Pennsylvania metacore outfit A Scent Like Wolves are set to release their overall third studio effort, Mystic Auras, out February 19th via We Are Triumphant (pre-order here). While the group recorded the majority of the album in 2019, they finalized it during the wake of the pandemic. We asked the group to compare the initial recording sessions vs. recording during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vocalist Nick Boltz has shared their overall experience:
We recorded our new album, Mystic Auras, in three separate studio sessions which spanned from March 2019 to July 2020 at Atrium Audio/Think Loud Studios in York, PA. Most of the content was recorded in the spring and fall of 2019. It was a blast to work with Carson and Grant again for this release, they are top notch producers and they really knocked it out of the park with this album. Back in October of 2019, we must have had like 10 days in a row of recording hoping that it would be released the following year. However, when the pandemic hit, we just shelved the album until we could develop a solid release plan. We didn’t want to rush it and have it be forgotten in the mess of 2020.
So, we revisited the album last July to put some final touches on it. The music world was (and still is) at a complete and utter standstill. We actually finished the record up at a different location because our producers were in the process of relocating to a new studio (the other studio shut down due to lack of funding because of Covid). I remember that last session as it was hot as hell in the room. We had to socially distance and wear masks at all times, except for when we recorded vocals in the booth. It was definitely a weird situation, but it is better to stay safe than to risk getting anyone sick. It’s difficult to be collaborative in a social setting when you have to stay apart from people. I could only imagine how this affected other bands that were in similar situations as us, luckily, we had most of the album complete before COVID-19 hit. Overall, I was glad we had the opportunity to make some more music and re-record some parts that weren’t quite up to par. It’s crazy to think that this thing is so close to being in the hands of people finally and I couldn’t be prouder of a piece of work.
