News

battlecry

deccenaryretrospective

august2005

07-14-05:

Mixing for Deccenary Retrospective completed this morning. Tracklisting will be as follows. The re-recording of "Bored" turned a lot more humorous than the original, but hopefully it'll brighten someone's day. One new track, "I'm Sorry", was written in November of 2004 and demonstrates a good balence as far as how the sound has progressed over the past 10 years. The EP moves onto packaging and I dont see any reason why it shouldn't be out by the end of August at the latest.

1. Alone

2. Perfect

3. Betrayal

4. Uncommon

5. Bored

6. Ward

7. I'm Sorry

8. Let It Be

05-07-05:

Announcement of a possible fourth album. I began writing lyrics for it a few days ago. Nothing set in stone yet, but BC is anything but slowing down.

05-04-05

Vocal recording for Decennary Retrospective started and ended with one session. My vocals flowed nicely and I was in the perfect frame of mine to do it. It came out great. So, the new EP is officially fully recorded and moves onto the mixing stages. Release of late summer absolute and this EP will be applied to college radio stations in Fargo, ND. Simply for fun. Cover artist not yet assigned though an application has been added on DeviantArt.com. Following is the tracklisting, but not in order.

Perfect (originally 1995)

Alone (originally 1996)

Betrayal (originally 1996)

Uncommon (originally 1997)

Bored (originally 1997)

Ward (originally 1997 - remix appeared on a single for 1999's "A Tear For You)

I'm Sorry (title pending - 2005)

Let It Be (beatles cover - 2005)

04-22-05:

Deccenary Retrospective.

Late Summer 2005.

More news coming.

02-23-05:

EP news: A formal decision has been made to make an acoustic EP looking back 10 years. As said in the last news entry, details are still sketchy. However, I will keep it somewhat short and not cash in. The EP, to be titled "Decennary Retrospective", will surely be out by summer. Artist for cover art and design currently undecided but I'm looking into it. The album will again feature all original songs, as I'm trying to stay away from covers the past few years. Keep ya posted.

02-20-05

I've neglected Battle Cry a bit since the release of "The Year After" I guess it just worries me a bit. So many people liked it, it went out to more people than any other album I had done. Just got spooked with a taste of success. Yes, spooked. I've never performed a live show, I don't know how the music business works, I don't have any professional experience. . . even after 10 years. When the album went off like it did I started to worry about how I was going to bring BC to the stage, if needed.

It would love to say that something has changed. It really hasn't. Success always worries me, so it seems like I almost subconciously sabotage any success. For the past 10 years, I've had one belief. I don't want it to get big. I could handle a small indie label but nationwide success would just torment me without proper leadership. I'm going to move forward with things though. The earlier radio promotion may go through and I will post an update when I find out more. However, as far as any possible live scenarios, . . . just not the point in time. I only know one musician in Fargo that I know and trust. Like I've said in the past, I'm a bit of a control freak. Adding in a natural shyness doesn't help things.

As for the future of BC, I'll continue to hand out copies of The Year After (have to make more) and that will continue through til summer at least. I have been working with a lot of acoustic material the past month. So, a possible recollective 10th anniversary thing may arrive by the end of the year at the latest. If all continues, an EP looking back 10 years to when I recorded "Perfect". Rerecordings of the SOS songs (currently unavailable) and at least 2 new songs. My version of a best of. I played with the idea of doing acoustic versions of past BC songs as well. All will be known in coming months.

01-06-05:

First ten copies of "The Year After" released on a limited edition blue cd. Only the first ten copies recieved the blue cd and all other copies of "The Year After" will be burned on your average silver cd. There now are 13 copies of the album out, with a goal of 50 (which would make it the most heard release of mine). More news coming soon.

12-29-04:

Battle Cry "The Year After" officially released. Art direction by Paula Jensen. We made the deadline :) . Available now!! Lyrics for the album coming very soon.

12-23-04:

Brian has completed a collection of photographs entitled "Collapsing" on DeviantArt. All photographs were taken and munipulated by Wardwell. Click here to view the photos.

12-16-04:

BATTLE CRY'S THIRD ALBUM COMPLETED!! Click here for more info.

12-15-04:

"The Year After" Tracklisting

1. Losing Grip

2. Fallen

3. Graveyard

4. Exploration

5. Mirror

6. The Course

7. Consume You

8. The 28th Day

9. The Year After

10. Autumn

11. Empty (bonus track)

ETA: December 24th, 2004

12-12-04:

The celebration starts to begin inside. Recording finally ceased. This time in a good way instead of all the damn setbacks (smiles). Not everything comes easy and this is the most difficult album I've made. There were so many just pain in the ass obsticles. But it prevailed finally and I move into mixing the last 3 tracks. 13 songs total including one bonus track. The album's opener, "Losing Grip" was recorded a long time back. Late 2002 actually. Nice vintage opening and then it slides into the very new sound of "Fallen". Tracklisting should appear up here either tomorrow or the next day as mixing completes. Then it is entirely finished. And a new chapter has been written. Thanks to all those that supported throughout the past 18 months, it is graciously appreciated and I can never repay it.

12-2-04:

Release: I'm going to push forward and try and finish this album up by the end of the week. Cross your fingers. My goal is to have it out by Christmas, which in a musician's time, doesn't give me much time. If not, it will for sure be released by the end of January. Keep checking back as the album is almost completed. I will also be posting my thoughts on where BC is right now and the album itself soon.

11-23-04:

"Exploration" single released.

"It really isn't a single as it's a solo recording, not a collection of versions/B-sides. This is still one of my favorite guitar riffs/chord progressions I've ever written. It was a bit obvious that it was going to be a stand-out track as it kinda has been for the past year.

The lyrics take you through a sea of uneasiness as to what everything means. In very simple terms. Having written the lyrics late 2002 while on a road trip, I was quickly proud of it and shockingly (for that point in time) passed it around the car. Unlike past BC stuff, I'm actually very happy with this song's turnout.

11-21-04:

Announcing that a "single" will be released prior to the release of the new Battle Cry album, "The Year After". Release of the song is set for late November.

11-6-04

New promotion! Battle Cry now appears with a profile on Myspace ( http://myspace.com/ ). I'm hoping this will open things up where more people are able to hear but most importantly, the new stuff really gets heard. Check it out if you wish and feel free to leave comments on the page as well (no holes barred). Thanks.

10-26-04:

Things are moving much quicker and more experimental than expected. New to the sound is a surprising addition of recording live bass. I simply did it by accident and it makes such a huge impact on the music that I was instantly hooked. So, there will be real bass guitar on the new album. Basslines should be completed within a few days and then guitar will be recorded, which is the final step before mixing and editing.

10-25-04:

Vocals now complete. Guitar recording due to start next week. A few bonus tracks to appear on the album. Details coming.

10-20-03:

Album artwork projects have begun. This time around, much like the first BC album, I'm letting someone else work on artwork. So, at least at this time, Paula Jenson will be creating the imagery for "The Year After".

10-19-04

Update: Vocal work now approx. 75 % done. When vocals are completed, guitars will be added. After the guitars have been recorded, for the first time, I'll be in the mixing stage. No BC album has been edited in that way before due to cassette recording. The title of "Limbo" has been changed to "Consume Me". Release still possible by the end of the year.

10-8-03:

The new album has moved into the next phase. With all keyboards completed, I move onto guitars and eventually vocals. This is the furthest this album has gotten, and I'm confident that it will be completed by the end of the year. By winner of the votes, the album has been titled "The Year After". Tracklisting is as follows (in no such order):

All Good Ends

The Year After

Exploration

Graveyard

The Coarse

Limbo

Autumn

Fallen

The 28th Day

Song titles are subject to change.

9-22-04:

New material? Recording has resumed on the third installment of Battle Cry once again. As I feel sometimes need their time to grow, this is the time to do the album for sure. I feel relaxed about it and basically very openminded. Some new changes and some stuff that'll stick to a previous format a little bit. Some songs from the original Decay set up will remain like "All Good Ends" , "Exploration" , and "The Coarse". While new songs like "Limbo" , "Compass", and "Song for the working man" break out a new vibe. It is difficult to see the album's point and message, but as it grows I will update. Thanks for stickin with this one.

As for reissues, they are available upon request officially though covers may be a problem as I'm having printer trouble. Computers plauging a Battle Cry project? Always ;). Take care.

7-11-04:

BATTLE CRY REISSUES UPDATE: I have finished the reissue of 02 BC. Sadly, one track had to be cut due to the albums 86 minute length. "There's No Escape" will be posted on the site for download. It really saddened me to have to cut that song of all of them as it's one of my favorites. But, as it's a 10 minute instrumental, it had to be. Reissues to be done by August 2004, I swear. Then we prepare for the new album. More news coming soon.

4-8-04:

Been a long time since there's been a news entry, but it's worth the wait. After doing the LaconicAura album and site, I took an extended break from anything musical. The first two Battle Cry reissues will be available by May 1st, 2004. It marks the first release in over a year which was Demo 2 (and was even a cover album). I've also been preparing the new album formerly known as "Decay". Release may be within the summer of 2004. Battle Cry is no longer on the backburner. The 6 month hiatus is over.

11-25-03:

Coming Soon: LaconicAura

I've been working under a different name on some totally different music. It doesn't hit on Battle Cry stuff at all. LaconicAura is entirely instrumental, and at times morbid, other times uplifting. I took a lot of time looking at atmospheres while working on LA. Nobody knew about the project as I wanted it to be untainted and not influenced. LA is just basically how I feel inside shown from a musical and atmospheric point of view rather than by lyrics or words.Website opening up soon at: http://laconicaura.tripod.com

11-18-03: Battle Cry still not in the works until early/mid 2004. It is undetermined whether or not Decay will be finished. I've totally gone away from that album because it doesn't feel like it's right at this time.

11-10-03: Battle Cry on back burner until at least early 2004. "Situations from the deaths need to be resolved before I can continue, too painful otherwise." A possible side project could be in the works though, but is not promised in any way.

10-26-03: Battle Cry on hiatus: Below is a letter explaining the situation. Please don't drink and drive as we've lost another kick ass person. Rest In Peace Matt. You will not be forgotten.

Now going through 2 deaths, I turned back to Decay with hope that things could come together. They have not, however. My perception of rhythem is off and I just can't concentrate on it like I was before. In the meantime though, I will be getting 02 BC and The Odyssey onto CD format (kindof like a reissue). There is also hours of unreleased stuff still stuck on tapes. But I guess everything is unreleased for you guys isn't it.

As for Decay, I really wanted to get this album done, but I just can't do it right now. I need to be able to put full effort into it. Battle Cry is on hiatus now, as I need to be taking time trying to put other things back together. Usually the word "hiatus" is associated with the end. The end of Battle Cry? I can't say for sure, only time will tell. As for a prediction: Recording may resume in November, but December or January is a more probable time.

-Brian Wardwell

10-14-03: Work has progressed on all songs except 3. There may be a possible bonus track or two on the album as well. Just a heads up. I'm going to take a short break while I redo my computer. Decay possibly done by the end of the year, but probably early 2004.

10-7-03: Downspell lyrics revealed. "The song is truely emotional but builds gradually. Recording coming along good with probably a small break soon. Stay tuned.

10-4-03: New site opens!! After 4 and a half straight outs of migraine punching work, it's finally done. There will be newer lyrics coming and an updated links page. Hope you like the new setup.

10-1-03: Decay is coming along smoothly with about 20% of the keyboard/drum tracks recorded. There's an audio message from Brian above, during recording (I was actually talking to myself :) ). I do want to say though that I use no sequencer for the drum tracks, they are all played live on the keyboard.

9-29-03: Decay begins recording!!

9-26-03: "We lose someone we love and cherish, while times may be rough, we have to remember the good that continues to occur around us" Rest In Peace. A site will be set up in memorial, but will take time. "The Course" added to the audio page. Your support during this time will never be compensated, thanks so so much.

9-20-03: A demo of "Exploration" has been added. It's a really soft song and the original version wasn't half as good. Things coming along smoothly so far, could begin recording the album as early as September 29th.

9-16-03: A demo of "All Good Ends" has been added to the Audio page. It's shorter than previous songs, so less download time. Pre-recording work continues for Decay and I've been reworking the songs to have an electronic element. Stay Tuned!

9-14-03: "I'm happy to announce that 'Decay' is once again moving forward. There's been some equipment problems, but I'm going to improvise and come up with something. This may not be an acoustic after all or it still could be. Only time will tell. As soon as true recording begins (just playing with ideas currently), I'll post an update.The break is over though."

8-18-03: Decay Delayed Indefinately: "I feel that my personal conflictions and situations make me unable to begin recording and putting together an album as important as this one will be. I said I'll be a perfectionist on this one. That includes me knowing when I can put myself into it, and when I cannot. The site will be updated as usual, but recording will be held off. I'd still like to begin recording by the end of the year."

7-29-03: Decay Recording Delayed: "Due to personal conflicts as well as equipment, Decay will be postponed. I don't see the delay running more than a month though"

7-23-03: Decay co-producer announced: Tony Hagen, who also did some work on Demo 2, will be helping Brian with recording. "He'll be my little helper hehe"