVD also features a 20-minute interview with Tom Phillips amd the band, plus bonus live footage of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT.

CD TRACKLIST:
1. Vast Oceans Lachrymose 04:22
2. The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3) 06:41
3. Soulsadness 06:30
4. The Drowning Years 04:30
5. Of Empires Forlorn 07:02
6. Vessel 06:53
7. Thus With A Kiss I Die 19:10

DVD TRACKLIST:
1. Vast Oceans Lachrymose 04:22
2. The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3) 06:41
3. Soulsadness 06:30
4. The Drowning Years 04:30
5. Of Empires Forlorn 07:02
6. Vessel 06:53
7. Thus With A Kiss I Die 19:10
8. To Wander the Void 06:40 (BONUS)
9. Interview 19:56
10. Rehearsals 1 01:17
11. Rehearsals 2 0:56
12. The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3) 06:39 [Pittsburgh, 8th Jan 10]
13. Soulsadness 05:53 [Pittsburgh, 8th Jan 10]
14. Thus With A Kiss I Die 15:46 [Pittsburgh, 8th Jan 10]

[Neudi]

Kaufen!

[Ignitor Supreme]

Both the audio and video programs feature stellar sound quality

Clipping on all songs and an offical dynamic range of only 7 because of extreme compression are not what I consider stellar sound quality.........

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed folder: While Heaven Wept-Triumph-Tragedy-Transcendence - Live At The Hammer Of Doom Festival\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR8 over -10.51 dB 01-Vast Oceans Lachrymose-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.48 dB 02-The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3)-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.51 dB 03-Soulsadness-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -6.87 dB 04-The Drowning Years-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR7 over -8.15 dB 05-Of Empires Forlorn-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.49 dB 06-Vessel-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR7 over -8.36 dB 07-Thus With A Kiss I Die-While Heaven Wept.mp3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of files: 7
Official Dynamic Range value: DR7

T:T:T is just another casualty in the loudness war as far as sound quality is concerned.

[Neudi]

I usually would agree, but it is different with live-recordings. There´s a sound/noise level which is permanent. So your analysis is only good for studio recordings

[Tom WHW]

Both the audio and video programs feature stellar sound quality

Clipping on all songs and an offical dynamic range of only 7 because of extreme compression are not what I consider stellar sound quality.........

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed folder: While Heaven Wept-Triumph-Tragedy-Transcendence - Live At The Hammer Of Doom Festival\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Filename
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR8 over -10.51 dB 01-Vast Oceans Lachrymose-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.48 dB 02-The Furthest Shore (Parts 1-3)-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.51 dB 03-Soulsadness-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -6.87 dB 04-The Drowning Years-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR7 over -8.15 dB 05-Of Empires Forlorn-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR6 over -7.49 dB 06-Vessel-While Heaven Wept.mp3
DR7 over -8.36 dB 07-Thus With A Kiss I Die-While Heaven Wept.mp3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of files: 7
Official Dynamic Range value: DR7

T:T:T is just another casualty in the loudness war as far as sound quality is concerned.

Perhaps if you actually bought the album instead of listening to some crappy 3rd generation mp3's it would be more clear that we did not push the volume as you claim, and there is also no clipping at all. Even the promo mp3's are crap and misleading in that there are not cuts/breaks between songs. Plus they are 3 masters prior to the final master.There is no online representation that comes close to the actual final result.

[Michael@SacredMetal]

Agreed!

The sound on this release is breathtaking!!

[Neudi]

Normally I am the one who hates the mastering these days, but I would never find the time to analyse those CDs I don´t like.

The WHW-release has dynamics in the way the song can deliver them (silent parts, loud parts). In case of WHW there are two guitars and a keyboard. Plus drums, bass, vocals. There is lot of signal during each song from each part of the band. And that´s a part of their style. Most of the dynamics in their music come from the songwriting itself. At least this is my opinion.

We have worked with that audio for many weeks as we (streetclip) did the DVD. There was no clipping at all. If we would have noticed clipping, we would have informed the band to check it again. But there was no need because Tom from WHW is more than just a musician. He is also a music fan and I know that he is not into that overproduced stuff of these days. In fact he could give you lessons in worldwide 70s rock...

Music is always a matter of taste but technically this release is perfect.

[rapanzel]

I also love the sound on this recording. But Tom, I have a question. Did you do any vocal overdubs on that one? I'm just asking because I can remember, that on that evening, the vocals on "To wander the void" were different from what is on the record. No big deal at all, but I was just wondering!!!

[Ignitor Supreme]

I usually would agree, but it is different with live-recordings. There´s a sound/noise level which is permanent. So your analysis is only good for studio recordings

I checked some other live cd's pre-dating the loudness war (for instance Decade of Agression by Slayer) and they really do have a much higher dynamic range.

Top tracks "War Ensemble", bottom tracks "Vessel".
Please don't take my word for it, try it yourself, you can download the TT dynamic range meter for free here: http://www.dynamicrange.de/sites/default/files/DR-Meter%201_4a(1).zip

Perhaps if you actually bought the album instead of listening to some crappy 3rd generation mp3's it would be more clear that we did not push the volume as you claim, and there is also no clipping at all. Even the promo mp3's are crap and misleading in that there are not cuts/breaks between songs. Plus they are 3 masters prior to the final master.There is no online representation that comes close to the actual final result.

I did buy the cd/dvd. I ripped the cd myself with Exact Audio Copy and encoded it with Lame. I analyzed not only the mp3s but also the original wav files. There is definitely more compression on this cd than there needs to be, which really is a pity because I really like the songs. It's not nearly as bad as "death magnetic", T:T:T does sound okay but it could have been better.

[Tom WHW]

I usually would agree, but it is different with live-recordings. There´s a sound/noise level which is permanent. So your analysis is only good for studio recordings

I checked some other live cd's pre-dating the loudness war (for instance Decade of Agression by Slayer) and they really do have a much higher dynamic range.

Top tracks "War Ensemble", bottom tracks "Vessel".
Please don't take my word for it, try it yourself, you can download the TT dynamic range meter for free here: http://www.dynamicrange.de/sites/default/files/DR-Meter%201_4a(1).zip

Perhaps if you actually bought the album instead of listening to some crappy 3rd generation mp3's it would be more clear that we did not push the volume as you claim, and there is also no clipping at all. Even the promo mp3's are crap and misleading in that there are not cuts/breaks between songs. Plus they are 3 masters prior to the final master.There is no online representation that comes close to the actual final result.

I did buy the cd/dvd. I ripped the cd myself with Exact Audio Copy and encoded it with Lame. I analyzed not only the mp3s but also the original wav files. There is definitely more compression on this cd than there needs to be, which really is a pity because I really like the songs. It's not nearly as bad as "death magnetic", T:T:T does sound okay but it could have been better.

Interesting. All I can say is I was present for the initial phase of the mastering process and was very adamant about avoiding clipping as well as pushing things into the extreme...it is possible that there is some distortion present, but the question is whether or not it is desirable or not...in the end, honestly I did not hang out at the studio for the last 3 weeks during which further masters were created...perhaps that was a mistake, but on the same token, I also haven't listened to the final CD yet myself, only the DVD. Ultimately, the ambition of the engineer was to insure everything translated on every possible system from a cheap boombox to heavy duty 5.1 systems...and in that regard I believe we were successful.

Regarding the compression issue...do consider this whole thing was recorded under less than ideal conditions...we didn't wheel in the Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Unit obviously...and let me be clear that this isn't a fault of Streetclip or anyone else...the stage was set up for a live performance only...not for a live recording...there were vast amounts of bleed all over the place...in the overheads, any open microphone, even through Scott's guitar mic which apparently fell off axis at some point...not to mention the bleed into the vocal mics. Essentially everything that was done, was in fact necessary to some extent. Of course there were also adjustments being made at the mixing desk on the fly too...especially when the amp blew out...this wasn't an easy album to mix that is for sure...and in some ways harder than "Vast Oceans Lachrymose".

All that said, your feedback is ulimately appreciated, as it will help us with future projects...sorry that this end result isn't your cup of tea, but we cannot satisfy everyone either...there were however many great strides forward with this recording that will affect the results of everything that follows. Anyway, again, thanks for your insights...I'll pass all your results on to the engineer.

[Tom WHW]

I also love the sound on this recording. But Tom, I have a question. Did you do any vocal overdubs on that one? I'm just asking because I can remember, that on that evening, the vocals on "To wander the void" were different from what is on the record. No big deal at all, but I was just wondering!!!

There were a handful of vocal overdubs that I insisted upon...any instance where there was monitor feedback from the vocal microphones for example...most notably in parts of the 1st verse & chorus of "Shore", the 1st chorus of "Soulsadness", and passages in "Void"; once the tracks hit the compressors the feedback became earsplitting - literally obliterating everything else musically, and that was of course unacceptable. We also pushed Michelle's vocal tracks forward in the mix compared to that evening, as a matter of personal preference.

I also had Scott record his parts for "Soulsadness" (the song when his amp blew out) for consistency and balance...however, despite the fact he played the entire song, I only used his harmony parts on the heavy sections to insure the meddling was minimal.

Otherwise, there's all sorts of fuck ups and issues that we left alone...all of which make me cringe, but it is what it is...it's just the aforementioned issues I made the call to resolve as I felt they were necessary and "minimally invasive".

[rapanzel]

I also love the sound on this recording. But Tom, I have a question. Did you do any vocal overdubs on that one? I'm just asking because I can remember, that on that evening, the vocals on "To wander the void" were different from what is on the record. No big deal at all, but I was just wondering!!!

There were a handful of vocal overdubs that I insisted upon...any instance where there was monitor feedback from the vocal microphones for example...most notably in parts of the 1st verse & chorus of "Shore", the 1st chorus of "Soulsadness", and passages in "Void"; once the tracks hit the compressors the feedback became earsplitting - literally obliterating everything else musically, and that was of course unacceptable. We also pushed Michelle's vocal tracks forward in the mix compared to that evening, as a matter of personal preference.

I also had Scott record his parts for "Soulsadness" (the song when his amp blew out) for consistency and balance...however, despite the fact he played the entire song, I only used his harmony parts on the heavy sections to insure the meddling was minimal.

Otherwise, there's all sorts of fuck ups and issues that we left alone...all of which make me cringe, but it is what it is...it's just the aforementioned issues I made the call to resolve as I felt they were necessary and "minimally invasive".

Ok, thanks for the information

[Acurus-Heiko]

The DVD has a very nice qualitiy. The steeo sound is wonderfull. To work with some overdubs is ok. You did a great job. Hope to see you in Germany again. WHW is the world's best Metal band.

[Cromwell]

The DVD has a very nice qualitiy. The steeo sound is wonderfull. To work with some overdubs is ok. You did a great job. Hope to see you in Germany again. WHW is the world's best Metal band.

You really ought to consider paying Hammer of Doom V a visit.