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Diabolical Tales Trilogy Soundtrack Compilation!

For those of you existing in the digital-download-realm of music purchasing, I've been making my compositions available from a variety of films and projects at Bandcamp.  You can purchase music there from me and also all of the Cthulhu/Loveacraft oriented music is available for digital download or CD at HPLHS's store.

The most recent release is a 3-cd soundtrack trilogy for the Diabolical Tales series that I composed betwen 2005-2007.  More information can be viewed at: http://www.diabolicaltales.com/

Information on the series is as follows:

Diabolical Tales is a six-part, sci-fi/comedy short film series produced by Cosmic Control Productions. Each film follows the continuing adventures of the heroic FBI Agent Cooper (played by Brian Bedell) and his efforts to save the United States from evil men from within the earth. The series presents a fictional alternate history based around conspiracy theories that involves some notable figures from the recent world history, yet has very tongue-in-cheek dry humor based partly around the low-budget limitations the series was obviously produced with.
Diabolical Tales was written, edited and directed by Brandon Kane, and produced by Kane and Don Gerron. The original score is by Troy Sterling Nies. The sound design is by James T. Rieder. The visual effects and animation is by Don Gerron. The first three of the six installments were filmed simultaneously. Diabolical Tales: Part I has a running length of 42 minutes and was completed in 2005. Diabolical Tales: Part II has a running length of 47 minutes and was completed in August 2007. Diabolical Tales: Part III runs 54 minutes and was completed in September 2007.
Inspired by low-budget sci-fi films, comic books, and fantasy pulp fiction of the 1950s, Diabolical Tales: Part I, Genesis of the Men From Within The Earth, is set in November 1952 just days after the first secret tests of the H-bomb. Rookie FBI Agent Cooper and his partner Agent Thompson are on a stakeout when they encounter a mysterious man dressed in a black cloak. Minutes later, Agent Thompson has been vaporized by the villain's "electro-incinerator" and Agent Cooper has been stunned unconscious. He is teamed up with a cryptic US government agent known only as Operative-132 who works for the newly formed National Security Agency. Together they set out to put the stops on the evil Zong, a saboteur who hails from an ancient, hidden underground empire called Agartha.
Diabolical Tales: Part II is set in December 1954, two years after the events of Diabolical Tales: Part I. A group of evil hench-women, led by the partially deaf arch-villain Zerg (Sparky Schneider), are sent up from their underground fiefdom to capture the Sapphire of Agartha, a mystical relic that was stolen and handed over to heroes Agent Cooper (Brian Bedell) and Operative-132 (Mike Larose).
Diabolical Tales: Part III is set in July 1955, and picks up with Agent Cooper as his wife Kate (Rachel Knutton) is kidnapped. Meanwhile, the evil men from within the earth, this time led by the cunning and maniacal Zerrath (Brian Van Kay), launch a two-pronged attack against the 'surface-dwellers' in an effort to retrieve the still-missing Sapphire of Agartha and conquer the world. The events that unfold will solidfy Agent Cooper's destiny.

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The Whisperer In Darkness Title Track

The Whisperer In Darkness Title Track

Take a listen!

The Whisperer in Darkness Soundtrack by Troy Sterling Nies now available!

The Whisperer in Darkness Soundtrack

The Whisperer in Darkness Soundtrack brings you all the magnificent orchestral score from the HPLHS filmThe Whisperer in Darkness. Available both as a CD or instantly downloadable MP3s. Troy Sterling Nies, whose tremendous compositions have delighted fans of the HPLHS' motion picture of The Call of Cthulhu and Dark Adventure Radio Theatre, brings listeners into the thrilling soundscape of a 1930s style film.
The Soundtrack features the music as originally written by the Mr. Nies (and Nicholas Pavkovic who contributed one track to the score). The music is performed by the seldom-recorded Arkham Philharmonic Orchestra. If you enjoy the music in the movie, you will want to have this recording on CD.
The Whisperer in Darkness soundtrack is available as a digital download, featuring high quality MP3 audio files and digital cover art. Download it, unzip it and feed it to your iPod or other MP3 player!

CLICK HERE TO HEAR EXCERPTS AND TO ORDER!

CD AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE MARCH 1st

at least 5 years in the making...

The Whisperer in Darkness DVD

Written in 1931, H.P. Lovecraft's iconic genre-bending tale of suspense and alien terrors is brought to life in the style of the classic horror films of the 1930s like Frankenstein, Dracula and King Kong. Using its Mythoscope™ process — a mix of vintage and modern techniques — the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society expands on Lovecraft's original tale while still bringing you unparalleled authenticity.Horror and science fiction collide in the adventure of Albert Wilmarth, a folklore professor at Miskatonic University, as he investigates legends of strange creatures rumored to dwell in the most remote mountains of Vermont. Wilmarth’s investigation leads him to a discovery of horrors quite beyond anything he ever imagined, and ends in a desperate attempt to escape the remote New England hills with his life and sanity intact.
The studio that brought you The Call of Cthulhu now presents one of Lovecraft's weirdest tales as a feature-length talkie starring Matt Foyer as the intrepid folklorist, Albert Wilmarth. Celebrated television and stage star Barry Lynch plays Henry Akeley, supported by an ensemble of outstanding actors. Shot on location in New England and in Hollywood, The Whisperer in Darkness brings Lovecraft's intense imagination to vivid life in the style of the 1930s.

$24.50
CLICK HERE TO PREORDER!

This Deluxe Two Disc DVD set includes

• The Whisperer in Darkness (103 minutes, black and white) with 5.1 surround sound
• a commentary track with the film's producers
• subtitles in twenty three languages
• a replica prop newspaper clipping about the Vermont flooding

Disc Two features:

• a delightful and revealing 47 minute Behind the Scenes documentary
• seven documentary featurettes showcasing special effects and filmmaking techniques
• numerous deleted and/or extended scenes
• strange bonus features we cannot even describe
• all Whisperer in Darkness trailers

As Lovecraft fans span the globe, The Whisperer in Darkness is subtitled in: Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Euskera, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazilian), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.

...the most compelling proof to date that there is a way to bring H.P. Lovecraft to cinematic life... It's great fun.

The Stranger, Seattle

You are about to encounter what very well may be the single most successful H.P. Lovecraft adaptation ever to lick fear across a screen. Whisperer arrives like shadows out of time, a discovered relic from another dimension. A genuinely scary film and a hellishly great time.

BloodyDisgusting.com

Format: NTSC, Region 0 (region free), Black & White (special features in color with sound), widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions; feature film in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound.

THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS on DVD and BluRay SOON!

FROM THE HPLHS website:

The DVD of Whisperer is nearly done and will be available around December 1. We've been working really hard to pack the DVD with special features, behind the scenes footage, technical featurettes, deleted scenes, and things so very strange and delightful we dare not elaborate on them here.

A BluRay version is in the works and should be available early in 2012.

The Whisperer in Darkness WORLDWIDE!

The Whisperer in Darkness is now screening worldwide!  Read about the locations here.  Watch for a screening of TWID in your area!

Special Sneak Preview screening of The Whisperer in Darkness

FROM THE PRODUCER OF THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS:  ANDREW LEMAN!


Friends and Fellow Whisperers,

The special Sneak Preview screening of The Whisperer in Darkness is one week from tonight, and tickets are now available online through Fandango and the Bigfoot Crest Theater's web page. Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell the world! The screening is open to the public, and it will be a great chance to see this movie the way it was meant to be seen. Let's share and enjoy it!

You'll find the link for tickets at http://www.fandango.com/bigfootcrest_aacpa/theaterpage

Hope to see you next week!

The Whisperer in Darkness: COMPLETE!

Mixing stage at 20th Century Fox studios.

So the final phase of wrapping up the movie is now complete.  Mixing of the audio including dialogue, sound effects and score were completed at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles, CA earlier this month.  Our Audio Engineer was Erin Rettig, an A-list audio engineer, who has worked on recent film projects including, The A-Team, upcoming Jack Black's Gulliver's Travels, X-Men: The Last Stand, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and a plethora of other big-time flicks.  We are privileged to have him handle our audio on this film.  

HPLHS held a special TWID screening last night at three different times for cast & crew at Theatre Banshee in Burbank, CA. 

Excerpt from HPLHS website: This month the movie will premiere at the SFF-Rated Film Festival in Athens Greece. The next screening after that will be in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the Belfast Film Festival on April 1st. In April we have screenings lined up at the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam and the CPH PIX festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. Yes, we'll be screening it here in the USA too, but as these festivals were the first ones to leap on it, they lined up the first screenings. Naturally, we're very excited to share the movie with an audience.

I've had several inquire as to when the soundtrack will be released, and as of now, I do not have a set date.  That said, I can assure you that one will be available eventually and I will keep you apprised here. You can also check www.cthulhulives.org for any updates and related products.

For more information, visit the HPLHS TWID blog.

New Whisperer Trailer

I've been remiss in updating the blog - what has been occupying my time?  Composing the score for upcoming feature film, THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS and also working towards my Master's as a Physician Assistant at the University of North Dakota.  Quite the juggling act indeed.  The score is all but complete with some adjustments to be made here and there, but it will be completed by the end of January and ready for the post-audio team to mix it all up and give it that final sparkle.  In the meantime, if you haven't seen it already, here is the new and improved trailer:

The Whisperer In Darkness - new trailer

I just recently returned from another recording stint in Los Angeles.  I've been back and forth from Los Angeles working as set-recordist, audio designer and set-Paramedic for this film (whew! that is a lot of hats now that I type it!).  Now that we're in the final stages of editing, my role as composer for the film begins.  After I have a 'mock-up' score that I will have created in my studio, I begin the process of enlisting musicians.  Once an ensemble is formed, we then begin recording them performing the music for the film.  Exciting and busy times are ahead!  

Enjoy!

The Whisperer In Darkness

So I spent about a month and a half running around the U.S. (from ND to Los Angeles to Vermont and back again) as part of the production crew for the upcoming 'The Whisperer in Darkness'.  If you haven't checked out the blog over at HPLHS, I recommend you do so! ( http://www.cthulhulives.org/Whisperer/twid-blog.html
 )
All of the crew wore numerous hats during the greater part of the principal photography session.  My function was primarily as set-sound recordist.  The duties included recording dialogue of the actors, whether through using hidden microphones in their clothing (lavaliers) or my Boom operator ( Robyn Heller - Los Angeles unit, Barry Lynch - Vermont unit) would capture audio with the microphone while I monitored and mixed it to the camera.  Robyn and I also spent a good deal of time at Universal and Warner Brothers, sorting through furniture, props and other set-dressing materials.  It was great fun.  I also exercised my paramedic skills on several occasions for minor incidents on set.

I'm back home in the studio now and all of the above mentioned experiences have inspired me greatly.  I am currently working on music sketches for the score to the film.  When I receive segments of the film, I'll start composing to picture.  As of now, I have a lot of still shots from the set that I am using to get a feel for the instrumentation I will use.  Invoking a mysterious aural accompaniment to the film will be a great challenge and I look forward to it.

Because this HPLHS production has sound and dialogue, a film composer has to find a balance between dialogue, sound effects, ambiance and music.  I can tell you from being on the set, the actors' performances were astounding and coupling music with them will be extremely rewarding.

As I am writing now, there are several principal photography scenes that need to be shot.  I anticipate going back out to assist with those soon.  Follow along at the blog linked above for more frequent updates than I publish here.  When I start to score the film and begin to work with orchestra, I will be posting more frequent updates and, possibly some video links.  Stay tuned!

2009 BSC Rising Star Alumni Award

I recently had the honor of being selected for the 2009 Bismarck State College Rising Star Alumni Award. The award ceremony was held May 14, 2009 with a dinner and program. Much to my delight, Arlene Gray (my piano teacher of many years) did an introductory speech for me. I was also asked to do a short acceptance speech. It was an incredible night, sharing that moment with my mentors, friends, colleagues and family. I shall cherish the memory. I've included the video below along with the program in pdf format. Thank you BSC Alumni Association - and to all of my mentors, friends, colleagues and family.

2009 Rising Star Alumni Award Brochure

Fischgaard Film Festival

I've recently been collaborating with Aberdeen, South Dakota-based production company Labyrinth Films.  Labyrinth Films is run by Shaun O'Connell (director) and Matt Klundt (DP).  I've worked on (2) 48-hour film festival creations along with a third short and am currently working on a film short as well.  Recently, we participated in 'Fischgaard 2009' a 48-hour film festival-style filmmaking festival in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  

In a 48-hour film festival, you basically have 48 hours to write, shoot, score and edit a film.  The entries are then screened at the festival and various awards are distributed.  In past years each team would randomly select their genre from a hat, a line of dialogue was issued and was to be used somewhere in the film as well as a character and prop.  This year, they mixed things up a bit.  Genres were thrown out and, instead, a line of dialogue from a famous film was drawn.  That line of dialogue was to help determine the thematic material of the film.  It could be literal, figurative, symbolic, whatever interpretive take you wanted to execute.  Ours was from SUPERMAN, 'fighting for truth justice and the American way.'  The result was a tongue-n-cheek look at an individual doing his part as a citizen and living the AMERICAN WAY to the best of his ability.  The result was as is linked below - and we won best film!  Of course, I scored the film within the 48 hour block as well.  Labyrinth Films was a hive of activity during those 48 hours - it's certainly a wonderful exercise - I'd recommend participating to any filmmaker or anyone part of a filmmaking team (composers, this is a true test of the "I needed it yesterday!" scenario).

AMERICAN WAY

Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Shadow Over Innsmouth NOW AVAILABLE!

The Shadow Over Innsmouth CD

You want to know what the real horror is, hey? Well, it's this—it ain't what them fish devils have done, but what they're a-going to do!

Cover artwork by Darrell Tutchton ©2008

Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Shadow Over Innsmouth brings Lovecraft's tale to life as it might have been adapted for radio in the 1930s. In the style of The War of the Worlds, The Shadow and our own At the Mountains of Madness,The Dunwich Horror, and The Shadow Out of Time, Dark Adventure Radio Theatre dramatizes HPL's story with a huge cast of professional actors, exciting sound effects and thrilling original music by Troy Sterling Nies (composer for The Call of Cthulhu). Discover what fate has in store for you as you delve into this cherished tale of ichthyic horrors.

In addition to the full 77 minute radio drama on CD, you'll get these carefully made props from the story to enhance your listening experience:

• A clipping from the New York Evening Graphicdescribing the government raid on Innsmouth

• A genuine matchbook from Innsmouth's historic Gilman House Hotel

• A souvenir postcard from the Newburyport Historical 

• A souvenir postcard from the Newburyport Historical Society with a picture of their prized Innsmouth tiara. The illustration was created for HPLHS by noted fantasy artist Keith Thompson

• A hand-drawn map of Innsmouth on the wrapping paper of the First National grocery chain. And yes, it really is "scratch-n-sniff". Ew.

And of course it's beautifully produced and packaged with the same deranged attention to detail that you'll find in other HPLHS products. Maybe even a little more than usual.

In a hurry? Don't want the props or a CD? Click here for the downloadable MP3 of the show. Or click here for info on our deluxe Innsmouth Combo.

FREE BONUS: Some of our friends overseas have asked if we'd provide a script to the show, so they could read along as they listen. We love the idea of people learning English the Lovecraft way. Free download coming soon!

---

Price $19.50

Above: the CD, matchbook from the Gilman House hotel, a postcard of the Innsmouth Tiara, a page from the New York Evening Graphic and a scratch-n-sniff map of Innsmouth (mmm, cod).

Ascension - Video Game Soundtrack

Richard Whitwell of Decklin's Demise asked me to score his upcoming PC RPG, ASCENSION.  Ascension harkens back to the vintage PC RPG style paying homage to Bard's Tale, Wizardry and Ultima RPG game series.  I've been working on the score for some time now and will be nearing completion soon.  Game release is early 2009.  A game soundtrack release will occur shortly thereafter.  In the meantime, enjoy some samples from the game soundtrack:

Ascension - Exploring

Ascension - Guard Room

Losing an Icon: R.I.P. Richard Wright

Pink Floyd was and always will be my favorite band.  My dad raised me on a number of bands while I was young including Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Tangerine Dream, Moody Blues and many others.  Pink Floyd always impressed me the most.  Through my years of musical development, playing in rock bands and the like, it was Pink Floyd that also inspired me most.  Rick Wright was my keyboard hero through highschool and college and into present day.  Of course, Rick Wakeman was also high on the list, but Mr. Wright always mesmerized me with his choice of sounds, keyboards use of piano and so on throughout the albums.  Probably my most favorite tunes by Floyd also include Rick Wright singing lead or sharing lead with Waters or Gilmour.  The tune that immediately comes to mind is 'Echoes'.  His voice always added a very day-dream-esque quality which I believe help define their signature sound.  

When I learned of his passing, I immediately had to listen to some Floyd and I must admit, shed some tears.  

A friend of mine and I had always hoped to see Pink Floyd in concert.  When they held their Division Bell tour, we did everything we could to attend and eventually secured two second row tickets for their concert in Minneapolis (1995?).  I may not remember the date clearly, but I will never forget the concert and doubt I will see another concert remotely of the same magnitude.  

Over the years that followed, I was pleasantly surprised to see Wright's solo album 'Broken China' and his later appearances with David Gilmour in concert and his recent album, 'On an Island'.  Wright sings backup (and is easily heard) on the tunes on the hammond 'On an Island' and 'The Blue' (hammond and vocals).  Both of which give me chills.

And then, ultimately - when all hope of Pink Floyd reuniting had all but vanished, they appeared on stage for Live 8 - I watched - stunned - and then wept with join as they played.  And now, as I write this and think of Mr. Wright's passing - I'm finding it harder and harder to hold back the tears and vanquish the lump in my throat.

Wright had recently completed touring with Gilmour on his 'On an Island' tour - I just picked up the 2 disc CD and am holding off to listen to it until I have a blocked-out uninterrupted chunk of time.  Yes, I take listening to anything Pink Floyd or incarnations thereof that seriously.  As the 2 disc cd release has every song from 'On an Island' and many of Pink Floyd's earlier tunes - I am looking forward to hearing it a great deal.

According to some sources, Wright was working on an album and there's a possibility of it being released in instrumental form.  I will most certainly purchase this.  I'm assuming Guy Pratt (bassist for Pink Floyd projects after Waters exit) will have a large hand in it as he is married to Wright's daughter, Gala.  

I owe a great deal to Mr. Wright.  His part in Pink Floyd has greatly influenced me throughout my creative and waking life.  There are few artists in this world that I feel have actually improved  my quality of life.  It may not be a physical thing that can be measured, but many a moment in life has been underscored and enhanced by the sound of Pink Floyd and Rick Wright's ethereal keyboard presence.

Thank you Mr. Wright.  I'll miss you.

Richard Wright (28 July 1943 - 15 September 2008)

Quotes from the members of Pink Floyd in regards to Wright's passing are listed below:

(from wiki)

Also - on Sept. 23, 2008 David Gilmour played Pink Floyd's 1968 song, 'Remember a Day' - in memory of Richard Wright.  It is notable that this piece had never been performed live before:

In Search of Lovecraft world premiere at H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival!

I've just received word that IN SEARCH OF LOVECRAFT, a feature film that I scored last year, will receive it's world premiere at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.  The festival is in Portland, Oregon at the Historic Hollywood Theater.  More information on the festival and tickets are available at the link above.  I'm in the process of finalizing the film score CD to be available for purchase at the festival.  I'll be happy to sign your purchased copy at the festival!  See you there!

Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: Behind the Scenes

One of several upcoming projects that I am composing music for is Dark Adventure Radio Theatre's third & fourth episodes: 'The Shadow out of Time' and 'The Shadow over Innsmouth'.  An interesting 9 minute video of 'behind the scenes footage' can be viewed at the following link.  More information on the D.A.R.T. series can be found here.

More information and release dates to follow soon.  

Also, help support the creation of new music by purchasing some of mine at the Snowcap Store above.  Signed CD copies are available for purchase by contacting me.  Help fuel the muse!

Diabolical Tales Trilogy now available to surface dwellers

Diabolical Tales 1,2 and 3 are now available for purchase as a complete DVD set to all surface-dwelling beings.  

Produced by Brandon Kane and Don Gerron - COSMIC CONTROL PRODUCTIONS

Original Score by Troy Sterling Nies

Click here to purchase.

Click here for official DIABOLICAL TALES website.

FULLY MASTERED SCORES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE SOON...

***WARNING***SPOILER ALERT****

DIABOLICAL TALES 1: Genesis of the Men from within the Earth

November 1952.  The United States of America.  When rookie FBI Agent Cooper has a near-deadly brush with a mysterious man dressed in black, he is selected to team up with a cryptic U.S. Government agent known as Operative-132 on a top-secret investigation called Project AGARTHA. (Not rated, 42 minutes, Black and White, 2005)

Inspired by low-budget sci-fi films of the 1950's, this epic schlock/comedy series begins with DIABOLICAL TALES: PART 1 

DIABOLICAL TALES 2: Vengeance of the Men from within the Earth

December 1954. When FBI Agent Cooper and Operative-132 recover a mysterious relic from the underground civilization of Agartha, the evil Master Zun sends a new emissary of doom to the surface to retrieve it. (Not rated, 47 minutes, Black and White, 2007)

DIABOLICAL TALES 3: Betrayal of the Men from within the Earth

July 1955.  When the evil men from within the earth kidnap his wife Kate, FBI Agent Cooper is pitted in a race to find the Sapphire of Agartha and save the entire world.  Meanwhile, the maniacal Zerrath has started his own evil plan to conquer the surface of the earth. (Not rated, 54 minutes, Black and White, 2007).