CALL TO ARMS for all vocalists !!!
(06/23/2007)

Video:
FS3 - an early inside look - HD (128MB)
FS3 - an early inside look - small(40MB)

Hello everyone,
for a while now I have been hinting at who might sing the new Frameshift album. I have approached a few candidates who I thought would fit the material perfectly, but sadly I never even heard back from them. No "thanks for asking, but I have no time", no "I would like to but sadly I hate your writing", no "uh, yeah, would like to, but NO"...none of that, simply no response. This happened with a few singers and I am very sick of it. I have had it with "big name" singers and their attitudes. One doesn't have to be a big name to sing Frameshift, one simply has to be a great singer. Juan Roos has clearly shown on Credit Where Credit is Due that he doesn't have to hide behind James LaBrie and Sebastian Bach and that, in some respects, they could even learn something from him. Fuck the names I say, let's go for quality only, not name recognition. I'd be damned if we couldn't make a Frameshift album that makes the first two sound embarrassing with a little known (or totally unknown) vocalist.

So, I am opening the gates for anyone who thinks they can step in the footsteps of James LaBrie and Sebastian Bach.

Now, you'd be aksing yourself if you are good enough for this. The answer to that is simple: I don't know and neither do you. You have no clue what I am looking for and although I have a rough idea of what I like, I can be surprised rather easily. So, take a chance and let me hear what you can do.

I don't care if you are male or female or how old you are. However there are a few things that are required in order to make sure we get along and make a kick ass album. Since Frameshift is all about the vocalist there are A LOT of vocal parts to be done and they consist of many things that will already have been written as well as parts I'd like to hear your input on. So, creativity and being able to take directions well are both important. Here's a little checklist for you and if you have a problem with either of those points, you are probably the wrong person for this project:

1. No Rockstars crap
Frameshift is all about the vocalist. You will be the featured artist on this album and it's all there to make you shine. That means you are already the star. So, leave the rockstar attitude and bullshit at home. Big inflated egos should be deflated BEFORE entering the studio. I don't care if you are a big star. If some of you who are reading this are already established singers with a big track record I am not opposed to having you be the new singer for Frameshift, but it doesn't score you any more points. This album will be an "equal opportunity" production...that means ONLY quality counts.

2. English
I am kinda picky about pronounciation and it is important that you "singing" english is flawless. However, I coulnd't care less about you speaking and talking voice.

3. Payment
I am doing this album on my own. There is no label attached to this. I don't want this anymore. Not yet, maybe not at all. This means that the sales numbers for this album will probably be rather low. We'll see about that, but I don't promise much. You'd have to really WANT to do this for the fun of it and the challenge. Frameshift has been a challenge for the first two vocalists (their words) and so it will be for the next. I'll push you to the limits of what you can do and in the process we'll have loads of fun and we'll get on each others nerves...but at all times we'll treat each other with respect. If there is money in it for you, it will come later and not upfront, sorry, but I am not a bank and this music does not pay well.

4. Religion
The topic of the new Frameshift album is a tough one and it would help a lot if you are an atheist. In case you do believe in some kind of intelligent designer, dark lord, witches, the easter bunny or the flying spagetti monster you have to be able to leave those beliefs outside and sing things that imply ridiculousness of those beliefs or even get close to insulting those who believe them. This album will be ANTI-religion, ANTI-deity and ANTI-theology. Do NOT mistake this for the typical "metal" thing with pentagrams and stuff like that...these things will be attacked in the same way. Anything supernatural will have to make way for reason.

5. Availability
Tracking a Frameshift album takes about two weeks, so you'd have to be able to make this amount of time for the sessions.

6. Rock, Metal...blablabla
Please do not think that because the first two vocalists come from the Prog/Metal/Rock world that this is what I am looking for. You could sing in a completely different style and I might still think that we could make an amazing album. Trust yourself.

7. Autotune & Melodyne
OBVIOUSLY I would prefer the submissions to be unaltered. So, the cleaner the voice is the better. I'd love to hear some stuff just with acoustic guitar or piano. I do understand that not everyone has stuff like that. In case your material has been "autotuned" or "melodyned" please be honest about it and let me know how much work has been done on it so that I have a rough idea of how much I would have to do.

8. Jack Black
In case you are Jack Black, you are IN!!!
Why is that? Because Jack Black is famous? No, clearly not. The whole media hype would actually piss me off more than I would enjoy it. The reason why he would be perfect is because of his unstoppable passion for music. If you don't know what I mean watch "Pick of Destiny" and listen to him sing. Him and Kyle Gass stand there with just acoustic guitars and FEEL the music. He LOVES the notes and his body and voice show it. Even in the studio (I watched the behind the scenes) he doesn't let up... he is always in the music and it is NEVER clinical. He doesn't have to do music...he's got enough money and probably could get enough acting jobs to be safe for life. He does it because he needs to get the built up notes out, he just HAS TO rock. Some might find it comical but I absolutely admire the passion and that is what I am looking for.
The same goes for Trey Parker (South Park) who is one of my favourite songwriters because he also shows that kind of passion for music. Trey, if you read this, you're in.

So, wether you are a female alto, soprano, tenor or a male alto, tenor, contratenor, bass of what the fuck ever, let me hear what you can do.

If you got this far down on this page you are obviously OK with the points above. As I said, I definitely want to hear your material and things you ahve done in the past, but for those of you who want to go the extra mile (which is really not necessary), here is one of the new songs. You can download it and track your vocals on a actual song that will be on the album. That way you get a feel for what the music is like and I can hear what you would do with the material without any input from me. Don't be scared, if what you do sucks then it sucks...can't hurt anybody. It's just music, there is no punishment for being suboptimal...as long as you are having fun it's all good.
So, get to downloading and track some killer vocals on that...mix it down and send it over. Feel free to do whatever you think is right....backings, harmonies....WHATEVER.

FS3 Test Song - 224kps MP3

In case you haven't heard Frameshift before, which isn't a prerequesite at all, you can hear some samples here:
from UNWEAVING THE RAINBOW (with James LaBrie)
Cultural Genetics
The Gene Machine
La Mer
Message from the Mountain
Nice guys finish first
Off the Ground
Spiders
Above the Grass 1
Above the Grass 2
Arms Races

from AN ABSENCE OF EMPATHY (with Sebastian Bach)
Human Grain
Just One More
Miseducation
I Killed You
This Is Gonna Hurt
Push The Button
In An Empty Room
Outcast
Blade
How Long Can I Resist
When I Look Into My Eyes
What Kind Of Animal

I would prefer MP3 files through eMail to the following adress:

Henning@henningpauly.com

If you would like to send a CD please eMail me for my adress. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

GO...I am really looking forward to hearing you sing !

Let's crank it up !

Henning