Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore is out, and it is plenty of enjoyable. However, one factor you might not have observed as a participant or a far-flung spectator is that progressive steel band Periphery labored alongside Digital Extremes on a particular visitor observe for the replace. All of it suits throughout the rock band vibe that got here with Temple and the brand new defence mission.
However how did this truly come to be? How did Periphery find yourself working with DE on Techrot Encore, and what went into creating the observe? To search out out, I despatched over a number of inquiries to Periphery’s Jake Bowen and Mark Holcomb, in addition to Elliot Coleman from Good Tiger who labored alongside the group on lamenting the Days.
VG247: How precisely did this collaboration come about? When did work begin on the observe?
Holcomb: It got here collectively very organically. I’ve identified Megan, Rebb, and Steve since 2016 or so, and we had all the time mentioned doing one thing collectively. Jake and I frolicked with them at a Periphery gig again in 2024, and that’s when the wheels formally began turning on this challenge. We started engaged on the observe in earnest in the course of the summer season of 2024.
Bowen: Now we have been mates with the Warframe staff for some time, and it got here up fairly casually, I believe. It simply began as a “Hey, wouldn’t it’s cool if we collabed?” and it simply began to coalesce from there. I do know they had been engaged on a music/guitar-based character and had been searching for a band which may be capable of contribute music and seek the advice of on what the character’s “sound” may very well be.
Coleman: Jake initially reached out to me to gauge my curiosity in working with them on an authentic music for the sport. The three of us have labored on music collectively previously, so it was a no brainer for me. The three of us have nice chemistry!
VG247: How lengthy did you must make this new music for the Warframe 1999 replace?
Holcomb: We got the chance of getting months of runway to complete the music, however Jake and I met at his place in Jersey Metropolis to get the majority of the music written and recorded solely in a pair days. We spent months tweaking afterward, and that allowed us to have the Warframe staff bounce concepts and options off of us in no hurry, with a purpose to mildew the music even additional into one thing they felt match their imaginative and prescient.
Bowen: I don’t know a lot about online game improvement however it appears to me that you would be able to’t make a online game, a lot much less a online game on Warframes scale with out numerous time and precision planning so we had a number of calls with Rebb and Megan they usually helped us lay out the plan and gave us ample time to provide you with one of the best factor we may. So whereas the majority of the music’s association got here collectively in about two days within the studio we had fairly a little bit of time to hone the observe and get it sounding proper.
Coleman: I had plenty of melodies come to my head fairly rapidly after I heard the instrumental they had been engaged on. I fired up the sport and would hearken to the music on repeat for a number of days to get a really feel of how I needed the vocals to sound.
VG247: Periphery has composed for video video games a number of instances, together with a observe for Deus Ex in 2016, the Halo 2 anniversary OST, and Homefront all the best way again in 2011! What impressed this return to the medium? Is online game work one thing the band is all the time eager to do?
Holcomb: Since our bandmate Misha primarily dealt with the music lent to these aforementioned video games, this was a golden alternative for me to dip my toes into this world. I’ve finished voice-acting in video video games courting again to 2017, however I’ve by no means composed music for one, so I jumped on the likelihood to do that with Jake and Elliot. I’m a life-long gamer, and I’d climb mountains to be concerned in that world, be it by means of voice-acting or music composition.
Bowen: The attention-grabbing factor about a few of that earlier work is that was all dealt with by one member of Periphery, Misha Mansoor, so for me this was an opportunity to actually get into that aspect of issues, I discover the concept of composing for another person’s challenge very intimidating however the Warframe staff being followers of Periphery’s music gave a way of consolation as a result of not less than I do know they like this different factor I do.
VG247: What distinctive issues are there for composing for a online game relatively than making a music for an album? What does the band need to needless to say differs from the common course of?
Holcomb: I’d say the most important consideration is ensuring you’re adhering 100% to the imaginative and prescient of the developer. When Periphery data an album, it’s an absolute free-for-all in that we’re creating artwork for artwork’s sake, and precedence primary is making one thing that makes us pleased, with as few concessions as doable. For tasks like this, we had boundaries inside which we wanted to remain with a purpose to fulfill Digital Extremes’ imaginative and prescient. However that was supremely thrilling in its personal means since their imaginative and prescient was so particular and well-thought-out from the start.
Bowen: I believe the primary factor I used to be fascinated about when writing the music was “does this match inside a 1999 theme”, there was speak of concerning plenty of the extra iconic musical voices from that period, bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Deftones had been all the time in my head when attempting to provide you with the riffs. Aside from that, I needed to create a music an precise band would possibly write, Verse/Refrain/Verse/Bridge/Outro, or one thing resembling that. I even added sound components from the sport to assist it match higher throughout the recreation’s world.
Coleman: Once I’m engaged on a Good Tiger report, the general tone of the album often takes form fairly rapidly. We all know what our band seems like and what its strengths are. Engaged on this music, I had to bear in mind the imaginative and prescient Rebb and Megan had for it, and that was simple as a result of they gave nice course!
VG247: In Warframe 1999 the audio staff has established the setting firmly within the late 90’s grunge period music-wise. Periphery was based again within the early 2000’s! Can we count on a music fashion extra aligned to the band’s authentic sound, extra aligned to your up to date work, or one thing vastly totally different?
Holcomb: I believe by nature of Jake and I being in Periphery, you’re sure to get a bit extra of that fashionable steel sound, however sure, we actually tried to get that ‘90s sound captured within the music. It was a pure match since I grew up on ‘90s-era grunge.
Bowen: I believe that was the opposite half of the music’s equation, along with paying tribute to our ‘90s inspirations we additionally needed to make room for a few of that Periphery sound which may sound a bit extra fashionable. To me, that was essentially the most enjoyable a part of this challenge. I liked music from the ‘90s, so with the ability to channel that whereas doing a method that’s naturally extra present was plenty of enjoyable.
VG247: In an interview with Tuonela Magazine final 12 months, Misha acknowledged that “musical motifs and summary ideas from only a purely musical standpoint” and that the method of creating new music for you guys is basically intuitive. Was the creation course of for this music the identical? Did Digital Extremes present any pointers or necessities that made you method this music otherwise?
Holcomb: I’d say it was nonetheless largely intuitive, and it didn’t differ an excessive amount of from how I function in Periphery, however the primary distinction was the set of standards Digital Extremes laid out for us. The thought of writing a music that might really feel at dwelling within the late ‘90s was the overarching thought behind each element within the music, so we needed to throw a few of that uncooked, unfiltered thread-chasing we achieve this a lot in Periphery. However I’ve to say, it was rewarding as a result of we not often ever get to write down inside pointers in Periphery, so it was a enjoyable train in creativity.
Bowen: We’ve positively tried to constrain this course of with the rules set forth by Digital Extremes. When Periphery is within the studio, we get to name all of the pictures, and that’s plenty of enjoyable. However when somebody is asking you to write down a music for his or her online game you clearly need to be sure to’re in keeping with their imaginative and prescient and that is precisely why I discovered this course of a lot enjoyable – it made me method the writing and manufacturing another way, however it wasn’t in any respect unfamiliar. If you happen to’re a musician, you would possibly relate to this. It’s all the time scary to strive new issues and be in new musical tasks, however as soon as it will get rolling and it seems like you understand what to do, it feels actually good.
Coleman: I wasn’t given any laborious pointers to observe, however they did reference a number of totally different singers for vibe. Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, Eddie Vedder, and so on. They weren’t searching for a precise copy, so I used to be nonetheless in a position to be myself.
VG247: In that very same interview Misha acknowledged that the band would not get many probabilities to play collectively (except for excursions) as you all dwell far aside. How difficult is it to create a music on deadline with out with the ability to sit in the identical room and determine it out?
Holcomb: It positively isn’t best, however as a band, we spend plenty of time on planes and Zoom calls, haha. It wasn’t too tough this time since Jake and I had been in a position to write and organize the music in particular person, after which we had been in a position to do many of the tweaking remotely.
Bowen: It actually presents a number of challenges for the band to be unfold out all around the United States. Often, all of us will simply fly to 1 place for a number of weeks and craft what we want in that point. In the case of touring, we often will rehearse collectively a number of days earlier than a tour begins.
Coleman: One of the essential issues when collaborating together with your bandmates, or friends, or mates, is that you simply all agree that you simply’re working in the direction of the identical purpose. I’ve plenty of belief of their constructive criticisms.
VG247: Mark, you are additionally a voice actor in video video games! Can we count on your voice to pop up in a future Warframe replace?
Holcomb: Sure! I voiced Flare within the new replace. It was insanely enjoyable attending to discover that character and tread some floor I’ve by no means tread in my voice-acting profession. A large thanks to Digital Extremes for writing such an attention-grabbing, enjoyable character for this and trusting me to assist deliver him to life.
Bowen: I do know this query isn’t directed at me, however I additionally did some voice work for Warframe as a brand new villain character, you’ll be listening to some fairly brutal sounding stuff!
Warframe 1999: Techrot Encore is out proper now, and whereas Periphery’s observe Lamenting the times is not out on Spotify as of writing, you may test it out on YouTube proper now!
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