Announcement Regarding The Upcoming Album: Artwork And Tracklist Revealed, Insights Into Progress So Far, What Comes Next

Cover artwork for upcoming self-titled album, soon to be available here: http://www.aurablaze.bandcamp.com

Hello! It is an honor to finally present to you a deeper insight into what I have been laboring over so intensely for the better part of a year. As many of you are aware, I have been dedicating enormous amounts of time and effort into crafting a full-length psychedelic rock album in the vein of my initial single release, “A Glass of Tears Half Empty” / “The Crystal Ship” (available for FREE or with donation here: http://www.aurablaze.bandcamp.com).

Those of you who are familiar with the atmosphere of those songs can expect an extrapolation upon the melodic, catchy, dreamlike elements as well as experimental surrealism and the avant-garde. It is my vision to synthesize these otherwise contrasting aesthetics into a cohesive body of work that has a vitality of its own and which resonates at the depths of the consciousness of the listener, catering to the unseen spiritual magnetism of nostalgia, dreams, love, pain, sexuality and beauty. When the finishing touches have been applied and the rough edges have been smoothed as tastefully as possible I am confident that the album will be successful in accomplishing this.

The track list for the upcoming Aura Blaze debut full-length (release date TBA) is as follows:

1. White Lotus Chakra Blossoms in Pranotthanic Euphoria
2. A Glass of Tears Half Empty
3. Life is a Lucid Dream
4. It’s a Ride
5. Resonance
6. Gold Sparkle Sun Design
7. The Velveteen Valleys
8. Sub-Earthen Patchwork Torus
9. Third Path
10. Glorious Perspective from the Apex of the Kundalini Staircase

As the recording and production process nears completion it should be noted that the exact order of the songs as they will appear on the album is subject to change depending upon the overall flow of dynamic energy throughout the work as a whole as well as the quality of the transitions between one song and the next. That said, the above list is as near to what I believe to be the most optimal order for the songs, with consideration to their yet unfinished condition.

Save for a small handful of guitar layers and drum edits on a couple of songs, the instruments have been completely tracked and a significant portion of vocals have been recorded. Besides completing those tasks, the remaining production process will consist of final mixing sessions and mastering, the latter of which I plan to hire the services of a professional mastering engineer to handle (though I mastered A Glass of Tears single-handedly, I would prefer to have an experienced professional handle the mastering duties as the science behind it is something I am still in the process of learning.)

Aside from the aforementioned production responsibilities that lay ahead, the actual manufacturing of physical copies of the album (ideally in a variety of mediums including vinyl, CD, cassette, digital download, etc.) is another obviously immense undertaking that will require a great deal of personal financing as well as the enlistment of a network of trustworthy design specialists capable of meeting the needs of the album as they arise.

As of now, Aura Blaze is not signed to a label, thus the responsibilities of getting from A to B in regards to bringing the album from a collection of audio and image files into an actual physical product rely solely upon me. Since this is the case, I would at this time like to ask all of you for advice, especially fellow indie musicians, as to who you have worked with in the past to release your albums, how you were able to raise the necessary funds for doing it yourself, who you know in your network who might be able to offer their services to any aspect of the production/manufacturing process such as additional graphic design, CD replication, vinyl pressings, audio mastering, promotion, marketing, etc.

Your help and insight is very much appreciated at this critical time in Aura Blaze’s history and I sincerely thank all of you for your time and interest in my creations. Stay tuned for upcoming clips and previews as well as a few surprises! I am very excited to finish up this piece of psychedelic art and get it out to you as soon as possible in the most exceptional quality that I am able.

With peace, love, and utmost positive vibes,

-Rhode Rachel