Dynamics Plus Chaos Legion album review from Critical Beatdown

I came across this older review and thought I’d archive it on my own blog. Thank you critical Beatdown Magazine!

http://www.myspace.com/criticalbeatdownmagazine/blog/496288265

Dynamics Plus — C.H.A.O.S LEGION 1 & 2

“Enter the World of Dynamics Plus,one quarter of the Lenzmen Crew as he returns with his banging Double Lp “Chaos Legion 1 & 2”, an amazing concept album that follows Dynamics Plus and his soldiers through the battlefields,back to an imaginative time when the Romans Ruled the Globe ..Straight from the depths of The Fallout Shelter comes an Lp that will truely blow your mind and stretch your imagination.The production also handled by Dynamics is like a mixture of Futuristic,Throw-Back electrified,sci-fi madness and is the perfect back drop for Lord Dynamics tales & Crusades as he fights his way through a number of dangerous and deadly operations and robotic missions with only his sword and shield for protection..

Admittingly the Chaos Legion isnt easy listening (Little Wayne fans wont like it) but if like me you appreciate originality and something totally different from the norm then you need to check out this album..This isnt an album put together in a couple of days..This is the sort of project that takes alot of time and thought to create and Dynamics Plus has done a remarkable job..Not only because of the excellent vocals and the fact that he plays the part and voice of many different characters,but also for the fact he is behind the entire production and mastering of the album plus the dope cover artwork..Definatly a man on a mission and a feat not many other artists are capable of…

Some of the battles and duals he and his soldiers goes through on this album sound incredible and would make the perfect soundtrack to a film..Now imagine That.. C.H.A.O.S Legion on the big screen…

On the whole,this is a dope Lp…The type of album that the more you listen to it,the more it grows on you..Theres alot going on in it and you pick up on differnt things each time you put it on which is dope as its stops it from getting boring..That being said though, i dont think its the type of album that will appeal to the wider audience who like the easy listening type of hiphop if you know what i mean,but i dont think thats the audience that Dynamics Plus set out to reach anyway..Those who can expand their mind and do actually have an active imagination will apreciate an album like this as it stands away from the norm

Check it out people and support Independent Hiphop..”

Mr CRF (Critical Beatdown Radio/Posse)..

The album on iTunes

Chaos Legion Track Spotlight Raven’s Gate

Queen Bashal of the Van-Goths. Slain by the evil General Magnus!

This song was originally called ‘Betrayal at Raven’s Gate’. At the point of being relieved by fellow Legionnaire Magnus Arkanus, Dynamics is ambushed. The Queen of the Van-Goths is murdered and in retaliation, Dynamics severs the hand of the fiend Magnus. With his closest friend Bathis Omacry and most of his warriors slain, Dynamics dives off the cliff to certain doom.

Sometimes I consider fleshing out an album to be similar to creating a sculpture. It’s a subtractive process of scraping away stuff that’s not needed until only the central idea is left behind.

The first version has the narrator Orice Corraine speaking these lines:

 “It was the great betrayal at Raven’s peak that set the wheels of change in motion. In one simple thrust of a sword, the destiny of a man was etched in stone and an entire empire would fall before his rage. But first..”

When listening to the album, it felt like he was talking too much early on. I mean, we just heard him on the intro “Scribes did Describe” so this opening was removed. There also was a conversation between myself and General Magnus, which served to establish our relationship and set up the context of the betrayal.

Magnus speaks in bold-

“General Magnus (Lord Dynamics)

It has been too long friend. Fires lit in remembrance.

Tell me, brother, what of the homeland?

Massive frontier that expands.”

“Fires lit in Remembrance” was going to be a cultural saying about missing someone. This was also going to be the original name of the CHAOS Legion II song “Ashes and Remembrance” where the flames of the destroyed convent are similar to fires (or pyres) we would light ourselves. If you note that someone I cared about was obviously a part of that religious retreat. Once I changed this song, it didn’t make sense to include the additional nods.

“And lady Shandra?

You did not hear…(huh?) we are wed now.

Twin sons she bears.

That’s, that’s excellent news.

The god’s blessings be on both of you.

Now Magnus, you must meet the Van-Goth queen..

In time, in time, first walk with me

What are you thoughts on King Xertese

This has been a tough assignment.

I go where I’m sent.

‘What good is a soldier that questions orders?

Besides I have done a margin in these outland borders.

But still I look to return to the Iron Fortress”

Magnus is checking on my ambitions. His mission is to terminate my command with extreme prejudice. I show that I am a loyal soldier and look forward to returning to the Iron Fortress. This is foreshadowing of the last track- originally called “Destruction of the Iron Fortress”.

“(sound of men yelling) so many reinforcements

Believe me our treaty is sunk deep (chuckles)

Your men won’t do more than idle patrol

Be sure nothing stirs here, now come let’s go.”

I note that he brings a great number of troops; the reason will become obvious in a moment. When I say the treaty is sunk deep, it’s a sexual innuendo about my relationship with Queen Bashal of the Van-Goths. I removed this romantic interest, even though it would have made Magnus’ treachery all the more villainous. I saw too many liaisons happening in the album and I didn’t think it’d be convincing (or too meaningful) that I’d fallen for the Amazon bodyguard Alanis with my early connection to this Queen and a later hint to someone special from my past staying at the religious retreat- Triage Sheol that is overrun in “Ashes and Remembrance”

Other than that, the story is pretty straightforward. King Xertese sends the General Magnus Arkanus as an assassin to kill me. He starts by murdering the Van-Goth Queen and I act on instinct and chop off his hand. My men are slaughtered and I alone escape by diving off a cliff.

 CHAOS Legion I: “Raven’s Gate”

General Magnus., may I preset Queen Bashal of the Van-Goths

(Lord Magnus)

He knelt, took her hand and said King’s will.

  Then drills steel  she reels but held the hilt still. 

     I swung and took his hand off at the sleeves (arhh),

           In a dream I’m screaming to their fallen queen

             Grand decree from King Xertes

 Dynamics this day you die here on Raven peak

 (you fiend)     and then he raised his arm to me

         As if he didn’t see how his hand bleeds

 

He laughed, I advanced and he fell back

In a flash we attacked and many swords clashed

 men fell, pell mell into the angry swell

with my best back to back somehow we held

       someday scribes will tell, how two

stood against many and did quite well.

 

    We can’t outlast, sir it’s been an honor

He cleared a path and screamed avenge this horror.

  Then he rushed and leapt to attack

I called, but only swords and spears answered back

(he falls) I raced to the ridge- to the

edge of the cliff,  twisted and dove off the rim.

    I had a glimpse Magnus raising up his limb,

    then the blackness slips  as I splashed in.

Thank you for your interest in the CHAOS Legion series

CHAOS Legion Break Down and Synopsis

Other Track Spotlights

CHAOS Legion Track Spotlight The Magnificent Six

CHAOS Legion Track Spotlight Album Intro: The Magnificent Six

We will face The Magnificent Six!

  This places the CHAOS Legion at the end of a far off campaign. The battle is determined by a standoff between the best of each army.

 The Magnificent Six

It’s been six days – neither army giving way

many were slain before the force that invades

on day eight we make a treaty and truce, to

Continue to lose and so we use our best troops

  

To keep from simply killing each other down to last man, we choose to decide the battle by a smaller fight using the best of our warriors.

 and their King is a glorious thing

so swift with the sword (victorious) some say it sings

a single flame, he circled  with a  torch…

made a  ring round arena where our battle will be fought.

 A single warrior- running with a torch? He is outlining the areas where the battles are going to take place in. If viewed from above, these would be the Olympic Rings. Yes, he was carrying the Olympic Torch.

Fight in your rings and win to advance

 It might be important to note that there is a science or rules to this kind of engagement. I felt that is was a little too complicated for a song and I would flesh it out more if a different medium. I guess this is good time to explain. You can only fight a person(s) standing in a connecting ring. You can only jump rings when you either win or a warrior (of yours) in a connecting ring is defeated and/or killed. In this battle, we are moving across the field of rings.

 They are called the Magnificent six

Without a further hint, he begins to sprint

The man’s transfixed and thinking a trick

For the runner comes quick without a weapon to lift

And so, one of my army is being challenged by a …sprinter. The Legionnaire pauses in shock because the man running at him has no armor or weapons.

What madness is this? Then sparks start to flick

Like lightning on his feet, like his cleats striking flint

He tried to dig in, but the runner runs over him

And in a flash, he was gashed, chest bashed in

The man’s feet begin to throw off sparks and it shows that the real weapons are the spikes or the cleats the runner wears on his shoes. My warrior braces, but the runner used a hurdling technique and killed him.

Bathis! Now that’s my best.
Supreme Champion Griffin crest on his Chest

holds his ground      before the final bound

he dropped down, an upward cut cut the runner down.

Bathis Omacry is called my champion. In any matters requiring a stand-in, he would be the dispenser of justice in my name. As the runner attempts to ‘hurdle’ him, Bathis drops to the floor and slices upward. You can only imagine where the blade struck.

They are quite skilled my lord. Watch the spearman. I see it!

Bathis is kind enough to give me a warning. In my circle I face the second challenger. At this point though, I have the answers for these fighting techniques.

From The stance he was standing in , face

like a mannequin Heavy Handed holds the Javelin

rubs his hands with salt then starts to assault

from walk to stalk, tries to pole vault

I chopped his stalk made him fall off and summersault

he was caught, took his helmet and his head off

 The trick was for me to foolishly go after the warrior. When I swung at him, he would fly overhead and swipe down from above. He’d basically vault over me. I see this coming and chop down the javelin, which he aimed at me to fool me and make me think that was his main attack.

(watch it my lord) he’s so vicious with a discus

He stood ready, steady closing the distance

I whispered Invictus        while hoping he misses

His missile listens and another man’s finished

He spun with a huge metal disc in his hand. In a great move, he spun towards me and Bathis, but threw the discus at another warrior and killed him.      

      My shield caved in, I darted in, he started to spin, my small blade slides under his chin.                   

A great counter move by rushing in during his set up. It might be cool to note that using the large sword in one hand and a smaller blade (or dirk) in the other is the fighting style that I will use throughout most of CHAOS Legion.

They run at strange angles

The claw hooks dangle, they entangle his ankle

He was strangled in a net or a mesh

And then the rest began stripping his flesh

(Triangle defense)

Now that the fighting is breaking down, they enemy begins to group together.

This is the classic gladiator fighting style using wire nets with weights at the ends to entrap the limbs of opponents.

I threw my sword and it scored

Bathis roared and chopped through the cords

Another strategic move as I avoid the close range technique (they assumed we’d use after observing our previous battles in the rings) and throw my sword.

 Two of the last three tried to reel him in.

The pinned fisherman doesn’t feel the steel slide in

A play on words, here. ‘Pinned’ as in pinned down, but really, I’m referring to that same dirk or small dagger I’m now using since I threw my sword. He’s ‘pinned’ as in stabbed by my pin.

 The second to last, lasts for a second he was deadened by a double headed heavy weapon. It’s so ironic as he sprawls, even as he falls he wonders what the weapons called.

This is one of my favorite lines in CHAOS Legion. It’s an awesome concept to imagine that a dying warrior is wondering what the weapon that just killed him is called on his way down to the ground to die.

the dust settles, see their king in heavy metal

and this test is a testament to his mettle

we stared across the battle field

two bloody battle lords who will never yield

I picked up my battered shield

A small matter for the heavy battle axe he wields

And so, it’s just the king in the far off circle. He’s been patiently watching and waiting. He’s taken in a ton of information about my fighting style and has a definite plan that will work. Really he does.  He gains even more confidence when he sees me pick up my broken shield. He knows that one cleave is all it takes.

at forty paces, there’s a  glares in his face

at twenty paces all he sees is his face

in ten paces the sun seals his fate

reflected in my shield, and deflecting to a scrape

the next waits,  the sure blade play decapitates

for my Chaos    Legion we defend the gates

 

It so happens that the sun is reflected off the dents in my shield in shimmering, beautiful and blinding patterns. This causes confusion and his great swing is easily deflected and a back swing cuts his head off. Winning this battle brings the Far Gates under the control of my king, King Xertese. This also starts the wheels in motion as my popularity soars. This is seen as a threat to (the increasingly paranoid and slowly going insane) Xertese who decides I must be eliminated -else my ambitions grow.

Thank you for your interest in the CHAOS Legion series

CHAOS Legion Break Down and Synopsis

Other Track Spotlights

C.H.A.O.S. Legion I + II Break Down Synopsis

Breaking Down C.H.A.O.S. Legion I & II

The Dynamic Universe Volume 10

Chaos Legion early album concept art

Here is a piece of the official press description released at the beginning.

Imagine a world where the Roman Empire never fell but instead dominated the globe. Envision a place where mythology and technology meet on battlefields filled with robotic gladiators, giant siege machines and hovercrafts manned by Centurions. This is the world of the C.H.A.O.S Legion, a massive two volume concept album rooted in hip hop but powered by futuristic beats and a sonic palette including multiple characters conversing in rhyme.

“It takes place on Alternate Earth where Dynamics Plus is a Legionnaire General of King Xertese, who is like the Alexander the Great of this world. The rising popularity of Plus leads to jealousy and eventually betrayal. The bloody campaign of revenge and conquest begins!”

 The Dynamics Plus creates his own army from a collection of outcasts. These albums follow the rise of this C.H.A.O.S (Combat Heavy Assault Operations Squad) Legion and their challenge to the Xertese Empire.

—

—

I made the Chaos Legion I & II story-telling concept albums to follow the five year campaign of my renegade army as we travel across our world en route to the Crystal Castle, where the final battle will take place. Here are some general notes about each song. You can dig deeper with the Track Spotlights.

1. Album Intro: “The Magnificent Six” [Read the Track Spotlight]

This places the CHAOS Legion at the end of a far off campaign. The battle is determined by a standoff between the best of each army.

2. “Scribes Did Describe”

Here, the credits roll and you are given an overview of the album.

The scribe Orice Corraine lends his voice to this epic adventure.

3. “Ravens Gate” [Read the Track Spotlight]

This song was originally called ‘Betrayal at Raven’s Gate’. At the point of being relieved by fellow Legionnaire Magnus Arkanus, Dynamics is ambushed. The Queen of the Van-Goths is murdered and in retaliation, Dynamics severs the hand of the fiend Magnus. With his closest friend Bathis Omacry and most of his warriors slain, Dynamics dives off the cliff to certain doom.

4. “The King of Ash Sits on a Throne of Skulls”

Escaping and swimming down into an underwater cavern, Dynamics meets the King of Ash. He is a soulless entity who was once a great battle lord. He made a deal with the devil and as a result, he is imprisoned and fated to spend eternity guarding his foul treasures. The worthiness (a person not here for personal gain) of Dynamics causes the Ash-lord to give Plus a great sword and shield as a gift.

5. “Den of Thieves”

Continuing his Journey, Dynamics stumbles across a group of deserters and takes a one-on-gamble to start the rebuilding of his army. It is here that Dynamics meets his next great defender Boris Amataeus.

6. “Liberators”

The new CHAOS Legion needs great weapons to defeat the mighty armies of King Xertese, and thus they seek the use of the powerful Siege machines. Upon arriving at the kingdom of loyal Lord Praxis, Dynamics prepares for a fight, but is surprised at how far the word of his fledgling rebellion has spread.

7. “Iron Maidens”

Lord Praxis presents Dynamics Plus with two bodyguards; the beautiful and deadly Iron Maidens. Bring forth Aureyis and Alanis.

8. “Ronin Omega”

Red is the face of Ronin Omega. Facing the winter wastes and spreading famine, Dynamics Plus has decided to investigate the story of the Lord Baron Vie-ree and his demonic charge, a monster they call the Ronin Omega.

9. “Siege Machines”

It’s the eve of battle. Two armies face each other across a great chasm. Dynamics Plus and his army prep the great siege machines for total destruction.

10. “Iron Fortress” [read the Track Spotlight]

Using the terrible Siege Machines, the Dynamics Plus and his CHAOS Legion defeat Battle lord Korrin-Ferrin. The adventure continues in the hunt for the assassin Magnus and the insane King Xertese.

C.H.A.O.S. Legion II

1 “Scribes did Describe”

A minor edit was used to update the state of the campaign.

2 “Day of Scarecrows”

Part of the CHAOS Legion is detoured to investigate stories of a powerful wizard that holds a city in the grips of terror. On the way Dynamics finds himself in battle with animated scarecrows.

3. “Night of the Dragon”

Closer yet, the powers of this wizard become more evident as the CHAOS Legion do battle with a dragon made of glass.

4 “Fall of the Wizard’s Tower “

This is the final showdown between man and the mystic. Dynamics will find out the cleverness behind the bag of tricks.

5 “One Stands against Many”

Who is the warrior who defeats the best of the CHAOS Legion and challenges the Dynamics Plus? He is an old champion, a great gladiator whose heart still burns for revenge.

6. “Invincible Gold Champion” [read the Track Spotlight]

Dynamics battles the great gladiator champion …and loses!

The terms of defeat will be to deliver a message. His name is Victor Ademmis and you will remember!

7. “Ashes and Remembrance”

A splintering of the Chaos Legion had chosen to rest and re-supply at a retreat for religious studies. A rampaging army of invaders has destroyed the chosen destination:  The Convent Triage Sheol.

She was a first love. She is dead now. A warning is sent to the very gods that watched this happen and did nothing. Dynamics Plus shall do something, but what will it cost him?

8.”Vengeance Slayers”

Dynamics Plus pays a heavy price for his quest of revenge. The invaders are turned and the world of the CHAOS Legion mourns anew. Even in war, there is room for love.

9. “Eyes of Fate” [read Track Spotlight]

The prophecy that tells the end of all things imagined. How can Dynamics Plus continue knowing that the end is near?

10. “Eve of Final Conquest”

The final rallying speech for the ill-fated CHAOS Legion.

The Combat: Heavy Assault Operation Squad will fight on, even in the face of defeat.

11.” Twilight of the Crystal Castle”

This marks the final battle for the Crystal Castle and the ultimate revenge against the evil King Xertese. In the darkest hour, an ancient friend will return to level the playing field. Red is the face when it is covered with your enemy’s blood!

12. Prologue: “Message Delivered”

Old debts are paid. The weasel- King Pariah will remember his double-cross and a forgotten name will be etched into his mind before death!

Thank you for your interest in the CHAOS Legion series

Additional links of interest

Purchase the albums

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/chaos-legion-i/id314144067

Visit my homepage

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/chaos-legion-i/id314144067

Track Spotlight Chaos Legion II Eyes of Fate

Track Spotlight Chaos Legion “Eyes of Fate”

- Just before his watch was up, he watched her wash up...

Near the ending of the second Chaos Legion album is the song “Eyes of Fate”. I admit I usually skip past this one because I’m amped to hear one of my favorites “Twilight of the Crystal Castle”, but every so often I play it and am reminded of its importance. It’s one of those prophecy joints, and just like every prophecy; it’s hard to get an exact idea of what’s going to happen – until it happens. It gives away the ending of the final battle and describes the Dynamics Plus falling in battle – to the delight of the evil King Xertese. It’s important to note that everything he sees in her vision does happen in “Twilight of the Crystal Castle”.

 “Eyes of Fate”

Lyrics by Dynamics Plus

She sees.    The future through her eyes of fate
What she creates, it relates inside her dreamscapes

(Her eyes of fate) she watched the world take shape

To Future late -When the weight of destiny awaits

Just before his watch was up

He watched her wash up (someone get Dynamics Plus)

So young is the girl with her hands bound

Found where she drowned          wrapped inside a white gown

She faced face down – we turned her around

And found her face full round as if time rewound

Quite absurd, then the worst occurred, her mouth

Pursed poured forth words and verses only I heard

One of the Legionnaires finds a beautiful girl washed up on the beach near our camp. As we roll her over, her face returns to its youthful appearance and she speaks to me alone.

King Xertese exercises as he please and

Even as she bleeds she sees future prophecies

He will ride through the gates of his city wide

And face you face to face the end draws nigh

On his golden chariot victory decry

You dare deny, or defy your destiny defined

The young girl is a Futurist Maiden, a cross between a seer and witch, who, upon reaching womanhood can see glimpses of the future.  The unknown story is that she was taken by the King and forced to disclose the future.  She lets me know that in the final battle I will fight King Xertese personally. And he will win and ride back into his city through the massive city gates on his golden chariot.

(How do you know this?) from the inner eye

In her mind are signs, the evil king will enlist to try

To divine, to devise a concubine confined

She’d rather die as a bride at Poseidon’s side

So she decides and consigns to the oceans tide

Here a final find for our fates intertwine

After Xertese is given knowledge of his destiny, he has no further use for her and decides it’s now time to break her seal and make her one of his concubines, in a similar way to how the Iron Maiden’s chastity it tied to their fighting spirit. [see Chaos Legion I “Iron Maidens”] To avoid this, she breaks away from her guards and leaps from a tower into the ocean far below. It’s another point of fate that she washes ashore near my camp and her spirit is able to deliver one last message.

(Dynamics!)  Boris (You seem shaken)

a dream ? I feel as if freshly awakened

Should the body be returned to the sea?

Rhea’s daughter has drunk enough water

Leave the body undisturbed and set to burn

Now rally the troops for my final words.

The reference to Rhea is from Roman and Greek mythology, which suggests perhaps Dynamics Plus sees the young maiden in a similar way to Hestia or Hera. This all sets up an interesting idea that Dynamics knows he is going to lose the final battle and still makes the rousing speech in “Eve of Final Conquest”. It may also explain why he notes the significance of what they have already achieved before going into battle.

Albums for sale on iTunes

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dynamics-plus/id58742748

Thank you for supporting my music.

http://www.thedynamicuniverse.com/

Main Website and extended information

You can read all the lyrics to the Chaos Legion albums here

http://www.thedynamicuniverse.com/songlyricschaoslegion.asp

Dynamics Plus Track Spotlight Invincible Gold Champion

Invincible Gold Champion

Back Story

“The Invincible Gold Champion” is about a gladiator who was promised King Pariah’s daughter as a victory prize (along with his freedom) if he can amass a thousand victories in the arena. It’s the classic medieval ‘do something courageous’ and win the fair princess theme. For most, that’s an impossible task and the king never really intends to see anyone accomplish it. As the Gold Champion wins more and more, the princess takes an interest and the two fall in love. Outraged, the king cheats the Gold Champion on his last match and exiles him from the realm. The princess is forced to marry for political gain and dies in childbirth a few years later. The scribe Orice Corraine does note a local belief that the princess died of unhappiness. The Invincible Gold Champion (who many say was driven mad by the news) sets up on a bridge at the far end of King Pariah’s border.

As the Chaos Legion attempts to cross the bridge, the Gold Champion defeats the armies best fighters. The Gold Champion deems Plus worthy to be the final challenger. The defeat leaves Dynamics Plus hanging from the bridge where he is forced to agree to The Gold Champion’s terms and promise to deliver a message…so to speak. Once Dynamics is pulled to safety, the Gold Champion leaps to his death.

Lyric Study

“His hardened armor grayed, dated faded, plates decayed…”

That’s the opening that describes what I see in the Gold Champion. You can imagine how old and rusted his armor must be after all these years.

“I gauged, it’s past its age, back from days of sporting range..”

It’s really an old style and it’s based more on tournament fighting than the heavy combat armor a modern legionnaire would wear. Although I used Spartan warrior images for the album art, it’s actually heavy electronic combat armor we wear. In melee combat it can take lots of blunt force and small arms fire before failing.

“…around his waist were wrapped in chains, grips and fists the same…”

I noticed he had chains layered into his armor, but I thought they were light reinforcement and decoration.

“His belt unfolds, he rolled behold he who holds the chain that rips
he whips, my shield shatters into tattered strips…”

This is a reference to the fighting style and ‘finishing’ move from “The Magnificent Six”. If you remember, the king was blinded by the suns’ reflection in the shield. Dynamics obviously won’t be using that move in this fight.

“He unleashed a leash, malicious treat, metallic fleece
at Least its reach it seeks and wreaks, a hungry beast it needs to eat…

The whip he uses becomes symbolic of our entire relationship. It defeats me at long range and so I move in closer which proves to be my undoing. He’s just too fast in the lighter armor. On the edge of the bridge he wraps the whipping chains around me and it’s the same ‘rope’ I grasp after I fall. It’s also part of the message I deliver at the end of the album.

Studio Session

This one came together in lots of little pieces. I had the idea for a one on one battle early on in the album writing and I wanted to give the listener a strike for strike account for a fight scene and this was the perfect opportunity. Originally, I was going to go back and forth with the Gold Champion and split each verse, but I did that already with “Den of Thieves” and I didn’t want to use that same formula again. The next idea was to have the Gold Champion on the hook and Dynamics Plus only on the verses. I played the first version for P.R.O. and he wanted to hear the Gold Champion cadence and delivery for the entire song. I thought it would be fitting to have the ‘winner’ be so good he actually replaces me on the vocals. And this makes for the only song where a character tells the story from my perspective.

Production Notes

The drums are Fxpansion’s BFD 2 using both its internal suite of effects and additional plug-ins. It’s a custom kit that uses two alternating bass drums usually triggered by both feet, but in this case, two different pads. The stabbing synth line that starts the track is made up of three Korg MicroKorg layers run through a chain of MoogerFooger pedals. There’s a few buried synth tones from the Alesis Andromeda A6 and every other natural sound (including the female chorus pads) are from the Roland Juno-G. I went with a subtle mix so that you wouldn’t really hear the elements coming in and out. For some songs, I felt a total directional change was needed as in “Day of Scarecrows”, but I chose to let the voice carry this record with very little taking away from the overall flow. This is one of my favorite songs and I feel like the frantic energy level is captured perfectly in this recording.

Thanks for checking out my music.

– Dynamics Plus

For more, visit: http://www.TheDynamicUniverse.com

Dynamics Plus Track Spotlight Chaos Legion “Iron Fortress”

Iron Fortress from the Dynamics Plus album Chaos Legion I

Back Story

“Iron Fortress” was a tough one to get going because I knew the first album needed an anchor song to end with. The subtitle for Chaos Legion album was originally Siege Machines and I wanted to create something really epic and grand. It was going to be the vision of the two forces, separated by a huge chasm, hurling all manner of ordinance at each other. In the set up interlude “Siege Machines” you get the sense that Dynamics Plus is wary of the whole idea and dislikes the ‘devil’s technology’. His officers tell him the machines will bring them victory. He asks “At what cost?” meaning in men and to their warror’s code for using such powerful weapons that kill from afar.

Lyric Study

“Battlelord Korrin-Ferrin, this is your last chance. Swing open the gates of the Iron Fortress or be destroyed by the Dynamics Plus and his Chaos Legion! – The sky lit up — looking like fireworks…”

One of my favorite touches is the announcement before the battle starts. The Chaos Legion attempted to intimidate Lord Praxis into giving up the siege machines in “The Liberators”. He answered back on his own system and countered the challenge. In this case, Ferrin never replies; he just starts firing his weapons. I like the fact that in each case, it didn’t have the desired effect. And of course, we’ll try this again in “One Stands Against Many” in Chaos Legion II

“The skies in twilights, her face shone bright
Grips my arm tight, it implodes and ignites
Overcome by the hum and buzz
I noticed how striking she was…”

This notes a key moment where you can argue Dynamics Plus begins to fall for his Amazon bodyguard Alanis. It’s a thrilling moment for both of them as she forgets herself while enjoying the lightshow and he remembers she’s a woman – even if she is off limits.

“Bring out Doctor Atomics! –
Machines turned on as he waved a wand
In his open hand marching band baton…”

Yes, it’s Doctor Atomics with a central role in this universe too. In Dynamic Universe Volume Six (Doctor Atomics and the Fortress of Solitude) he does double duty as both Fallout Shelter administrative task master and the head of my intelligence department in STACI: The Garden of Eden.

“I wiped my lens and took sight again
with signs he offends and his wall defends
His shields persists and the bombs resist
He stood on a lift and pumped his fist…
More bombs dropped, then his arms dropped
He looked to the heavens, prays his arms raised
looked this way, then saluted a grade
then was blown away -off the wall in a blaze….”

We’re watching each other through binoculars and earlier he spelled out a message along with an obscene gesture. He feels he has the upper hand and is almost celebrating on the high walls of his fortress. As his shield gives out, he realizes it’s over and actually salutes me before being blown off the wall.

Production Notes

As a child I watched Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) and I was always inspired by the action music and theme songs. There was a horn riff that always signals ‘the bad guys are building stuff’ and I wanted that sound in this track. The Korg Kaossilator (partially chosen because of its name- yes, I’m weird like that) did the whole track except for the drums. The explosion sound effects were dropped live as the track ran. It took forever since I needed to have them drop in-between words and I kept blowing it. Mixing was another problem since I didn’t want the basic track to be drowned by the bombing sounds. The jazzy horn riffs originally filled the whole track, but the track began to get cluttered and overpower the vocals. Since the song was written in two parts, it made sense to save the live horn work for the latter half of the track.

Video Vision

Unreal Tournament is on my gaming top ten list so it was very cool to be able to use sampled clips for one of my videos. That’s Unreal Tournament 3 and I was stuck on whether or not I should use still frames or video clips. I went in-between with flipping frames. Clips from the horrible Quake: Enemy Territory were also used. Hey, I needed to get my money’s worth somehow.

UT is a very close approximation for what the actual Chaos Legion Universe looks like. Although the album artwork accentuates the more Spartan aspects of my army, it is still a futuristic force powered by electronics. So we are talking something in-between ancient Greek armor and futuristic battle armor.

Thanks for checking out my music.

-Dynamics Plus

http://www.TheDynamicUniverse.com

Chaos Legion I & II

THE LENZMEN DYNAMICS PLUS
PRESENTS:

C.H.A.O.S LEGION I & II

Imagine a world where the Roman Empire never fell but instead dominated the globe. Envision a place where mythology and technology meet on battlefields filled with robotic gladiators, giant siege machines and hovercrafts manned by Centurions. This is the world of the C.H.A.O.S Legion, a massive two volume concept album rooted in hip hop but powered by futuristic beats and a sonic palette including multiple characters conversing in rhyme. Dynamics Plus, emcee and producer who also mixed, mastered and even created the artwork has basically created an audio version of a big budget fantasy epic in his own studio “the fallout shelter”. Dynamics Plus says of the albums…

“I developed the concept for this album years ago but I didn’t have the tools or gear necessary to do it the way I had it in my mind so I sat on it while I kept building my skill-set. I recorded the entire album in sequence so I completed the intro track and kept recording until the last track of the story was done. I lived this album as it unfolded.”

No easy feat for sure, but Dynamics Plus AKA Drew Spence is one of the greatest students of the art of production. He uses his knowledge and love to further its ends as Editor In Chief of Producers Edge Magazine, a resource dedicated to documenting every angle of music production. As a member of The Lenzmen (also including members Doctor Strange, Centri and Earthadox) he’s crafted imaginative songs touching on many themes including the martial arts, wrestling, sci-fi, aliens and super heroics. This is definitely Dynamic Plus’s masterwork. Speaking on the story he reveals “It takes place on Alternate Earth where Dynamics Plus is a Legionnaire General of King Xertese, who is like the Alexander the Great of this world. The rising popularity of Plus leads to jealousy and eventually betrayal. The bloody campaign of revenge and conquest begins!”

The Dynamics Plus creates his own army from a collection of outcasts. These albums follow the rise of this C.H.A.O.S (Combat Heavy Assault Operations Squad) Legion and their challenge to the Xertese empire. It’s also a metaphor for today’s musical landscape as Dynamics Plus uses an army of songs to rally the underground into challenging the empire we call the music industry.

http://www.TheDynamicUniverse.com