The foundations of what would become Halo began some time in 1999. While being influenced by the works of Biohazard, Anthrax, Marilyn Manson, and alternative rock, I knew that I wanted to get into music but knew very little about it outside of what little I learned in Junior High band class. I did however have a penchant for writing, and most of it was poetry. After repeated listenings of Marilyn Manson's album "Mechanical Animals", I started to write the initial draft of "Digital Soul". It mostly, from what I can recall' was about the merger of man and machine. I had revised it twice and created a second version, or sequel if you will, of the piece. These had been updated from time to time, as I continued to find myself spiritually.
In 2000, the influence of Manson's work continued to press me to write darker, heavier, and more scathing pieces in concerns to what are now somewhat unfounded ideals of spirituality. Ultimately "Digital Soul" was revised again, this time after becoming familiar with the work of A Perfect Circle. This where the draft moved from harsh to somewhat melancholy. This was also the time when my research into Azrael began.
In 2001, I had relocated to Texas and was introduced to a great deal of new music. It was in this year I became a fan of Dido, Poe, KMFDM, and started to listen to classical music. My horizons were being broadened, and with that, my poetry shifted to being more lyrical and cynical. By this time, I had become quite content with the spiritual route I was going to take in life, so "Digital Soul" was transformed into "Machina". The drafts of Digital Soul however have been completely lost in a major upgrade performed on my computer. It was also during this time that "Knowledge", "Cancer", "The Failure", "Azrael", and "Temptations" were first drafted.
In 2002, the full effect of KMFDM and Nine Inch Nail's work had taken place with my writing. My listening of music started to become more focused on between the lines of the songs. Creatively, I was still a newbie, but the work that I've done was quite masterful. I finished what I knew what I wanted to be my first album. The title "Halo" had come from a song of the same name by an English artist named Texas. The title track, Halo, was written about salvation in the wake of the event a year before. Alas, I failed to take notice on the most important factor in a album's creation, becoming music literate.
As I've dabbled in music in the years after finishing "Halo", I've decided to get started on the album. In 2008, I started drafting ideas of how I wanted it to sound like, as I kept updating the lyrics, all seemed to become quite clear...this was officially shite. The music didn't seem appropriate for the material, frustrations compounded, and ultimately "Halo" was shelved.
In 2009, after trying to restart my creative engine, I soon realized what I had to do...research. It was also in this year that the Australian EBM band Angelspit had posted "Blipverts" (video clips of inspiration, simply). After taking cue from what was said, I started to reformulate my work and get back to "Halo". After an encounter with Angelspit's Zoog Von Rock, after the KMFDM/Angelspit show, I had asked questions about composition. In a matter of speaking, he said KISS (keep it simple stupid) when coming up with ideas, "keep what works and ditch the rest". That did the trick. Three weeks later, I had a new vision for the album. Nine months of recording, editing, deleting, revising, listening, recycle, "Halo" was finished.
After eleven years, a single concept, gave birth to an entire album. "Halo" is my most proudest crowning achievement that I have ever made. Something I gave blood, flesh, sweat, and tears for had come to fruition.
Now, I share with you the product of much of my toil, "Halo".
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