Triptaka - Second War

I've got a movie screenplay running around in my head. The story's not entirely developed, but it involves two warring factions of vampire clans, a Romeo and Juliet story, young, hip and incredibly dark. The film will slice through dark, misty city streets, deep into smoky underground clubs and sex shops, twist through rancid drug houses, brutal street fights, violent sex scenes and death.

It may take me a while to get the script complete, but one thing that's ready is the soundtrack. I got the good people of Triptaka to thank for that.

Blending the industrial crunch of NIN with the progressive experimentalism of Tool, throwing in some odd touches of God Lives Underwater, the dramatic tension of Rammstein, and a hint of Linkin Park, Triptaka manage to transcend their influences, creating a dark, grinding industrial prog that's just screaming out to be used in my film.

Here's how it goes down. The movie starts off in the bowels of an underground bar, cigarette smoke billowing from darkly painted female lips. Strobe lights flash in incongruous sequences while the first pounding bass chord of Triptaka's lead song "Suspended," belts out through the sound system. By the time the heavily distorted guitar rips through the mix, bodies fill the dance floor, undulating in the delirious electro beat the music creates. The chorus soars, flying on the breathy with just a hint of gruffness vocals of Graeme Cornies. James Chapple keeps the partiers entranced with thick synth fills while guitarist Dave Kelly lays on the thick slabs of distortion.

"Lost and Leading," sets the stage for my sex scene, a throbbing, pulsing song that bleeds sensuality. Across an undulating, sporadic bass line, our male and female leads melt their bodies together, twisting to the raw sexuality of the beat. Candles flicker. Bodies coat with sweat. "Second War," shoots us into the first chase scene, a raw, pounding, polyrthymic explosion of computerized drums, sci-fi synths and spasms of massively distorted guitar. Our hero, loses the girl, screaming in anguish as the chorus blasts in "I wanted to take it all/Oh, God, I need it all." Dark, fierce and heavy.

"Tamed," is a song of rebellion, our hero fighting back against the forces conspiring to destroy his life pounded out against an incessant double drum line and guitar crunch, before the beautifully performed bass breakdown. After the slower, lament of "Mother," the story rips back into it's most violent fight scene with " Slow Burn." After intro strains of synth and scattered guitar, the passion roars in, riding on the back of the ripping guitar chords and pounding drums. This song will accompany our hero as the races through the City, dipping in and out of darkened alleys and misty streets, searching for the gang that's captured his love. This song is a ripper, building in intensity, the drumming growing more fierce, the guitars angrier as it reaches the blast of a chorus. "You feel so fucking right/You see no other side."

All of which leads to possibly the best track, "Falling Down," a Tool-esque slab of distorted guitar. The perfect song for our final fight scene, leading to the death of our hero's love, cradling her lifeless yet still beautiful body in his arms to the somber "Don't You Think it's Time You Let Go?"

Now if all that seems a bit much, check out this album. These guys have created an aural film, a sweeping, powerful, incredibly dark and deeply visual musical journey. And one thing I gotta say; I rarely ever mention production or packaging in a review unless they're terrible. Here, it's just the opposite. The album is so perfectly produced and the artwork and CD insert so professionally done, you'd never know this was a self-produced project. The sound is full, lush and heavy, never thin or tinny which would have ruined the whole album. It is just a beautifully created package. For all you unsigned bands that read the Ripple, I'm including the recording/art links below because this is how your product is supposed to look and sound.

Take notice, world, Triptaka have arrived soon to come to a movie theater near you. Now, I can't wait for their next CD (hopefully on a major label), me and the Triptaka boys got another film to write.

--Racer



www.myspace.com/triptaka
www.music.download.com/triptaka

Recording: http://www.voodoohighwaymusic.com/
Artwork: http://www.inersouster.blogspot.com/
CD design: JesseFrankling@2dogsONEbone