The State of the Album

I've been doing a lot of work on tracks for the new album lately. No secure title for the disc yet, but I'm toying around with calling it "The Bastard" to go along with the naming convention of the first two.

Here's what I've got so far:

Shatter - This is a heavy, straight-ahead rock song with huge guitars. The arrangement is basically done, save for the bridge.

Killing Time - A 70s rock style song, with drums that depart from my usual 80s "big sound." The arrangement is close to finished, and I'm starting to work on vocal ideas. I need to add a few more elements to the mix.

She Plays - A lower-key rock song with throbbing feedback and synths in the background. I've got a verse and chorus, but no bridge or outro.

Take 30 - An off-kilter song from my recording sessions for The Solomon Project. It needs some work, but I'm liking it so far.

Sick Like Me - The verse and chorus instrumentals are done on this track, which I recorded before I started doing The Shivers. It's very dense.

Waiting For The Rain - An instrumental bit I arranged a few years back. I really like it, despite its simplicity, and I think it might sneak onto the disc as a bonus track.

Only In Your Dreams - This instrumental was recorded for The Solomon Project, but I never really finished it. I'm thinking of writing some new changes and fixing it up.

Halo Black - This one started with lyrics, and I have a rough arrangement, but nothing final yet.

Friends Like These - I wrote the riff for this song in an afternoon. I like it, but I'm not sure it will ever see the light of day. But maybe...it's a really cool riff. More melodic than my usual.

Serial - I have been meaning to finish this song since it was part of the original lineup for The Solomon Project. It sounds like a kick in the face, and I think it's time to record a bridge and outro and write some new lyrics.

...and beyond that, there are a dozen or more demos lying around that might suddenly explode into finished tracks. Plus the songs I haven't written yet.