Sota

Avatar (Kailef's SotA Tracks)

Serenity

Updated version of my song  "Tiptoe", mixed in stereo with much cleaner transitions and fades.  As this track features a great deal of Marimba, I thought it would work great for the "Trekking in the Tall Grass" track, as the idea kind of reminds me of the plains of Africa, and the Marimba is an African instrument.

Himanshu Tamboli

Trekking in the Tall Grass (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (Tiptoe)

Final submission candidate for the "Kobold Industry" song in Shroud of the Avatar.

Thanks to Quetzalcoatl, Mike11, DizzySol, Gaelis, and Veylen The AenigmA for their suggestions and ideas.

Special thanks to Holt Ironfell for everything he has taught me about music, and Richard Garriott, for being an inspiration to me throughout my life.

Photo by Seng Kui Lim

Kobold Industry (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA Front Line Track (The Clockwork Storm)

Final submission for the SotA filler piece "Beautiful Meadow".  Made with Magix Music Maker.

Beautiful Meadow (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (The Long Walk)

My latest submission for Shroud of the Avatar.  I envision this song working for the "Long Roads to Nowhere" track.

I wrote it to sort of portray a feeling of motion that isn't getting you anywhere.  Running on a treadmill, wandering roads that lead nowhere, lost in the desert, etc.  So, I think it's a good fit.  It has a great "movement" feel with no resolution.

Photo by Pedram Naghash

Long Roads to Nowhere (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (On the Wind)

Originally submitted to Shroud of the Avatar as a potential candidate for the "Truth" theme song.  It wasn't able to mesh properly with the Love and Courage themes, so unfortunately, this track has became an orphan.  However, it fit perfectly with Duke William of Serenite's idea for a theme song for his player owned town, Serenite.  So, this track has been reborn as the theme song for the city of Serenite in Shroud of the Avatar.

The absolutely gorgeous photograph was take by Aditya Sharma

The Clarity of Truth (Serenity) by Jarrod Kailef

Submission for the "Combat & Adventure" TTF track.  All I really had to go on to design this song was the title, so I tried to make part of it suspenseful (the "Adventure) and part of it aggressive and exciting (the "Combat) and I think I was at least moderately successful.  I hope you like it!

Photo by Maksim Chernyshev

Combat and Adventure (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (Onward!)

This song is slightly more "orchestrated" than most of the rest of my tracks for Shroud of the Avatar, but it kind of made sense in this one.  "Building and Fortifying" a city is definitely a planned, orchestrated process, so making this track sound like it was being played by a small group in a tavern or something didn't quite give it the "We are building something big and solid" sort of feel that I wanted.  The motif here is I play a few slow and solid melodies in the beginning, separately from each other without much accompaniment.  Then, I break in to a "bridge" that builds in intensity to simulate the building process.  Then, I play the melodies that started the track at the same time to present the feeling that everything is now "assembled".  In my head it works, so hopefully everyone else likes it as well.  :-)

Photo by Verónica Alvarez

Build & Fortify (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (Rise to Greatness)

I tried to make this track both a little atmospheric and "creepy" sounding since it will be played among ruins and such.  However, since it's also a combat song, I worked hard to give it a urgent, aggressive feel as well.  I hope you like it.

Photo by Mariafernanda Danzè

Combat & Ruins (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (The Hidden Threat)

This is my submission for the "Old Mines" song.  I tried to make it a bit slower and more "creepy" sounding than my other work.  I also added more reverb to it than I did in my other songs, since I figured that having some echo makes sense since we're surrounded by stone.  Edited the song Feb 2nd to add some percussion and get rid of a transition I didn't like.

Photo by Victor De Valles ibañez

Old Mines (LB Approved) by Jarrod Kailef - SotA TTF Track (The Echoing Silence)

This is a rather unconventional song that was commissioned by Amber Raine of Avatar's Radio.  It is intended to be the wedding march music at her and Gabriel Nightshadow's in-game SotA wedding ceremony on September 27th of 2015.  Unlike most of my songs, this one contains my voice.

Photograph by Andrii Omelnytskyi

Matrimony Unhinged by Jarrod Kailef - For Amber Raine and Gabriel Nightshadow

This song is the result of a collaboration between Drocis Fondorlatos, Richard Daskas, Sharm, and Jarrod Kailef.  Drocis wrote the lyrics and reached out to some Poets' Circle members to bring the song to life.  This song is intended to be the theme music for Drocis' player owned town, "Rats Nest".  Personally, I think the final result is incredible.

Here is the summary of the song, written by Drocis:

The following lyrics are based around the idea that the Oracle from Shroud of the Avatar lore can not be trusted. That no free thinking person in their right mind would listen to a mysterious machine for advice, let alone go on "quests" or perform actions on its behalf. The reason that Rats Nest (my POT) was created was in-part to avoid all this Oracle nonsense and provide a "safe haven" where the Oracle has no sway, where the "protection" from the Oracle is refused (read: Open PVP). This song eludes to that. If the in-game truth is contrary to the song's intent, that's ok! The song was created by an in-game persona that only knows what he thinks he knows. The existence of the song is not intended to be confirmation of any story line that may or may not be present in Shroud of the Avatar. ;)

Partition of Virtuous Pretense

The path is yours.
The prophecy mine.
Your only ask is patience and time.
But truth be told our actions are blind and once they're done there's no more to hide.

How many years and how many lives?
Your counsel grasps hold your advice divides.
How many tears and how many sides?

No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.
No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.

Virtues and fate.
Protection and rules.
The Path to Truth corrupted by fools.
Many prefer the veil of the dead.
Many forget the path to their head.

How many years and how many lives?
Your advice subtracts from free thinking minds.
How many tears and how many sides?

No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.
No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.

Virtues and fate.
Free to advise.
The Path to Love is torn with surprise.
Many prefer the veil of the dead.
Many forget the hunger instead.
Many have lost what must not be said.
Many still want what can not be fed.

How many years and how many lives?
Your sacrifice bleeds additional times.
How many tears and how many sides?

No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.
No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.

Virtues and fate.
Honor supposed.
The Path of Courage (is paved with) forgotten heroes.
We make our own fates.
We tell our own lies.
No wires no cables, no unblinking eye.
No freedom-less will, no needs justified.

How many years and how many lives?
Your paths expand as if multiplied.
How many tears and how many sides?

No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.
No watchers, no spies, no riddles, no lies.

Partition of Virtuous Pretense

This is an instrumental version of Partition of Virtuous Pretense, the theme song for Baron Drocis Fondorlatos' player owned town, Rat's Nest.  It was created by Richard Daskas, Sharm, and Jarrod Kailef. The amazing violin used in place of the vocals was performed by Richard Daskas, Richard also played the guitar and arranged most of the song.  Sharm does not sing in this version besides an occasional bit of harmony, but she wrote the main vocal melody that Richard plays.  I barely did anything besides percussion and a little bit of creative direction.  :-)

(Instrumental) Partition of Virtuous Pretense

This the first release candidate for the "Proving Grounds" track, written for the custom player owned Metropolis of Blackstone Bluff.  I was kind of trying to channel "Two Steps from Hell" style music on this one.  Might be a wee bit too over the top for SotA, as it has more of a heroic, orchestrated sound than most of the current SotA music.  However, since this is for an open PvP combat arena, I'm figuring something a little more energetic and epic sounding will be OK.  I hope you enjoy it!