Track By Tracks: Dire Peril – The Extraterrestrial Compendium (2018)

Each track of the album is inspired by a famous Sci-Fi film.

1.Yautja (Hunter Culture):

This song is based on the “Predator,” or more specifically the species that is the

film’s main antagonist. Of course we are huge fans of the movie, but I’ve always been far more fascinated with the lore behind the species, which in the expanded universe has been dubbed “Yautja” or even in some stories “Hish”. So we chose to write a song based around a “young blood” who is determined to prove himself to his clan.

2. Planet Preservation:

Based on the classic film “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. This film has always been a favorite of mine, and yes, I even enjoyed the remake with Keanu Reeves. This was the first track I wrote for the album. To me it was a real turning point in my song-writing. If you listen to older Dire Peril tracks you’ll notice there is no real direction or purpose, if you will. I never looked at a song as a “okay…dial it back”. Lyrically it’s a pretty solid retailing of the movie whole – only from the focus on my guitar. So I had a whole bunch of riffs but no clue what to do with them. This song was the first where I really said itself, and I think John did a fantastic job with the lyrics.

3. Enemy Mine:

Based on the movie of the same name “Enemy Mine”. This is a movie straight from my childhood. I always loved the message behind this movie. I always loved the idea of two than anything. enemies, who really don’t know why they are enemies, gaining a bond stronger

4. The Visitor:

The first ballad of the album based on “K-PAX”. I always loved the mystery behind this film and I always felt a connection to it. I wrote this acoustic piece and knew it had to be K-PAX. John delivers some fantastic vocal work on this song.

5. Total Recall:

Here we are with another Arnold film. There were so many films I wanted to choose that starred Arnold, but at what point would it go from a sci-fi album to an Arnold album? This song is a real banger. Heavy riffs and a killer solo from Taylor. Another straight-forward retelling of the film. If you are a fan of the movie, you should appreciate this number.

6. Queen of the Galaxy:

This song is an older Dire Peril tune. We recorded an EP of the same name back in 2012. This was always a favorite track of mine from the early material and when it came time to do this album I knew it deserved a redo. This song tells the story of Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy. I wouldn’t call this film a favorite of mine but it’s a lot of fun and when I wrote the music I felt its up-beat tone the Archers for this one, playing the Queen herself.   really fit the concept of the movie. We are joined by Brittney Slayes of Unleash

7. Roughnecks:

A short little ass-kicker. This is a straight to the point banger. Based on the film “Starship Troopers,” we take you on a crash course experience with the Roughnecks as they aggressive. battle the arachnid army.  This song is set out to be short, simple and

8. Blood in the Ice:

Based on John Carpenters’s “The Thing”. This song I asked John to choose the movie for. It was a musical piece that I had not yet chosen a topic for, and John said he the music fits the movie wonderfully. Lyrically John does fantastic, weaving always wanted to write about “The Thing”. I think it was a perfect choice and together the horror of the film and the chess-playing of main character MacReady.

9. Heart of the Furyan:

Another track where we chose to focus more on the character rather than the film. It’s no secret that I am a fan of the Riddick films (naming my other band Helion fascination behind the character Riddick, and we chose to capture that in this Prime, after a planet from the films). There is a lot of mystery and song- all his pain, hate and guilt.

10. Altair IV: The Forbidden Planet

Based on the classic film “Forbidden Planet,” this is another where I wouldn’t claim it’s a favorite of mine, but you can’t deny what this film did for Sci-Fi. Certainly a revolutionary film for its time, it almost felt like a crime to not include it on an album based on sci-fi films.

11. Always Right Here:

Based on the film “ET,” this song was a last-minute addition. The music is from an older Dire Peril track called “What Mysteries Await” and was another piece that I was were certain things I did on the guitar that I wish I could have changed. So proud of. I felt I didn’t get to say all I wanted to with that one, and there once again, this song got a do-over. This time we decided to change the lyrics this one. To make it fit within the theme of the album. John again chose the theme for

12. Journey Beyond the Stars:

The closing track and one of my personal favorites that I have written.  2001: A Space Odyssey is in the list of my top movies and stories of all time, and there was no way it wouldn’t make it on this list. This song focuses on both 2001 and the sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact. Writing about this film has always been difficult for me, because what angle should one take? I feel there is so much to be said on this film that I could easily do an entire album very proud of it. alone…hmmmm? But in the end I think we did a wonderful job and I still stand