Zane: Let me start the formal interview process by thanking you for taking the time to have this chat. I really appreciate it.

Joe: I definitely appreciate your time.

Zane: Founding a studio and creating a game of this scope aren’t small tasks by any means. What made you decide to become an indie developer, and found your studio?

Joe: Well I basically learned to write code about 19 years ago or so and started with writing BBS door games and moving on from there. I’ve worked at a few studios here in Toronto and in San Diego but eventually found myself working in other industries. The core game and ideas for Empyrios is actually a design I’ve been toying with for probably 4-5 years before the actual start of development and something that I’ve wanted to build for a long time.

Zane: Ah! Admittedly, I was curious which came first: Empyrios, or Creoterra.

Joe: Creoterra was really born in order to focus attention on building the types of games that we really wanted to play, to be honest. The core ideas and gameplay definitely predate us striking out and founding the studio, and we had a lot of world design and gameplay mechanics to start with. Once we found Jove—our artist—and he came on board with the project, is when things really started to come together from both a design and aesthetic point of view

Zane: Your aesthetic does have that old-school fantasy game feel. There are a number of areas where you’re doing things differently. For instance, I notice you’re not going with the traditional fantasy races. Even the dvergar as ‘dark dwarves’ in concept are very rarely seen compared to, say, dark elves.

Joe: Well that was one thing that we really spent a lot of time on because we really wanted to create a new world for the game to take place in. We do have a human race, the Aduro, and then the Dvergar as you mentioned, but we really wanted to have a fresh feel rather than sticking with ‘old proven’ so we’ve tried to come up with a lot of different concepts. Jove was also a big part of this and we worked very well going between art and design. One example would be the ‘Shade’ race, which our original design had more as a traditional type of undead. Jove wanted to try something new and he took the backstory of them being outcast for refusing to stop playing with necromancy and other dark arts, and tied it into the overall race. So now instead of having, say, the usual skeletal minions you might see elsewhere, the shade are basically a humanoid spirit, but with various parts of different types of living beings kind of moulded together.

Zane: Even the Aduro have a unique feel compared to the tried-and-tested staple of Humans. It’s great to see all these unique options. I can’t resist, though: are there any races that are developer favourites?

Joe: We’ve really tried to give all races, and the entire world for that matter, a really unique feel both through art style and ability design. Regarding favourites I can say that the Lithos are quite popular and we usually feature the Brute character out of game, but beyond that everyone seems to have their own favourite to play. I play a lot of the Caelum (avian race) myself and would definitely say they’re one of my personal favourites. Some people like sticking mainly with one race in their team composition, but a lot of people actually like to select from various races in whichever faction they’re playing.

Zane: I’m glad that you came to the topic of factions. You probably get this question a lot, but what is the Prophecy of Flame, and how does it relate to the two factions and their agenda?

Joe: Well the Prophecy of Flame actually stems from the Aduro race but has ramifications across the world. The human race in this part of the world started to have visits from very strange humans from other lands. They spoke of Pyrios, the god of flame, and began to recruit others into their religion and follow their beliefs. This had huge ramifications as once the Aduro Nation became the largest sect, they went from a passive view to being more aggressive, and banning and outlawing various forms of magic. This is what led to the Shade, as they are actually exiled Aduro who wanted to continue their research and practice into the darker arts. Whether that was a good idea or not is yet to be seen. I can’t go into the actual prophecy itself, as I don’t want to spoil the plot of either campaign, but it encompasses the entire world and story.

Zane: No worries! We wouldn’t want to spoil any surprises. The two factions, the Mystic Covenant and the Shadowlord Pact, they’re then centred around the Aduro and Shade, and their positions regarding Pyrios and his word?

Joe: Well their battle is one component, but every race actually has their own goals in mind, and they the factions are alliances of purpose and convenience. One example is how during their exile a high mage of the Shade actually created the Lithos race through necromancy and spirit magic. This impacts the Dvergar as you now have these wild destructive creations born in the mountains who start attacking the mines and trade routes. On the other hand, you have the Caelum who have forged a pact with the Sylvan to protect the wooded lands, and by making it seem as if the Reptilis attacked them first they’ve drawn the Sylvan into their battle. The Prophecy of Flame also foretold of the ‘beasts from the desert’ which later emerge as the Az’Modai, something the story goes into in more detail. So really the factions are actually created out of necessity, trickery, or something in between. They are much looser than say a conventional alliance where different races are friends for no reason, and it’s always been that way.

Zane: Wow. Suffice to say, there’s been a lot of preparation and fore-thought. All of this no doubt creates a rich back-story to set the current campaign’s events against.

Joe: Each faction’s campaign story isn’t actually just a linear point A to point B narrative. Sometimes you might have 2-3 options open to you on the map and you have to make a decision. Do you help the Dvergar town or the Aduro town, or do you ignore both to support the Sylvan on the front lines in the forest? Each campaign is different depending on the choices you make and the outcomes of the battle.

Zane: Strategizing well is clearly a big part of the game, and using your environment to your advantage is a core component thereof. What are some of the key elements of Empyrios’ tactical combat?

Joe: Well you hit on one key component which is trying to take tactical advantage by using the environment. Some units can set traps or alter the environment in small ways. To that effect. map control and positioning is pretty big. Another is that each unit has a set of 3 skills that vary in power cost, so you have to decide on whether you want to use ability X now, or wait and use something that costs less until you can get into a better position for a larger ability. Ouside of the battles the units in your army gain levels, have a skill mastery tree, and even one additional customization system that we’re still working on. So just because an enemy is using a Lithos Brute, you can’t be sure if he’s using it as a traditional ‘tanky’ type build, crowd control, or focussing on raw damage. And of course setting up team synergy and combos and planning your strategy is something that gives a nice edge.

Zane: Wow. Multiple campaigns with non-linear story-lines and player controlled outcomes, and then full control in a tactical environment with a myriad of options…have to say, you guys have put a lot of thought, effort and passion into this project.

Joe: Yeah it’s actually been quite the undertaking! As I mentioned early the core game concept and ideas were coming together for years before development started (actually using HeroQuest miniatures on a cardboard map), and we’ve been in full production for quite an insane amount of time.

Zane: What have been some of the major challenges of going Indie and working on Empyrios?

Joe: Well the biggest challenge for me has been the switch over to production. I spent the majority of my career, both in and out of games, in software engineering and technical direction. So while I worked hand in hand with producers, artists, and designers, I was still heavily tech focused. I had a million and one things to learn, and a lot of mistakes to make, but having someone like Jove on the project was absolutely huge as he took care of the aesthetic direction and really helped bring this idea and story on paper to life. Also, scope was a huge issue as the amount of work was pretty staggering on all fronts, whether it be code, design, art, anything! Although on a positive note we knew going into the project that it wasn’t something we would be building quickly and that we were in for the long haul project… so it wasn’t like we were surprised or hammered by scope creep.

Zane: I can imagine with something like an RPG, where you have to cater for every individual player contingency, as well as test to ensure the combinations are compatible, that it’s a huge undertaking.

Joe: The testing is actually a major part, especially with the team composition and customization. I build a lot of in-house tools and we’ve basically had bots playing the game 24/7 against each other for over a year constantly collecting data. It was quite fun, actually, because the bots were building teams and combos based on statistical analysis. Quite a few times the AI created some monster teams where we immediately knew we had to go in and fine-tune some abilities. The bots came up with a few team compositions that we never would have dreamed of using… but if the AI found them, players definitely would have at some point.

Zane: In that case, mental note to self: only play against other humans. You mention a variety of game modes, including the campaign and multiplayer. What are the modes on offer for the release?

Joe: We have the campaign mode, which is has a full non-linear campaign for each faction individual faction. Then there’s online multiplayer, local multiplayer, and practice. With online games we have a full infrastructure and matchmaking system so you can play ‘ranked’ games or just friendly games against friends. There are even unlockables and achievements. Local multiplayer is just what it sounds like: multiple friends against each other, playing on the same device. Practice mode is essentially local multiplayer versus bots.

Zane: Whom we’ve just established might be much nastier than your friends, depending on your difficulty level (and friends).

Joe: Hehehe very true.

Zane: I know this is probably your least favourite question as a developer, but the journalist code of honour dictates that I ask. Without us forcing you to commit to it, do you have a rough release date in mind?

Joe: Well our target is Q4 this year, but depending on development we may run into Q1 of next year. We’re actually 100% art complete at this stage (and we’re working on the first update actually), and majority code complete. Right now a lot of the work is in continuing to work on unit balancing, story/campaign, and heavy polishing across the board. Of course no promises with time as we want to make sure everything is extremely polished and as perfect as we can build it in our view.

Zane: That’s exciting news! Is there any way our readers can help show their support or keep up to speed with the latest progress reports and news?

Joe: Well we always massively appreciate support on Twitter and Facebook which we’ll be updating with news much more often. We’ve been ‘working in a dark cave’ for the last about 5 weeks while trying to get our latest alpha build ready and in testing so we haven’t had the stream of updates I’d like to see but there will be a lot more in the coming weeks. Also we’re hoping to have both the empyrios.com website and steam green light page online within the next 3-4 weeks or so. And of course players can check our company site where there is more information on the game and will be continually updated

Zane: Thank you very much, Joe. Do you have any final words of advice or inspiration you’d like to share with any aspiring indie devs who might be reading?

Joe: Well for me I think the biggest thing is that if you have a great game idea that you’d like to realize, you have to build it. In some cases, like with Empyrios, the design morphed from tabletop gameplay builds over the years, and writing the backstory as a hobby, into building out the entire game in production. Just be very mindful that if you haven’t produced a AAA or indie title in the past, you are going to learn a million new things, your time estimates will be derailed, and you’ll probably hit a host of unforeseen problems. As we’re wrapping up development on Empyrios I am definitely really happy with the overall process and what we’ll have achieved in the end, and I hope that players will feel the same way.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

The British Invasion is back! Or at least it seems to be with the sampling of music that came our way in August. London must be a non-stop dance party with the volume of new releases hitting the internet and airwaves. We still received our fair share of music from all over the world, so be sure to check out all of the tracks and albums starting with our own staff picks for August.

Staff Picks

Single(s) of the Month:

“Good Morning” - Terracotta Blue

Kendrick

A lot of solo electronica artists either bore you with minimalism or assault you with too much noise. Thankfully, Terracotta Blue, of Maryland, lives in a market space called 'chillwave' and exercises careful restraint and learned curation. "Good Morning", the last single from his incremental Purple Summer releases, builds a deliberate groove not unlike the best symphonic themes. The song is exactly like a summer romance, getting your attention, winning your heart, and then breaking it because the summer's over and you just want more. How can this wordless courtship be only two minutes long? Listen over and over again above.

“I’ll Be Your” – Tallest Tree

Lux

Canadian music-makers (and July's pick of the month) The Tallest Tree have recently unveiled their second single, "I'll Be Your", a rollicking folk-rock track peppered with ukelele and just the right amount of intimacy. While I think the single could've done without the kazoo-like trumpet solo, it's nice to see the duo taking risks and incorporating a few more layers into their soundscape. A definitive step-up from their first release, the track turns the spotlight on Dawn's vocal abilities, but the song still retains the same Noah and the Whale-quality present in "Boat". Give the home-spun music video for "I'll Be Your (For You)" a watch on Youtube or have a listen via Soundcloud.

“Seaside” – Duke Evers

Brandon

I had an agonizing time making my single pick this month, changing my mind no fewer than three times. Oh So Quiet and Tankus the Henge were both in the running, but in the end I went with relative newcomer Duke Evers. The Seattle-based indie rock duo recently released single "Seaside" off their upcoming album Handful of Pennies. The song is full of energy and soul and gave off a bit of a Paul Simon feel, though influences from newer bands like Kings of Leon or Arctic Monkeys can be found. In any case, it's made me eager for the full album release in late September. Might we see another staff pick then? Check back in a month or so to see.

Album(s) of the Month:

EP2 - Honeyrunners

Kendrick

Let's get this out of the way first: Yes, their bassist is really named Michael Bolton. The Honeyrunners, of Toronto, are peeking out at you from behind self-declared love for southern rock, affection for Motown and the energy of funk. What they completely fail to hide is the amount of craft and skill that goes into a nearly perfect set of songs on their second barely-titled EP. Seamless four-part harmonies make way only for Marcus Bucci's lyrical, conversational guitar, and everything is held together in a warm gospel embrace by Dan Dwoskin's earthy keyboards. I dare you not to listen to the track "Hold Me" without looking for someone to pull close. Search on the text string 'EP2' if you go looking for this record electronically, because mere language doesn't seem to handle the lazy labeling.

Lux

Toronto rockers The Honeyrunners have just released their second album, EP 2, which probably deserves a less generic title. The five-track pseudo-soul/blues rock EP, rife with radio-quality hooks and clean-shaven harmonies, harkens back to alternative rock predecessors like The Raconteurs or Jet, but with a little less attitude. Like most works of the genre, the soul comes off a little put-on to me, and I think the album would benefit from a little less twang and little more grit. That said, EP 2 certainly doesn't lack energy nor production value, and The Honeyrunners' EP 2 is a shining example of modern blues-influenced alternative rock. The full album can be streamed on Soundcloud or purchased on Amazon, iTunes, or Bandcamp.

From Now On - Azwel

Brandon

In what turned out to be another tough choice, Kye Alfred Hillig's wonderfully folksy and humorous album The Buddhist was barely edged out by From Now On from Azwel. Azwel is the project of home studio musician Jason Perillo, a veteran of 10+ years. The album is a delightful blending of pop and rock influences from the last few decades including a strong draw from the British pop scene. The tracks tend to alternate between an upbeat and low-key feel, and that push and pull helps keep the album entertaining from start to finish.

Other Music

Singles:

Londoners Tankus the Henge release multi-genre-inspired single “Recurring Dream”

Punk/grunge band The Dirty Nil continue a prolific 2014 with new single “Cinnamon”

London-based, indie rock sextet Oh So Quiet follow up debut album with new single “Collided” and B-side “Inure”

English alt rock band The Mcooleys release single “What Happened Tonight” off album Empty Blue Skies

Singer-songwriter Scarlet Baxter unveils new single “Backsliding” from upcoming EP Stuck

Indie rock act Vagabond Flag release lo-fi, politically-motivated single “Not Afraid”

Dance single “Music With You” featuring O-Dog released by Tech Warriors

Pop act Oxford Style returns with stylish single “Halcyon Days”

The Emsee releases new hip hop single “Rap Squared”

Debut single “Blue Tempest” released by dream-folk duo AERS

Leo and the Tolstoys release single “Casablanca” off upcoming “vintage rock” album

New York-based The Cabana Kids release retro-filled new single “Just Let Me Know”

Albums/EPs:

Juicebox releases Assorted Flavors EP blending neurofunk soundscapes and techstep drum work

Electronic musician Chris Kaz releases self-titled, debut album

Post-hardcore/alt rock band Pavilions release new album The Futures Mine to Make

Pop/rock artist Lettie partners with Dave Barbarossa to create new 3-track EP Crossroads

Former Indie Mine staff pick and folk musician Kye Alfred Hillig releases 2nd album of 2014, The Buddhist

Baltimore Club musician Might Mark releases first official EP Mighty

Scranton, PA indie rock band A Social State release second full length record How to Get to Heaven

Russian Winter Records announce release of 10-artist compilation The Alternative

Experimental pop artist Jessica Chase releases debut EP Coming Down

Alt rock/soul artists Black Lady Soul release self-titled debut album

Debut, self-titled album released by London acoustic duo Fireflies

80s-influenced act DigitalNativeDance releases full-length 4-track EP Los Canerreos

Acoustic singer-songwriter Liam McClair releases EP Honey

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Bernie is a young man just finished with school and starting out in the business of universe creation. Life hasn’t been plain sailing up until now, though. He’s the only child of a single working mother, his father having walked out on them after achieving fame for his universes. Despite being absent, his father’s shadow is quite large; he’s the only god to have ever won three awards for universes that he’s created. As if all this weren’t enough, Bernie is one of those gods cursed with a powerful Cloud – a chaotic force, much like a poltergeist, that vents his subconscious frustrations out on the world. Despite all these odds against him, working for The Business may just be the opportunity he needs to prove himself to his father and give his mother the life she deserves.

Events don’t go as planned, however, and working soon turns out to be plagued by the same sort of problems that occurred at school. It turns out that his first commercially constructed universe is not only plagued by problems with his technique, but that an old school rival is actively sabotaging his efforts. Due to his rival’s seniority and his own problems with authority figures, Bernie is forced to try and undo the damage on his own. So begins a guerilla war between gods to destroy or save a just-created planet. The stakes get upped when Bernie discovers the unthinkable: intelligent life has flourished on his world, without him creating any or even setting events in motion for life to flourish by itself. He’s no longer just fighting to save his family’s future, but also the lives of thousands of thinking, breathing bronze-age beings.

LeBel’s style is fluid and sleek, making it easy to devour this page-turner. Bernie is a likeable underdog protagonist and manages to attract a cast of outsiders and free-thinkers to his cause that are each as well-developed as he is. Lenny is an old school friend who has a fascination with the technology and superstitions of the civilizations the gods create, and is always seen carrying a primitive charm or piece of advanced technology to give him an edge. Then there’s Alcandor, one of the people on Bernie’s world who correctly works out that there’s a powerful being trying to protect them. He manages to contact Bernie, and together they make plans to save Alcandor’s world.

Another of Bernie’s allies is an old school friend, Suzie. She is the personal assistant to the head of human resources, and uses her charm to get Bernie as many second chances as he needs to succeed. She has a passion for worlds that challenge the inherent patriarchy in the Gods’ societies. Unfortunately, Suzie and the other female characters in the novel feel as though they exist solely as motivations for the protagonist or to further romantic subplots. Despite that, they’re still given defining traits and stay within character.

No mention of characters would be complete without talking about Billy, Bernie’s rival. He’s a cruel god who takes pleasure in inspiring his creations to war with each other, treating their lives and worlds as games for his own amusement. Bernie’s cloud left a scar on his face when they fought during school, something he’s never forgiven Bernie for. His uncle is Bernie’s departmental head, a fact that’s earned him many cronies. Even with all his friends at his side, Bernie has his work cut out.

The action is exciting and fast-paced. The narrative alternates between Bernie and the other gods, and the lives of the people on his besieged world. This helps establish a context to the consequences of Billy and Bernie’s actions. It makes for fascinating reading, and succeeds in making you wonder whether or not we have our own Bernie. If you’ve ever played any simulation or strategy games, it also makes you hanker to get back into one of those while simultaneously making you question whether or not all the soldiers you send to their doom had families and lives outside of your dictates.

The plot experiences minor repetition towards the third quarter of the book. By then we’ve seen Billy create problems, and Bernie fix them several times. There are enough new developments along the way to keep the story fresh, but this point in the plot is a no-man’s land between old and new developments, where we see much of the same thing happening.

Even with the above, this is a read that’s sure to please and guaranteed not to disappoint. If you’re looking for a great new indie book to sink your teeth into, it’ll be this one.

You can buy The Universe Builders on Amazon, or follow further details about the universe at Steve’s website.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

After the inbox-breaking month that was June, July almost seemed bereft of music by comparison. Thankfully, that wasn’t actually the case. Although we didn’t see the same diversity of musical genres that we’re accustomed to, there was still a bunch of great music to catch our attention. Staff editor Kendrick and staff music writer Lux join me in making our single and album picks this month. Agree or disagree with our selections? Leave a comment and let us know which releases tickled your earholes. Be sure to check them all out below.

Staff Picks

Single(s) of the Month:

“Venture” - City and The Sea

Kendrick

We like City and the Sea here at the Indie Mine, and this Hamilton, Ontario group last got our attention in February 2013. Their new single, the summer anthem "Venture", answers the bizarre question of what a super group would sound like if Neil Young and Bob Seger got together with all the members of Weezer. City and The Sea acknowledge their many inspirations and influences openly and proudly, which is weird because nothing they record actually seems stale or derivative. Their sound is a direct reflection of each member's individual contribution across decades of experience. Like a trusted auto repair shop (or a successful porn studio) their appeal is intergenerational, speaking to both the young and the not-so-young. "Venture" is one of those songs that you'll hear again after a few years that will strike you with a new realization you wouldn't have had as a younger listener.

“Boat” – Tallest Tree

Lux

Canadian indie rockers and married couple The Tallest Tree have recently released their debut single, “Boat”, an upbeat, grungy romp of a folk-rock tune. The track has a lazy, Noah and the Whale quality to it, with harmonic flourishes and production value that convey a sense of maturity unusual for a first release. “Boat” is solid in its simplicity, and, although I think the song begs for more complexity and a greater dynamic arc, it definitely shows promise.

“Bible John” – The Sea Kings

Brandon

"Bible John" is the debut single from Glasgow artists The Sea Kings. The catchy track combines elements of pop, new wave, and smatterings of a few other genres. The single is part of the band's album Woke in the Devil's Arms which released in early August (just a little late for July's Roundup). Have a listen to the track above and then head on over to SoundCloud to hear the rest of the album.

Album(s) of the Month:

High Noon – Arkells

Lux

Indie Mine veterans Arkells are set to release their third full-length album, High Noon, on August 5th, and I think it's safe to say they're on track to be making plenty of so-called “Fake Money", as the leading track deems it. Teetering in between the Canadian indie scene and pop stardom, Arkells are a capital P Product, and their newest release is, at its core, pop with flair. Tracks like “11:11”. with somewhat cut-and-dry pop hooks and Katy Perry quality bass riffs are accented by wispy 80's synthesizer and fuzz filter, and Kerman's drawly, sometimes talky vocals are always energetic. Repeated themes lend the nostalgic, romantic lyrics some believability, although it still comes off a little trite. High Noon is high-quality, radio-friendly pop-rock (a la Imagine Dragons), and it's certainly worth a listen if you're into the genre. The album is available for purchase on iTunes or directly through the band's website, and you can listen to the tracks “11:11”, “Come to Light”, and “Never Thought That This Would Happen” via Soundcloud or Youtube.

Bulbs of Held - Bulbs of Held

Kendrick

While it's not true across the whole genre, a disturbing amount of electronica is made by annoying meatheads. Almost any idiot can drop a beat armed with a Macintosh and a sense of privilege, ending the night with the sole worry that the groupie in passenger seat isn't entitled to a voter registration card. That's why the debut EP from Bulbs of Held is such a breath of fresh air, because it's legitimately cool. This educated Manchester duo doesn't crave your praise or your devotion, not when they're making tracks in 7/4 time and playing guitar harmonics with the edges of a pinky finger. The opening track is also the stand-out, a breathy vamp called "Soulenalle" that the group gleefully identifies as disco without feeling any need to be constrained by the label. It's worth your time to check out this risk-taking, boundary-pushing music.

The Lost Weekend - Sean Flinn & The Royal We

Brandon

I agonized over my album pick for a few days, flipping back and forth between two worthy contenders. While I thought that Jeen O'brien's Tourist hit higher highs, I felt that The Lost Weekend was more solid from start to finish. Sean Finn & The Royal We's indie rock album is a showcase for Flinn's singer/songwriter talents, and the 3-piece backup band lulls the listener in with each easygoing track. Highlights for me included "City Lights", "The Ravine", and title track "The Lost Weekend".

Other Music

Singles:

London-based electronica band Ooberfuse release “Different Drum”

One-man band Feexer releases debut single “Diamonds and Defects” off upcoming album of the same name

In advance of second new album this year, Zebracore band Postcode releases music video for single “This Day Will Come”

Split single “BRIDGEBURNER” includes surf-punk thrasher “Liar Liar” and classic rock track “Gold Star”

Derbyshire rockers The Four Fours release double A-side with tracks “Count to Ten” and “Messing With History”

Dave Rave and Heads Up Lincoln release holiday-inspired track “4th of July”

Indie Mine veterans Illitry release black and white short-film for latest single “Runaways”

Mother Leads release second single, “It’s a Feeling“, off upcoming debut album Myriad

Indie pop artist Pale Green Things releases upbeat single “Pink Flamingo”

Albums/EPs:

Blues rock artist Jeff Bell releases album Songs From No One in Particular

St. Helens trio The Bordello follow up 2013 release with new albums Will.I.Am, You’re Really Nothing and Extra Smooth

DJ and producer Headman/Robi Insinna releases 4-track set 6 E.P.1

Minimalist punk duo Ed Schrader’s Music Beat generating buzz with new album Party Jail

Debut album Simple Things released by UK pop/rock group Felt Tip

San Francisco shoegaze duo My Red Dress release album Out There/Cave

Canadian musician Jeen O’Brien releases solo, indie pop rock album Tourist

Toronto rock group Jay Pollock self-produce and release 11-song album Sunflower

Another Man’s Poison release self-titled album full of 60s rock and 70s punk inspiration

Gimme Some Lovin’ is a mix of live and studio cuts and marks the latest album from musician Marcus Singletary

House/techno musician and producer Jeton Gjidoda creates new EP Possum

Mike Cykoski and A is for Atom release latest indie rock EP Song For You

Texan indie rock band Young Ones release new EP A to B

Folk singer/songwriter Matthew Oomen records album Where the Valley is Long

Indie dance / nu disco artist Mikael Fas releases EP Mesosphere under new label

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

The cover and title says it all.

The Ice Cap and the Rift is the second novel in Marshall Chamberlain’s the Ancestor Series of Adventure Thrillers. John Henry Morgan, director of the United Nations’ Institute for the Study of Unusual Phenomenon (ISUP), is still reeling from the events in the first novel (The Mountain Place of Knowledge) when a combo-quake of unprecedented size occurs without any prior warning. The situation escalates when a team in Iceland detects the presence of strange, hidden structures within the newly formed rift that pre-date the birth of human civilisation. Morgan has encountered evidence of advanced, ancient technology before, and recognises these structures as having been built by mysterious beings they’ve named the Ancestors. He has to secure a UN presence at the rift, and balance conflicting international interests as different nations scramble to secure the technology within the rift for themselves.

Hounding Morgan at every step is Dick Murray, director of the CIA. Murray only cares about results and the protection of his country, a man desperate for success after being outmanoeuvred by the Chinese the last time they discovered Ancestor technology. Morgan needs his help, but every bit of assistance Murray offers is a double-edged sword. Thankfully, Morgan isn’t alone. Doctor Mary Ellen, his colleague, friend and partner, was also witness to the capabilities of Ancestor technology before, and uses her extensive scientific knowledge and force of personality to help ISUP succeed against the odds. Operating from within the shadows is Ling Soo, the Chinese Minister of Intelligence, a dangerous and canny opponent. Using deception and the co-operation of international allies, he proves an adept opponent equally capable in both the political and military fields.

The dual UN-Cambridge team investigates the rift in the ice cap while trying to prevent too much information from leaking out to the various international factions eager for a piece of the pie. What they find is a fully operational habitat, with several flying vehicles that are still in top condition. The flying vehicles are saucer-shaped crafts, and raise questions about humanity’s origins, and whether our history is as complete or short as we’d been led to believe. Before the full implications of the discovery can be worked through, the Chinese manage to secure the information about the rift’s contents and execute a daring plan to steal one of the flying saucers. It’s up to Murray and Morgan to set aside their differences in order to track and recover the stolen craft.

The Ice Cap and the Rift reads like a story-driven political thriller with a sci-fi twist. In style it’s reminiscent of Tom Clancy in that Marshall explains the workings of his world in great detail. His research into a variety of topics lends this text believability and weight. You get a very real sense that he knows what he’s talking about regarding the way the various organisations and modern technology works. The unfortunate trade-off, however, is that the narrative flow gets interrupted by lengthy exposition.

The blending of the science fiction into the real-world setting is handled very well, with a careful reverence that’s not often experienced in novels. The mystical and spiritual nature of the Ancestors is well defined because of this, lending a strange metaphysical feeling to everything centred on their works. From the get-go he manages to arouse intrigue as to what we have in the rift, and who its mysterious architects were.

The man himself

Unfortunately, this reverence seems to disappear when the aura of mystery vanishes. The UN team has no great difficulty in getting into the newly revealed habitat, and spend more time sweeping the area for CIA bugs. Once inside, the descriptions of the habitat’s controls give it a strangely ‘Fisher-Price’ feel. Scientists don’t spend much time puzzling through symbols or controls, and in fact have no hassle deciphering how everything works. The fact that much modern human technology within the novel’s setting seems on par with that of the Ancestors – virtual environments, advanced invisibility cloaking technology, satellite mounted lasers – makes the discovery in the rift feel a little underwhelming. There are even two chapters within the novel where we are treated to modern, living Ancestors as the viewpoint characters in order to understand their motives. Had the sense of mystery been preserved, then we’d be able to maintain the sense of wonder the Ancestors are supposed to engender.

One of the other stumbling blocks for the novel is the sheer volume of characters. Aside from Morgan, Murray, Ellen and Soo, the cast of characters is extensive. With so many individuals, running the gamut from pilots, secret agents, terrorists and academics, characterisation is kept brief of a necessity, with most characters getting a short introduction and a single defining characteristic. In the worst examples the supporting characters are ethnic or occupational stereotypes. This makes many of them feel more like caricatures than actual flesh-and-blood individuals. Fewer characters performing many of the same roles, or more face-time for some characters, would really strengthen the impact they make.

Chamberlain’s descriptions are stronger than his characters, but inconsistent. At times he paints a scene vividly using multiple senses; I’m still stuck remembering the nutty smell of a cup of coffee Morgan has towards the final chapters. At other times, it feels like Chamberlain is watching a movie and describing it to us, his readers, with a certain level of dispassion. This creates a distance, something dangerous in a novel that requires reader investment in order to get swept up in the action. The worry is that the weak descriptions far outweigh the good ones. Despite that, the tension of the final chapters prompted further reading, the reader trying to work out the intricacies of the Chinese plot alongside the protagonists.

There’s much to recommend in The Ice Cap and the Rift. Chamberlain lends his world both a sense of credibility and mysticism. However, the presence of many weak characters hampers our involvement. Sacrificing descriptions for exposition in order to preserve the fast pace of his novel created further distance between readers and the action. If you’re looking for a light adventure novel with global conflict and alien artefacts, then this might just be the book for you.

With a release date of 15th October 2014, you can pre-order the ebook on multiple platforms, or start with the first book in the series.

This book was reviewed using a copy provided by the publishers for that purpose

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

A unique twist on a classic tale – Christ uses the Holy Grail to curse the Apostles with Vampirism

The novel starts strong, the prologue putting a unique twist on Christ’s words to his Apostles on the night of the last supper. It leaves us hungry for more, and open to a fresh interpretation of the vampire mythos. From Bram Stoker’s conception of the undead, to Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer’s more recent renditions, vampires and their powers and weaknesses are as varied as their origin stories. In Batiste’s novel, vampires are ageless, heal fast, and the only sure things that kill them are fire, losing a head or getting stabbed through the heart. The characters are quick to point out that they don’t sparkle in the sunlight, though when they ‘shift’ into vampiric form they have their fangs elongate and their eyes turn violet. The narrative implies that every time a vampire feeds, the human in question dies, a choice rife with moral ambiguity for an audience used to vampires that can choose whether to kill or not.

Another interesting ability the vampires in this world have is the ability to have normal off-spring by having regular sex with mortal men and women. Kellan is the offspring of one such union, and his task is to do the same with Nicole. The chapters alternate between these two primary viewpoint characters, with the occasional chapter devoted to secondary characters like pursuing demons. Kellan is a movie-star lookalike living the high life with the accumulated wealth of centuries. His love and loyalty for the Apostles is well established, but the turning point is clear when his love for Nicole overrides his better judgement. Of the two, Nicole is the stronger character and just feels more real. Her actions and motivations are the clearest from the get-go, and her story is the most compelling of the two. You find yourself rooting for her and wanting to know that she’ll come out on top. Indeed, the supporting characters of her story arc often feel more rounded and better developed than many of the established characters that make recurring appearances in Kellan’s narrative.

Ultimately, the difference in the strength of the characters in the two narratives seems to rest on the vampiric nature of all the characters in Kellan’s story arc. Batiste does some brilliantly subtle characterisation in some places – Simon doesn’t like blasphemy, demons refer to vampires as mosquitoes – but then undermines it later. The Apostles are indistinguishable from a group of golf buddies or business colleagues, apart from the mention of blood drinking. Kellan is Simon’s son, and their interaction is just like that of two family members. Kellan has a habit of getting his way and is never disciplined, despite going against the will of a fraternity of beings a millennium older than he is. The fact that a human dies every time they feed is barely examined and quickly handled with a justification that vampires only feed on evil people now. There are so many opportunities to deepen the setting or examine the implications of decisions, but these are glossed over and moved aside so that the romance and the action can proceed.

To Batiste’s credit, the romance and action are the novel’s strengths. The interaction between Kellan and Nicole is electric, and the nerves on their first dates complement their later passion. The action sequences are equally well crafted, with the writing fast-paced and exciting. The writing style is fluid and engaging, and the pace never flags or gets bogged down. Despite that, The Vitandi suffers from being two separate genres in one – a paranormal romance, and a supernatural thriller. While both the romance and thriller are handled very well separately, jumping between the two styles compromises the text as a whole. Maintaining some mystery could have saved for the insertion of exposition in otherwise tense scenes, whereas foreshadowing could have stopped some other reveals from feeling too deus ex machina. The romantic confessions and revealed motives feel melodramatic and contrived when set against demons and vampires battling.

All in all, The Vitandi is easy to read, and neither the romance nor the action disappoint. The concepts at the core of this novel are intriguing and exciting, but many are poorly handled. Though the writing is good overall, the occasional block of exposition or lack of foreshadowing let it down. Batiste shows promise, but better characterisation of the vampires and a deeper examination of the vampiric condition would have made for a more immersive novel.

Should you be intrigued by Batiste’s original ideas and want a different spin on your paranormal romance, you can purchase The Vitandi on Kindle or Nook.

This book was reviewed using a copy provided by the publisher for that purpose.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

January signalled the start of a new year, and with every new year comes change. We’ve decided to shake things up a bit with our monthly music roundup feature now that we have a few different writers covering music for the site. Each month we’ll be making our staff picks with each music writer picking their favorite track and album/EP discovered in the past month. Please note that the music selected didn’t necessarily have to release in the past month, though we’ll try to keep it limited to recent works. With the digital age, more and more musicians are periodically releasing their albums piecemeal, so it’s hard to dictate when a particular song debuted. Anyway, we hope you like our favorites, but be sure to also check out all of the other music we encountered. Enjoy!

Staff Picks

Album(s) of the Month:

There’s a Bluebird in My Heart – Running Red Lights

Lux

Running Red Lights' self-produced debut album, There's a Bluebird in My Heart, released on the 14th of January, was eight years in the making. Through a misdirected journey of industry turmoil and pressure, the Toronto band emerged as folksy indie pop/rock powerhouse with a good deal of bluesy, southern flair. Those many years of life experience manifest in the album's sentimental subject matter and evocative lyrics, which are equal parts sweet and melancholy, with a little bit of nostalgia for good measure. Guided by the rhythmic and melodious instrumentation of David Puzak and Jeff Carter, Scarlett Flynn's robust intonation harmonizes gracefully with Kevin Howley's tender, R&B influenced vocals.

Brandon

It has been quite a few months since my first time hearing the music of Toronto-based band Running Red Lights. Their single "Mulberry Love" was previously featured in our monthly music roundup, but it would be a bit of a wait before we would finally get to hear the finished album, There's A Bluebird In My Heart. It was well worth the wait. While it is the normally the instrumentation of a song that wins me over, vocalists Kevin Howley and Scarlett Flynn make for such a pleasant pairing that the album just edged out a few others as my top pick this month. For me, the standout track on this album is "Dear Liza".

Entangled And Entwined – Juleah

Jennifer

Entangled And Entwined is the captivating EP from Austria native, Juleah. The EP is a blend of soulful, singer-songwriter elements and dreamy themes that allude to shoegaze artists of the early 90s. With sensual vocals and hypnotic rhythms, Entangled And Entwined is a delight for fans of Slowdive and Mazzy Star.

Single(s) of the Month:

“If I Am Wrong” – Illitry

Jennifer

The Illitry remix of "If I Am Wrong" combines a hauntingly beautiful melody backed by an urban beat. Illitry takes the lovely original track by singer-songwriter, Scott Orr, and transforms it with a new level of energy and a great vibe.

“The Verge” – Juleah

Lux

Entangled and Entwined, the third release from Austrian artist Juleah (aka Julia Hummer) is a five-track EP of full, yet understated psychedelic rock with shoegaze and dream pop influences. The first song on the album, "The Verge", is summery and sweeping without ever feeling undirected. It does not meander far, but rolls along like the ocean tide, driven by Julia's solid vocals and intimately oblique lyricism.

“Careless Smile” – Jessica Bundy

Brandon

While I was tempted to go with Running Red Lights' "Dear Liza", I enjoyed Jessica Bundy's "Careless Smile" too much to let it go without some recognition. I think what drew me to the Toronto-based musician's latest single is the deep emotion put into the words. I've listened to a bit of Mumford & Sons over the past few years, and I immediately drew a comparison between the artists. This track comes from Bundy's debut EP which is currently being recorded. I'm sure we'll be hearing much more from this musician in 2014.

Other Music

Postcode guitarist Mikie Duagherty releases Afterlight EP under Nanaki name

Experimental alt-rock album Mitch McConnell’s Grapefruit Stand by Babirusa

STACEY launches music video for single “Worst Part”

Electronic/chiptune album further by San Francisco-based electronic band crashfaster

Cinematically-inspired album Ashes and Tangerines from Toronto musician Clara Engel

Series of remixes released for “Lizard Eyes” by The Boy & Sister Alma

Terracotta Blue rings in the new year with hip hop/chillwave EP City Skylark

Detroit techno master Tunnelvision creates new 90s-themed EP Desire Lines

Folk singer/songwriter Songbird reveals new album Why Don’t You Care

Alt rock EP How the boys feel, when they are jilted released by Czech Republic band Tonecat

Dave Rave and the Governors release Minnesota-inspired pop album Ashtray Makeup

Kansas City hip-hip artist Ryan Forest releases debut EP The Veil under project name Cairoglyphs

House music specialist Gunes Ergun releases atmospheric EP Turkish Delight

New single “We Here Now (So Much Smoke)” released by ‘music artist’ JproD

Brooklyn-inspired mixtape The Warm Up by The Presidential Colleagues

Folk singer/songwriter Harrison Caldeira releases 11-track acoustic album  HIS*STORY

Postcode members Marie Reynolds and Mikie Daugherty team up with ex-Stoliday member Phil Reynolds on The Slow Hours’ “Let’s Pretend This Is Real Life”

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Fortify: Special Edition puts players in charge of defending a castle from marauding monsters commanded by a an evil overlord. Enemies approach in waves from all directions of the top-down map, and units can be placed within or outside the castle’s walls to stop its destruction. The campaign mode requires the player to keep the castle standing for the in-game duration of a couple of weeks before finally facing the big, bad, boss man himself. Two additional game modes, Arcade and Multiplayer, extend the playability. Arcade mode ramps the difficulty up to the highest setting to see how many rounds the player can last. Multiplayer (LAN-only) tasks each player with attacking the other player’s castle while still defending their own.

The player’s combat units are represented by various soldier types – including ranged and melee – with different abilities for range, attack power, skills, etc. They are purchased using gold earned by defeating enemies as well as with resources collected on the map (more on that later). Because enemies approach from different directions and each unit has a limited field of view, they must be moved either individually or as a group. This is where a lot of time is spent in the early part of the game, and it is a source of frustration as combat units are fairly dumb. Units will only attack if the enemy is within their f.o.v, even if the enemy is standing right next to them. It eventually becomes less of a problem once enough soldiers are purchased for maximum coverage in all directions.

As with many tower defense games, there’s a decision to made between trying to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers versus using valuable resources to purchase upgrades. What helps separate Fortify from lesser games in the genre are the vast number and types of upgrades available. On the lower end of the scale, players can boost the castle’s defenses and add towers to improve offensive stats. Perform enough of these upgrades and that unlocks the ability to move the game – and castle – to newer ages of technological advancement. With those evolutionary changes come new soldier types, new player-executed attack options (i.e. catapult, oil slick), and buildings that open up even more upgrade paths.

Advanced upgrade options will leave foes feeling the heat.

One of my favorite twists on the genre turns the game into a bit more of an RTS. There are three outposts that are located on the map. Each outpost is associated with a different resource – lumber, iron, and stone – and can be mined for that resource with the proper care and attention. A building must first be built on the location, and then workers must be purchased and sent there. Resources are mined incrementally over time as long as there are one or more workers at that location. This all sounds well and good, but it’s not as easy as it seems. These outputs are typically fragile, and since they’re outside the castle’s confines they are open to attack. Workers caught inside when the walls fall are killed. As with the castle, outposts can be upgraded with tougher walls, stronger defense measures, and increased capacity for workers.  So with all of the other issues for the player to contend with, they must also repeatedly decide whether to dump valuable resources – as well as the player’s attention – into the main castle or these outposts.

This factors into the game’s biggest weakness:  the pacing of the difficulty. I’m normally a default-to-Normal kinda guy, but I highly recommend starting at the easiest difficulty setting to get a handle on how the game plays. The early game tends to be the hardest part because the need to constantly adjust the combat units can keep the player from making much – if any – progress towards the longer-term objectives. Some of the individual combat units have special skills or stances that the player can activate, but I found I never had time to use them while they were still useful. There’s simply too much to micromanage, not enough time to assess, and it can lead to frustrating failures. The player can pause the game anytime to get a better look at the battleground and read all of the upgrade options, but that goes against the natural flow of playing an action game. On the flip side, if the player can manage to survive the early onslaught, build and maintain some outposts, and start mining resources, the game pretty much plays itself during the last few days. This problem is nothing new to the genre since the goal of most tower defense games involves creating an undefeatable juggernaut.

Sit back, player. We’ve got this.

Fortify: Special Edition is one of those games where I quickly thought I had my mind made up about it. During the first couple of times I attempted the campaign, I lost and was left with a sour taste in my mouth. It’s easy to become overwhelmed, especially when overestimating one’s own ability to take on a new game in a genre they’re well acquainted with. After easing myself in at a lower difficulty, learning how and when to work towards the long-term goals, and generally just figuring out how to actually play the game, I came away much more satisfied with the experience. I don’t know that this is a game that I’ll keep coming back to once I’ve conquered the harder difficulties, but it’s a solid tower defense game in spite of some issues with the difficulty pacing.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ 

What does this score mean?

This game was reviewed using a PC copy provided by the developer for that purpose. Version 1.02 was used in this review. It is available for PC and Mac through Desura, GamersGate, and IndieGameStand. The original Fortify is available as a free download from Holgersson Entertainment.

© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

Bundle In A Box is back with another indie gaming bundle, but they’re switching things up a bit this time by teaming up with another indie resource. BIAB is partnering with indie review site Ordinary Gamer to bring gaming fans a collection of 11 different indie titles. The minimum price for the Indie Ordinary Gamer Bundle is sitting at just $1.99, and many of the included titles are available through multiple services and on different platforms.

Five games are included in the bundle for matching or beating that minimum price:

• One Finger Death Punch
• QbQbQb (which we’ve reviewed)
• Cognition Episode 1
• Saviors
• Slender 5 Pages

Those who donate more than the average price will net six additional games:

• Rooks Keep (which we’ve previewed)
• Hairy Tales
• Isaac The Adventurer
• Cognition Episode 2
• Along Came A Spider
• The Grave Digger

Bundle In A Box has long been associated with the Indie Dev Grant which helps a few lucky indie studios with the funding for their projects. For every 100 sales of this bundle, $15 goes towards that cause. This time around, BIAB is also working with the AbleGamers Charity, a group devoted to improving the quality of life for gamers with disabilities. They offer a community portal for discussing the issues surrounding the accessibility of all games, and they also provide free consultation to developers who want to make sure that everyone can play their titles. This charity will receive 30% of the net earnings from this sale.

As with all Bundle In A Box bundles, there are bonus rewards unlocked when certain sales milestones are reached.  The unlockables this time around include five soundtracks and a whole bunch of wallpapers and other artwork from the games in the bundle. Go out and help your fellow consumers earn these extras by picking up the bundle here. You can also check out trailers for each of the games included.

Try your hand at our giveaway for a chance to win a bundle, but please consider supporting the cause even if you don’t win. Spread the word using the social links on the left.
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© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

The folks over at Bundle In A Box have struck again with another of their thematic indie gaming bundles. This time the bundle’s aimed at the critical thinking gamers out there. The Indie Strategy Bundle includes up to 11 games spread across two donation tiers.

Those willing to chip in $1.99 or more will gain access to:

• AI War
• Us and Them – Cold War
• Creeper World
• Storms Over the Pacific
• Strategic War in Europe
• The Trouble With Robots
• Age of Conquest III

Contributors willing to go above and beyond the average price will also net copies of:

• Mayhem Intergalactic
• Project Aftermath
• Fall Weiss
• Creeper World 2

The games are available on a mix of platforms (PC, Mac, Linux), so be sure to check out the Bundle In A Box website to find out more about each game and what format each is available in.

As with their previous bundles, Bundle In A Box is offering bonus unlockable extras when certain sales numbers have been hit. Those bonuses include artwork, soundtracks, and even a twelfth game: AI War Prototype.

It also wouldn’t be a BIAB bundle without some charitable work. Some of the proceeds will be going to the Indie Dev Grant (the winning developer will be selected via voting) and The Hellenic Centre for Mental Health and Treatment of Child and Family.

If you’re feeling lucky, try your hand at our giveaway below. The folks at BIAB have been kind enough to give us a few bundles to raffle off. There are plenty of ways to enter, so be sure to try them all to increase your odds of walking away a winner. And if you don’t win, please consider picking up the bundle anyway.

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© 2013, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.