Final Conversation of Kings

Last updated

Final Conversation of Kings
The Butterfly Effect - Final Conversation Of Kings Cover.jpg
Studio album by
The Butterfly Effect
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2008
RecordedMay – June 2008 at The Grove Studios, Oasis Studios, and Gold Coast Studios [1]
Genre Alternative rock, progressive rock [2] [3]
Length42:38
Label Village Roadshow Music
Producer Forrester Savell
The Butterfly Effect chronology
Imago
(2006)		Final Conversation of Kings
(2008)		IV
(2022)

Final Conversation of Kings is the third studio album by Australian Alternative rock band The Butterfly Effect. It was released on September 20, 2008. The album was the band's first foray into a more progressive rock sound, and their last for 14 years, until 2022's IV. The album's first single, "Window and the Watcher", was released on a few weeks prior to the album's release on September 6, 2008. "Final Conversation" and "In These Hands" were also later released as singles. The album was generally well-received, debuting at no. 3 on the Australian Music Charts and receiving positive reviews from critics, who praised the more progressive nature of the album's sound.

Contents

Background

Tension between band members had started as early as the recording sessions for the band's prior studio album, Imago . During this time, the band's then-producer Joe Barresi almost cancelled the sessions due to the animosity amongst members. [4] Most notable of the problems was the clashing of vocalist Clint Boge with the rest of the band, who resented Boge's drunken behavior, which they felt was having an adverse effect on the band, most notably upsetting people "high up in the music business". [4] The band managed to complete the album, and even have it find success, with it debuting at no. 2 on the Australian music charts. [5] Despite the success, tensions did not ease, with Boge and band co-founder and guitarist Kurt Goedhart not speaking to one another for the entirety of their six-week tour with American rock band Chevelle. [5] These tensions would resurface and affect recording sessions for the Final Conversation of Kings as well.

Writing and recording

The band began writing material for the album during the Imago touring cycle, though only lightly, as the band felt their best material was generally not created while on the road. [1] Between 15 and 20 songs were written prior to entering the studio with the band following their typical process; Goedhart would present a basis for a song, the band would collectively add their input, and then Boge would add the lyrics and vocals. [1] However, this time around, bassist Glenn Esmond also provided the basis for a few tracks. [1] The writing process spanned a year and a half; while the track "Rain" was written 18 months prior to recording the album, "Window and the Watcher" was written four weeks prior to entering the studio. [6]

Contrary to the writing process, which exceeded a year's length, the band was limited to six weeks of recording time in the studio. [6] The band entered the studio at the beginning of May 2008, and had through June of the same year to work on the album. [1] The band spent five weeks on initial recordings at The Grove Studios, focusing on recording drum and bass parts and preliminary guitar and vocal takes, and then one and a half weeks at Oasis Studios recording additional vocal and guitar parts. [1] The band worked with Karnivool and Dead Letter Circus collaborator Forrester Savell on both pre-production demos and as a producer. [1]

The limited time in the studio led to continued tensions between members. Compounding the problem was a lack of agreement with the direction of the album. Goedhart referred to the album content as "misaligned" and "mismatched", due to disagreements between members on which tracks should make the album. [4] The album's opening track, "Worlds On Fire", was a common point of contention. Boge threatened to leave the band if it was not included on the final track list, when other members criticized the song for sounding too much like a Muse song. [4] Esmond also stated that it had originally been two separate tracks, and that once it was turned into a seven-minute track, he had envisioned it as the album closer. [7] The band settled on its being part of the album, but instead as the opening track, as they felt it gave "a grander feeling of intent" when placed at the beginning. [7] Goedhart admitted he wished the band had had another two months in the studio, so they could have either reworked the track "In These Hands", or had time to finish another track to replace it and remove it from the album altogether. [4]

Themes and composition

The album's lyrical themes are centered around the idea of "conflict". [6] [7] Esmond stated that the band's original intent wasn't to write a concept album, and Boge said that he didn't write the lyrics as one, but that he could understand how one could interpret it as one. [6] Goedhart explained the album title's origin, and its connection with the album's message, stating:

...we were looking for an interesting word much like what we did for the last record with Imago. Then Glenn came in with this word from a Latin phrase which some how translated to the Final Conversation of Kings. And the translation was really cool, so we decided to keep it. And it also had a nice ring to it too. Its meaning relates to "going to war". It is that final conversation where they can't resolve it and so the next step is war. The general thing with the record relates to conflict, that is the overall theme of the album. It is applicable to so many situations from the individual to something on a global scale." [1]

Esmond later admitted that he actually had intended for the album to be literally titled after the respective Latin phrase, "Ultima Ratio Regum", but that the band members preferred the English translation, Last Conversation of Kings. [7]

Esmond described the album's sound as "the final chapter of what we started with Imago, we explored that progressive sound". [8] The album marked the band's first attempt to use outside musicians and instruments outside of the guitar, bass, and drum set up. [6] The band recruited several studio musicians for the album, including Bob Shultz to play trumpet, Tyrone Noonan for piano, and Will Eager for vibraphone; though in all instances, the instruments were used to create a fuller sound and for subtle effects, not as predominant, sound driving effects. [6] [9]

Release and promotion

The band began their Last Conversation of Kings tour in July 2008, with the album releasing shortly afterwards on September 6, 2008. [10]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metal Storm Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Sputnik MusicStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The New Zealand Herald Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg" [12]

The album was generally well received, both commercially and critically. The album debuted at no. 3 in the Australian Music Charts. Critics generally applauded the more progressive sound the band took on the album. Metal Storm compared the album favorably to bands such as Tool or Porcupine Tree, stating that the band managed to take their progressive melancholic sound and make it into something more "accessible and catchy with great choruses" and "damn effective riffs." [2] Sputnik Music compared the album favorably to Fair to Midland, describing it as "Dark, heavy, yet strangely relaxing all the same, the album manages to vary itself up without drifting too far from The Butterfly Effect's primary sound" and concluded that the album was "...a confident, free flowing collection of songs that represents some of the year's strongest alt rock." [11] The New Zealand Herald was less enthusiastic, stating that mediocre tracks such as "Window and the Watcher" and "...And the Promise of Truth" kept the album from reaching its true potential, though they did praise "World on Fire" as "the album's finest moment". [12]

The album made Rolling Stone's "Top Albums of 2008". [13]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Clint Boge; all music is composed by The Butterfly Effect

No.TitleLength
1."Worlds on Fire"7:04
2."Room Without a View"4:13
3."Final Conversation"3:22
4."The Way"4:22
5."Window and the Watcher"3:21
6."...And the Promise of the Truth"3:52
7."In These Hands"3:49
8."7 Days"5:09
9."Rain"4:07
10."Sum of 1"3:10
iTunes edition
No.TitleLength
11."Landslide"4:25
Tour Edition (Bonus live tracks)
No.TitleLength
11."Worlds on Fire"7:16
12."A Slow Descent"4:57
13."Window and the Watcher"3:44
14."Final Conversation"3:22
15."In These Hands"4:02
16."Sum of 1"3:46

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2008)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [14] 3

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [15] Gold35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Hemispheres</i> (Rush album) Album by Canadian rock band Rush

Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on October 24, 1978 by Anthem Records. It reached No. 14 in Canada and the UK, and No. 47 in the US. The album was a steady seller in the group's catalogue, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling one million copies 15 years later.

<i>A Farewell to Kings</i> 1977 studio album by Rush

A Farewell to Kings is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on Anthem Records on August 29, 1977. The album reached No. 11 in Canada and marked a growth in the band's international fanbase, becoming their first Top 40 album in the US and the UK.

<i>Relayer</i> 1974 studio album by Yes

Relayer is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in November 1974 by Atlantic Records. After keyboardist Rick Wakeman left the group in May 1974 over disagreements with the band's direction following their double concept album Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973), Yes entered rehearsals as a four-piece in Buckinghamshire. They auditioned several musicians, including Greek keyboardist and composer Vangelis, before settling with Swiss musician Patrick Moraz of Refugee who incorporated elements of funk and jazz fusion to the album. Relayer is formed of three tracks, with "The Gates of Delirium" on side one and "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over" on side two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shihad</span> New Zealand alternative rock band

Shihad are a rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1988. The band consists of founders Tom Larkin, Phil Knight and Jon Toogood, who were joined by Karl Kippenberger in 1991. The band were known as Pacifier between 2002 and 2004.

<i>Counterparts</i> (Rush album) 1993 studio album by Rush

Counterparts is the fifteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released October 19, 1993, on Anthem Records. After the band finished touring its previous album Roll the Bones (1991) in mid-1992, the members took a break before starting work on a follow-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Butterfly Effect (band)</span> Australian rock band

The Butterfly Effect are an Australian rock band from Brisbane formed in 1999. The band released a self-titled debut EP in 2001, and then three full-length albums afterwards; Begins Here in 2003, Imago in 2006, and Final Conversation of Kings in 2008. During this time, the band consisted of Clint Boge on lead vocals, Kurt Goedhart on guitar, Glenn Esmond on bass, and Ben Hall on drums. After struggling for years to work on a fourth studio album, Boge left the band in 2012 due to personal and creative differences. The remaining members recruited Brisbane-based singer Paul Galagher for a final single and tour before announcing their breakup in 2016. In July 2017, the band announced their reunion as well as a headlining tour scheduled to take place in March 2018. In 2022, the band released their fourth studio album, IV.

<i>Union</i> (Yes album) 1991 studio album by Yes

Union is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 30 April 1991 by Arista Records. Production began following the amalgamation of two bands that featured previous and then-current members of Yes: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH), consisting of vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman and guitarist Steve Howe, and Yes, comprised at that time of bassist and vocalist Chris Squire, guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Alan White. The eight musicians signed with Arista and a combination of unfinished tracks by both groups were selected for Union. The album's sessions were problematic from the start, including disagreements between some of the musicians regarding the "merger" of the two bands, strained relations during the recording process, and decisions by the production team of Anderson and producer Jonathan Elias to bring in session musicians to re-record parts that Wakeman and Howe had originally completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funeral for a Friend</span> Welsh post-hardcore band

Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band from Bridgend, formed in 2001, who currently consist of Kris Roberts, Gavin Burrough, Darran Smith (guitar), Richard Boucher (bass), and Ryan Richards.

<i>Drama</i> (Yes album) 1980 studio album by Yes

Drama is the tenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 22 August 1980 by Atlantic Records. It was their only album to feature Trevor Horn on lead vocals and the first with Geoff Downes on keyboards. This followed the departures of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman after attempts to record a new album in Paris and London had failed. Drama was recorded hurriedly with Horn and Downes, as a tour had already been booked before the change in personnel. The album marked a development in Yes' musical direction, combining the band's progressive signature with Horn and Downes' new wave sensibilities.

<i>Big Generator</i> 1987 studio album by Yes

Big Generator is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 28 September 1987 by Atco Records. After touring in support of their previous album, 90125 (1983), which saw the band move from progressive rock towards a pop-oriented and commercially accessible direction, Yes started work on a follow-up in 1985 with producer Trevor Horn. It was a laborious album to make; recording began at Carimate, Italy, but internal and creative differences resulted in production to resume in London, where Horn ended his time with the band due to continuing problems. The album was completed in Los Angeles in 1987 by Trevor Rabin and producer Paul DeVilliers.

<i>The Ladder</i> (Yes album) 1999 studio album by Yes

The Ladder is the eighteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in September 1999 on Eagle Records. It is their only studio album recorded with six full time members and their last with keyboardist Igor Khoroshev and with guitarist Billy Sherwood for 22 years.

<i>Begins Here</i> 2003 studio album by The Butterfly Effect

Begins Here is the debut full-length album by Brisbane rock band The Butterfly Effect. Begins Here reached number 23 on the ARIA Album Charts, the band's first entry to the top 100, as their first extended play The Butterfly Effect had peaked outside of the top 100.

<i>The Butterfly Effect</i> (EP) 2001 EP by The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect is the debut extended play by Australian hard rock group the Butterfly Effect, released in late 2001. This is the only recording by the band to feature bass player Michael Cavendish before he was replaced by Glenn Esmond. While the band's style is mainly alternative metal, it also shows some nu metal in their sound, which is not found on later releases.

<i>Imago</i> (The Butterfly Effect album) 2006 studio album by The Butterfly Effect

Imago is the second full-length album by the Brisbane band The Butterfly Effect. It was recorded by the line-up of Clint Boge on lead vocals, Glenn Esmond on bass guitar, Kurt Goedhart on lead guitar and Ben Hall on drums, with Joe Barresi producing. It was released on 17 June 2006 and debuted on the ARIA Albums Chart at number 2, which is the group's first top 10 album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Second of Insanity</span> 2003 single by The Butterfly Effect

"One Second of Insanity" was the second single from the debut album, Begins Here, by Australian rock group, The Butterfly Effect and was released in 2003. Though the track failed to appear on the ARIA Singles Chart, it was ranked at No. 68 on the Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2003. The national radio station, Triple J, had played it, as a radio-only release, which had a limited run of 500 CD single units pressed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Box Car Racer</span> American punk band

Box Car Racer was an American punk band formed in San Diego, California, in 2001. The band was a side-project of Blink-182 members Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, with David Kennedy of Hazen Street completing the band's studio lineup. A bassist and friend of Barker, Anthony Celestino later joined the band as a bassist. DeLonge created the project to pursue darker ideas he felt unsuited to his work with Blink-182.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tesseract (band)</span> British progressive metal band

Tesseract are a British progressive metal band from Milton Keynes. The band, formed in 2003, consists of Daniel Tompkins, Alec "Acle" Kahney, James Monteith, Amos Williams and Jay Postones. The band is currently signed to Kscope. They are credited as one of the bands to pioneer the djent movement in progressive metal. As of 2023, Tesseract have released five studio albums: One, Altered State, Polaris, Sonder and War of Being, as well as two live albums, Odyssey/Scala and Portals, and the extended plays Concealing Fate, Perspective, Errai and Regrowth.

<i>The Fall of Hearts</i> 2016 studio album by Katatonia

The Fall of Hearts is the tenth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Katatonia. It was released on 20 May 2016. The album, mostly written and produced by founding members Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, was the first to also feature new members Daniel Moilanen and Roger Öjersson. The album moved in a more progressive direction than prior albums, and was generally well received by critics. Two singles were released in promotion of the album, "Old Heart Falls", and "Serein".

<i>Echoes</i> (Young Guns album) 2016 studio album by Young Guns

Echoes is the fourth studio album by British rock band Young Guns. It was released on 16 September 2016 through Wind-up Records. The album was the band's first release to be recorded without long-time drummer Ben Jolliffe, who left the band a year prior to its release. Two singles were released in promotion of the album, "Bulletproof" and "Mad World".

<i>Invention of Knowledge</i> 2016 studio album by Anderson/Stolt

Invention of Knowledge is a studio album by Anderson/Stolt, a musical collaboration formed by singer-songwriters and musicians Jon Anderson and Roine Stolt. It was released on 24 June 2016 by InsideOutMusic. The project originated in 2014 after Anderson had performed with Stolt on a progressive rock-themed cruise, and the two decided to record an album. The recording process involved Anderson recording ideas in demo form in California and sending them online to Stolt in Sweden, who would develop music based on them. Invention of Knowledge was recorded in Sweden by several musicians, including Tom Brislin, Daniel Gildenlöw, and members of Stolt's band The Flower Kings.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 In The Studio With The Butterfly Effect | Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com
  2. 1 2 3 The Butterfly Effect – Final Conversation Of Kings review – Metal Storm
  3. ↑ McMillen, Andrew (27 April 2012). "The Butterfly Effect: 'I felt that I'd lost everybody's faith and trust.'". The Vine. Retrieved 19 October 2012– via Andrew McMillen's Official Website.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Street, Andrew P (2012). "Bands – The Butterfly Effect". Blunt Magazine. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Review: Local label’s IMAGO by The Butterfly Effect called ‘sophisticated, brooding and dreamy’ | San Marcos Mercury | Local News from San Marcos and Hays County, Texas [usurped]
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 No Cookies | The Cairns Post
  7. 1 2 3 4 Shakir, Hannah (16 November 2009). "Celebrity Interviews: The Kings of Queensland". bbmlive.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.[ dead link ]
  8. ↑ "Interview: The Butterfly Effect – Four Wheels and a Heart Beat Tour". Spaceship News. 30 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  9. 1 2 Final Conversation Of Kings – The Butterfly Effect | Credits | AllMusic
  10. ↑ Interview With the Butterfly Effect | morgan hannah
  11. 1 2 The Butterfly Effect - Final Conversation of Kings (album review ) | Sputnikmusic
  12. 1 2 Album Review: The Butterfly Effect Final Conversations of Kings – Entertainment – NZ Herald News
  13. ↑ "The Butterfly Effect November tour - #AltSounds". Archived from the original on 29 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT – Final Conversation of Kings". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 26 December 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.