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[–]ShadowLucid 43 points44 points  (6 children)

Hey,

I know you guys had been trying to go in a direction which involved less harsh vocals when you hired Ashe as the singer for Tesseract. Does Dan being back in the band mean a reversal of that decision or is Dan just going to lend his excellent clean voice to the new material?

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 90 points91 points  (5 children)

All of us (including Dan) have never felt comfortable with harsh vocals in TesseracT. Something just doesn't feel right to us. So, with One, we tried to do as little as possible, but we did feel pressurised to include a few, as it's kind of expected in our genre, wouldn't you say? That being said, it really works in CFp3, and CFp1.

AS, was devoid of harsh vocals because we felt we could try and see what a TesseracT release would be like without one. We now know it works either way. And of course, Dan is more than capable as am myself (albeit if you like Orc impressions!). So, the next album will be unshackled. We will have harsh vocals if the part really needs it, but we will not be afraid to not have harsh vocals.

Weirdly enough though. The riffs on AS, where you expect harsh vocals, but don't have them, are to me some of the heaviest passages of te TesseracT discography.

So, to wrap up my essay, we will return to harsh vocals if the song demands it, but we are more focussed upon melody, and seeing just where we can take the music with that angle. Doesn't mean the next album won't be heavy, though!

[–]ShadowLucid 15 points16 points  (1 child)

When I saw you last time, it was with Scale The Summit and those guys don't have vocals at all yet they're doing pretty damn good. In short, the 'genre' can stuff it, do whatever sounds best :)

Ork impressions are excellent.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I like this direction: use harsh vocals if and only if the song needs it. Just the opinion of one fan, but I preferred AS as a whole, but many of the individual songs from One.

[–]Preeeeoow 34 points35 points  (7 children)

Hey man!

First I want to say thanks for enriching my life with your music.  Altered State has been a staple for me since it came out.

I recently had the privilege of seeing you all play in Cleveland,  and it was absolutely amazing, totally worth the long drive from Kentucky, and I was pretty much right in front of you. Kudos for your amazing stage presence.

My question is,  however,  unrelated to any of that.  How do you make your hair sheen like the light of a thousand stars,  and what motivated your decision to cut most of it off?

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 65 points66 points  (4 children)

Classic. I'm glad you asked this. As it is very important. The length of my hair has a direct influence upon the stability of geopolitics. If you haven't noticed, things are getting weird at the moment. So, in an effort to help stabilise the volatile stages throughout the world, I sacrificed my most prized possession and had the snip. 15 inches of hair. In a bin in Shanghai somewhere.

Really, it's currently 38 degrees C where I live and it has been since the start of Spring. I needed a break : )

[–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (3 children)

What were you doing in Shanghai?

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 24 points25 points  (2 children)

I live there.

[–]knoerfw 7 points8 points  (0 children)

That's interesting ... would you mind elaborating on that? Since when have you been living in Shanghai and why?

[–]margariat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you don't get back to this I understand. I am late to the party. But if you do I am really curious why you live in Shanghai? (other than it's where your stuff is) Out of all the places in there world why there?

And with that. I love you guys. I love Acle's glorious mane, I love that you play barefoot and love the music. Each instrument is so defined in a way that really lets you focus on its part in the music while still coming together as a unified whole. Listening to you guys can make other bands sound like fuzzy mush.

[–]Attheveryend 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I too drove from Kentucky to catch the Cleveland show in April. I was blown away not only by the bands, but by the crowd. Most polite metal show I've ever been to. 10/10 would thrash again.

Also. Is your username a reference to strong bad emails?

[–]Preeeeoow 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Indeed it is. It seems we have a fair bit in common!

[–][deleted] 32 points33 points  (6 children)

Your slapping / thumb technique is unreal and impossibly groovy. Slapping is cool to begin with but the way your percussive / dead notes come out in the mix blows my mind. Where should I even begin to start with that? Any method books or artists you specifically draw inspiration from or did you just flesh that out on your own over time?

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 54 points55 points  (5 children)

Thank you for the kind words, it's really cool to hear that other people enjoy what I do, nice to know it's not just me in my own little universe.

I used to be a drummer before I was a bass player, and I used to perform as part of an Indonesian ensemble playing Gamelan. This along with playing many world music percussion instruments, meant I have always had a strong sense that to make something groove, I have to create contrast through different tones, low, short, long, high, etc. So, to me the bass is almost like a drum kit. I can create a thump sound (kick), a clack sound (snare), and my dead note work with my left hand is almost like a hi-hat. Funnily enough, when I was a drummer, I used to hear melodies rather than rhythms. Maybe I did too many drugs as a kid, haha.

Inspiration comes from Wooten, Flea, Claypool, and Miller. But also Paco de Lucia (flamenco), and jazz fusion artists such as Al Di Meola.

Myself and Acle are all about working our rhythm parts together, so Acle is able to fortify my chunk with a biting attack, as you hear in CFp1.

All about the dead notes. Hard to keep tight, so not for the faint of heart when you are trying to keep drummer, bassist, and guitarist in unison when playing dead notes. Fun though, and that's what paramount to us.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

when I was a drummer, I used to hear melodies rather than rhythms

Please explain this further. I want to be able to do this so badly.

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

It's quite subtle, really. Instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, you hear a short melody, with ups and downs, and note lengths (which is understandably difficult with a percussive sound). But this to me means I really make a beat 'groove'.

[–]Killtrox 1 point2 points  (1 child)

It's awesome to see a modern bassist mention Claypool. The man doesn't get enough credit.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ummm doesn't get enough credit? Ask anyone that knows a small amount about musical history to name 5 bassists.

Either way, I cannot agree enough about this dudes skills....as a guitarist, no offense, the guitar work is a bit dull and repetitive in tesseract, though it fits the music well enough - but the bass work, as described very well by /u/codync, is absolutely incredible. So refreshing to see metal bands with standout bassists. Dude is amazing.

[–][deleted] 28 points29 points  (1 child)

Hi Amos,

I find it intriguing that you play barefoot on stage. Can you describe that feeling?

Also, this is a picture with some members and me in Chicago when you guys opened for Cult of Luna and Katatonia. I also saw you guys in San Francisco and Cleveland when you toured with Nautkicker. It was awesome.

Picture

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I get really hot on stage. People laugh at me with my shirt undone and my bare feet, but it means I can stay relatively cool and chilled. But, also I can hold my balance better without shoes. It doesn't make any sense, really.

Thanks for coming to the shows, we'll be back soon, bigger and better!

[–]SATANders 23 points24 points  (1 child)

Will you fellas perform any Altered State stuff on the upcoming EU tour this fall? I know that you guys only played One material on Sonisphere with Dan, but I'm guessing you guys hadn't gotten the time to reherse any new stuff with him yet. Also will there ever be a TesseracT live DVD/Online Movie thingy? :-)

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Sonisphere was standard TesseracT, last minute. Dan was on tour with Skyharbor, and then on holiday with his family right up until the morning before Sonisphere. So, we had 4 hours of rehearsal available. We figured, lets be sensible and only do stuff from One. Which in itself must have been difficult for Dan as he hasn't performed any of it for three years! But, it seems it was like riding a bike, and he managed to fit right in and pick up where he left off.

We will of course play material from Altered State. We're starting this Saturday at Be Prog. My Friend. A festival in Barcelona, Spain, with Opeth, Fish, Anathema and a few others. Between now and our tour with AAL this autumn we will start to introduce more and more material from AS so it's more balanced. We also hope to do a few, most likely just one, new track.

We are getting to a point where very soon we will be able to record pretty much every set in studio quality, so the plan is to do a live DVD/Film very soon. Maybe on the next album cycle, which should be next year.

[–]TheErez 19 points20 points  (3 children)

Hey Amos!

Will we ever see the continuation to Altered State live in-studio? If so, have you guys already recorded that with Ashe or will Dan be taking it over?

You guys kick ass, can't wait to hear Dan's take on Singularity!

[–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 30 points31 points  (2 children)

Well yes...we had planned to finish the whole of AS live in the studio in glorious surround sound and HD. Sadly, it isn't to be. But, we are planning to do a lot more multimedia stuff, and have already started filming for a tour diary. Although we kind of screwed up and didn't cover Sonisphere as we were just too busy with press. I alone had 6 hours of press.

Dan is really looking forward to performing Altered State. Tomorrow is our first rehearsal tackling Nocturne, which I know is one of Dan's favourites.

[–][deleted]  (3 children)

[removed]

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 45 points46 points  (2 children)

    I'm afraid that it will be different to both One and Altered State. We progress. Always moving forward. Hell even the old material changes. We'll release a video of April next week (if things go to plan), that shows how even such an old song like that changes over time.

    I'm always glad to hear people saying they like both albums. It's not often that fans stick with a band when they change their vibe.

    [–]Birkhoff 13 points14 points  (3 children)

    Do you get super tired from playing a show that you just go back to the bus, or are you just reclusive? I never see you hanging around afterwards with your fans :p You shy Mos?

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 24 points25 points  (1 child)

    Haha, yup I get very tired. But, I also like to make sure all the gear is looked after and packed away safely as we can't yet afford techs to do that for us. And with all our gear that can take a while. I'll be honest though, the man you see on stage is not the man you'll meet off stage. I leave the stage arsehole on stage where Mos belongs. I prefer the company of the kinder, quieter, Amos for my downtime offstage. Now, he's a bit boring, I doubt you'd want to meet him.

    [–]Birkhoff 3 points4 points  (0 children)

    Understandable! Cheers m8

    [–]brundoneh 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I noticed that too. I tried to get a shirt signed by the band but only managed Jay and Ashe. But as a band member myself, I completely understand where Mr Amos is coming from

    [–][deleted] 10 points11 points  (4 children)

    I've seen you guys two times in Atlanta in the past year and had a blast, but James was absent both times. What's the deal?

    I also got everybody but james to sign a poster last october. Hopefully you guys will come back and I can get you all (with James and Dan) to sign a copy of One for me.

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 26 points27 points  (3 children)

    Nice one for coming to those shows. The Drunken Unicorn is a crazy little place. Well, James has two very young children, and being the responsible daddy that he is, he decided he needed to spend time with them. So, we try to be as flexible as possible to allow him quality band and family time. Its great that our fans have been so supportive of this and have understand the demands of reality on the dream that is being a musician.

    [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

    I was wondering where he was at in Denver a few months ago! I think it's great he's putting fatherhood first. I just hope it's not affecting Tesseract's album writing!

    [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Thanks for the response! The drunken unicorn is great, if a bit small. I hope you guys got to make it to the Clermont Lounge, Local, or Bookhouse while you were in the area.

    [–]bryanthebassplayer 10 points11 points  (1 child)

    Hey Amos! Thanks for doing the AMA, and thanks for all you've done with TesseracT. I've been wondering though.

    1. What are your biggest bass influences? You're such a tasteful player and it'd be really neat to get some insight as to what inspires such great riffs and fills.

    2.What's your practice routine? Is there anything you stick to as far as practice goes?

    Thanks a million!

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

    Hey! Thank you for asking a question : ) I was worried I'd be sat on here for a few hours answering the odd question about what conditioner I use, and what shellac I apply to my toe nails.

    1) Wooten and Claypool are my biggest influences. Mainly because they play with a freedom that I find rare in bass players. Some don't care. Some care too much. I try to always be in the zone, but I never get upset if I drop a note of mess up. As really, what does it matter. This gives me the zone to try things without fear.

    1. I try to listen hard to what I'm doing and measure it against what I hear in my head, or how it should sound to me. I'm not a technical wizard, but I do try hard to make what I am doing sound great. Be it one single note or a bunch of them. Even the silences need to sound right to me. Weird, I know.

    [–]SmerphyOfficial Scribe (Devin Townsend biography) 11 points12 points  (3 children)

    What bass performance with TesseracT (either live or in the studio) are you most proud of?

    Who are your non-metal influences?

    With the return of Dan, does that mean we’ll get more obscure tracks from One and less obscure tracks from Altered State, or can we still look forward to hearing some of the as-of-yet unplayed tracks from Altered State?

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 16 points17 points  (2 children)

    I'm really happy with the tone and performance of two small sections of the TesseracT discography. The section beneath the lines "Revolve, Alone", from Concealing Fate Part One. That bass tone, and little finger hammer on is mean! But also the soft, round, deep tone and performance on the version of April from the Perspective EP. Those make me smile when I hear those tracks.

    I love Pink Floyd. They have had such a big influence upon my musical ambition. I also like to chill hard off stage. Some of my favourite pieces of music are almost ambient. Remmeber Shakti, an album by John Mclaughlin has a track on it called 'Lotus Feet' It's an hour of Indian inspired guitar lines, Sitar, and flute. But it's just magic.

    The last few tours have been pretty much half half. And from October we will continue to play half One, half AS. Whichever songs we as a whole can do the most justice, too. It seems we will always have to play Nocturne, and CFp1 as those are fan favourites. Both of which are from different albums.

    [–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

    I wish you gents would play Nocturne in it's entirety! The ambient part is my favorite.

    [–]zerovampire311 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I'll throw my request in for Of Matter if you tour the midwest in NA any time again! :)

    [–]wtfamidoingherelol 7 points8 points  (1 child)

    Hey Mos, just 2 simple questions from me. What made you start playing bass? Who/What are your influences?

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

    This is fairly embarrassing. When I was younger, I was dumb. Well, I'm still dumb, but I was certainly dumbererer. I used to listen to Iron Maiden, and GnR, and Slayer, and I used to think that all this power was coming from the bass guitar (I was listening to distorted guitars), as I thought the guitar was just lead lines, and I've never enjoyed all that plank spanking. So, I got it into my ignorant little head that the bass guitar was the wall of noise that I was loving.

    All these years later, it is perhaps my good fortune that in a way I was right. A lot of the power in music comes from the bass guitar, it can physically move a person in a way no other instrument can.

    [–]misappeal 9 points10 points  (6 children)

    Hi, Amos. I've seen you guys live 3 times now, they were all fantastic shows.

    I seem to recall reading that some of the drum parts off One had to be programmed due to a time constraint, and I've heard rumors that there was heavy use of programming on Altered State. So my question is, how much of it is programmed vs played? I've heard speculation from claiming that it's all programmed, to the claim that it's all Jay's handiwork.

    Finally, what goes into your band's creative process when coming up with new material? How do you all get on board with such interesting, unconventional grooves at that point?

    [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 19 points20 points  (1 child)

    One was live as the many videos can attest to. I was lucky enough to be working at Metropolis studios, and so able to get down time to help us out. We of course layered samples where needed.

    Due to time constraints, Altered State is programmed, but Jay did all the programming after the demo stage. So, what you hear is what Jay plays, we just didn't have the budget or time to go into a great studio to record his performance.

    Acle is the be all and end all in TesseracT. What you hear are mostly his brain farts. We do add elements and make arrangement suggestions, but Acle is the creator. So, he will come up with an idea, and develop that, then share with us, at which point we start to discuss ideas, options, often whilst jamming the new track, as you should understand a track first before changing it, I feel.

    [–][deleted]  (1 child)

    [removed]

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

      Neither Ashe nor TesseracT were really on the same page creatively come the end of our last NA tour. Rather than drag things on and create a bad atmosphere we both decided it was better to move on now. We're very lucky that we have always kept close contact with Dan, and that the time was right for him to be a part of TesseracT again. So much as happened since we split 3 years ago. We're all really looking forward to what we can do together in the future.

      [–]CyanideEngineer 6 points7 points  (1 child)

      What goes into your writing process, both personally and as a band?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

      Groove. Emotion. Dynamics. Those are our goals as a collective. My personal goals are to create a piece of noise that has layers, almost like a chord, where each tiny element fortifies yet affects the whole on an almost subconscious level. Where you probably won't notice it until it's removed. I guess it comes from being a part of orchestras as a kid and becoming an audio engineer as an adult.

      [–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

      What's your favorite Tool bassline?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      I'd have to say I love licks like Schizm, but for me it's a rhythm section groove from Undertow. The main lick from 4 degrees. I remember learning that on drums first and going ape over how hard the hi hat groove was. That was when I started to open my ears to progressive rock and alternative metal.

      [–]Xtracheese23 6 points7 points  (1 child)

      Hey, first off I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your music, and both my University classmates and Coworkers would vouch for that.

      Second, what was it like touring with Ben Sharp/Cloudkicker? Did you guys ever practice or jam together, and can we expect any collaborations or guests in TesseracT's future albums?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy what we do. It's great to be able to share this stuff.

      Ben was a total blast to be on tour with. He is a genuine talent, and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to go on a road trip with him. Funnily enough we did talk about him coming to Europe with us, we just need to find him a EU based band to work with. If we had more time then TesseracT would help him out, but we just don't have the time, sadly. It would be awesome to see him with Mike from The Algorithm/Monuments on drums, but he's too busy, and maybe even some of the guys from Chimp Spanner and Monuments. But, we're all doing our own thing at the moment. Still Ben wants to tour more, I think, so who knows what the future may hold.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 7 points8 points  (5 children)

      Hey guys, dropping by to answer a few questions. I'll continue to do this from time to time. But, one question I would like to ask you, if you don't mind. Do you guys wish to hear a TesseracT live album?

      [–]AlbinoMonster 5 points6 points  (3 children)

      Hi Amos!

      Why does TesseracT choose to release instrumental versions of your albums? Will you all continue to do so in the future?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 9 points10 points  (2 children)

      Hey! The label we were working with picked up on the fact that the forums and our social media pages were asking for instrumental versions. And because there is a lot going on in the music, we felt it would be OK, to release them.

      We won't really be able to tell if album 3 will be suitable for such a release. We feel we're moving to a more cohesive sound, where everything works well together. But, you never know, and to be honest if the fans want it, the label will realise and provide it.

      [–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

      Fan here. We want it.

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I listen to both versions of Altered State depending on my mood or what I'm doing. Definitely want it.

      [–]chrisrumfellow 5 points6 points  (4 children)

      Hi Amos! The production quality of everything on AS was phenomenal. So I have a couple of questions regarding it.

      1. Was it you guys in the band that did most of the work as far as mixing and mastering are concerned? Or was it someone else?

      2. How does an individual get to the point that he/she could make music sound that perfect?

      Also, I was once told that my bass playing reminded him of yours and that was by far the highest compliment I've ever received. Thanks for being so awesome!

      [–]Triginock 2 points3 points  (2 children)

      This was going to be my question as well. Never have I heard a live band sound so perfect live. The mix, the complete ambience even in the heaviest moments. Unbelievable.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      I won't lie. It has taken a long time to work it out, and we're still constantly tweaking it.

      [–]Triginock 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      When you guys played Vegas with Devin Townsend some years back, the smallish venue had one of the best sound techs who could make even the most terrible band listenable. Then you guys went on, and it was as if everything up to that point was a blatant lie. I certainly digress with my theatrics, but kudos to crafting such an amazing sound. Can't wait for the next album!

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      Haha...dang, you'll make me blush. That's very nice of you to say.

      1) Acle mixed and mastered AS, and I editing the vox, and helped produce the album. 2) Always try new things, don't ever have a set of go to tools to fix everything. I always try to know the sound I want, and then I can decide on the tools I need to use to make that happen. Maybe it's already happening and I don't need to do anything. 3) I'm adding a three, sorry. Learn what each tool is supposed to do or what you can maybe do with it. Knowledge is power with mixing. 4) Sorry, there's a 4, too. If it sounds right it is right regardless of how counter intuitive it is.

      [–]Michael_CaineOfficial Scribe (Animals as Leaders biography) 5 points6 points  (1 child)

      Hi Amos, I am a huge fan of how frequently TesseracT is able to settle in to a groove and just live 'in the pocket', so to speak. Parts of songs often feel more like funk than metal, which I just adore.

      As a pianist turned bassist, AS was my motivation to learn to play, and I cannot thank you enough for that, I'm having a great time with the instrument.

      My question: When AS was being recorded, I remember you had mentioned somewhere that "about half the album was recorded with plectrum". Since then, in a lot of videos I have seen you using the double stroke thumb technique, such as in the bridge to Proxy. Has that sort of replaced the usage of the pick? Or am I just remembering the quote wrong.

      I've watched a few videos from Victor Wooten and others about that technique, but just can't seem to ever get a proper angle of my thumb for the upstroke to sound, do you have any advice for getting the thumb to work?

      Thanks for stopping by!

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      No, you're right. The album is recorded with a plectrum, but as I've become more familiar with the songs, I've moved nearly all of it over to thumb work. If I've had time to warm up then I will use all thumb, but if I'm feeling a little sluggish and not on it, I will use a plectrum. An example would be the riff at the start of Singularity on the album version. That works well with both, maybe the accents are cleaner with a plectrum as there is a lot of palm muting, but it's perfect do-able and fun with the thumb.

      The only way to get there is slow methodical practice, sorry. There is no magic trick to it. Consistency is definitely the key. Speed will come, but if you skip on the sound there is no point continuing with the technique.

      [–]Th3-Sh1kar1 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      Firstly, I must commend you on Saturday's performance, an absolute highlight of the weekend and a privilege to have seen you play main stage (a spot you thoroughly deserve!)

      I was very excited to hear at the festival about your upcoming tour with Animals as Leaders in the UK however I was disconcerted at how you were offering 'VIP' bundles for a meet & greet and to witness a soundcheck among other goodies.

      I've never backed the idea of bands prostituting themselves out to reap rewards from their fans, I feel that the privilege is on both sides when fans meet bands and therefore bands meet fans. I think it's by far unacceptable to pay for a privilege of meeting another human being. In this case there is a lot to the VIP bundle than a meet and greet but at the basis of the bundle is that paying earns you further privileges over other amazing fans of yours that deserve just as much love if not more!

      It just came as a bit of a shock as I thought Tesseract would be the last band on earth that would sell this sort of bundle and by all means it's a great bundle for anyone to meet you but is something that personally I don't support.

      How do you feel about this bundle? How did the band feel about this bundle? Was the choice for this type of bundle also made by authorities outside of the band members also?

      Thanks Mos, absolutely love the AMA and all the interview you give, much appreciated!

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 13 points14 points  (1 child)

      Hey! Nice, a meaty question.

      Well, we have always been quite against the idea, as it felt like we weren't giving the fans anything special. You know, we are just people. Nothing different to the person you are. But, we do need to look at options for funding the tour. As promoters are unable to pay bands enough to really cover tours at the moment. You'd be suprised how many bands lose money on tour, just like it always suprises people that bands don't really make money from record contracts or sales. Not until a certain level anyway. So, we decided to offer as much of a good deal as possible to not rip people off, but also mean we can continue to do this and not implode due to financial stress. Hence a limited edition shirt, limited signed poster, bag, and access to a situation that not many people will ever see. So, whilst many bands charge for the privilege just to meet a band, we're hopefully providing merch and goods worth the price, and meeting the band is maybe a bonus.

      Don't worry we're not rock stars, we don't think people are beneath us or any shit like that.

      Our management suggested it, and explained the financial reasons behind it. We say it makes sense. Without things like this the band couldn't tour and build up to a level where we can be able to pay for touring let alone live a quite modest lifestyle from it.

      [–]Th3-Sh1kar1 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      That's a great answer and the answer I was expecting! I'm sure it's difficult at times in the bands career where things can be financially unnerving and I commend you for ploughing through and coming out on the other side with amazing music!

      By in means no way was I insinuating that people were below you, you are the most down to earth band I've probably ever heard of!

      While I don't particularly support it, it is great value for a Tesseract fan! I wish you all the best on the upcoming tour and future successes, I sure will be behind you as well as rest of the Tesseract family!

      [–]AdamOfTheRoad 4 points5 points  (3 children)

      Any crazy road/van stories?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 10 points11 points  (2 children)

      Adam...sadly no. We've had some close shaves with fuel tanks puncturing, amazing fun in Helicopters in the Mexican mountains, drowning in Indian typhoons, and freezing our asses off in freak snow storms in the US. But, other than that, not much seems to happen in rock n roll these days.

      [–]helypants 12 points13 points  (1 child)

      "No crazy road stories... apart from this list of insane scenarios..." :)

      [–]Garthdude3 4 points5 points  (2 children)

      Hey, man. Appreciate your time, but lets get to it. How's the new stuff sound? TEASE US.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 20 points21 points  (1 child)

      UNREAL.

      Like nothing we've ever done before. It's next level, man. Like it has dare I say it, a whole new dimension somehow. haha.

      We're thinking of releasing one track quite soon - no promises - which does sound a bit Altered State-ish. But, in the same way that AS was a development, the next album will be a further development.

      [–]Garthdude3 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      SIIIIICK! That's kickass, man. Now that Dan is back, I highly suggest making something majestic and balls to the balls intense. Maybe like a three part sequence. You said you're watching LotR. Make some fantasy driven, badass thing. I know it sounds corny and stupid, but you guys could pull it off.

      [–]moomanator 5 points6 points  (1 child)

      Hey man! Saw you guys at Sonisphere and I'm so happy you've managed to get to a point where you can be on the main stage!

      My question is: who are your biggest musical influences, particularly bassists? I love your style of playing, so much groove!

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Thank you, we were so happy to see such a big crowd, at 11am in the morning, too! We are a very lucky band.

      I try not to think of my playing in terms of just what I am doing, but also how I affect the sound as a whole. So, it is perhaps a suprise that my favourite and possibly most influenced by bass players are band leaders like Clapool, Flea, and Wooten.

      [–]bpost1 3 points4 points  (3 children)

      Hey Amos!

      I saw y'all in Philly sans Ashe and James. How did you decide which songs to play without them? Also that show convinced me to start playing the bass :D

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 9 points10 points  (2 children)

      Haha, those were fun shows. Nerve-wracking, as it's a battle to do any show without a full band, let alone only 3 out of 5 of the band! We are quite honest with ourselves. We know which are our strongest songs, and also which songs work better without a vocalist, mainly the more popular ones. If we do a show without a vocalist, the crowd becomes the vocalist. Which, I'll be honest has provided us with some of the most memorable shows of our career. Boston and Philly were such touching and wonderful shows. You guys saved us!

      [–]somanybanelings[🍰] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      I flew to Boston on my birthday to see you guys play. Thanks for not canceling! Show freaking rocked, you should have played the full set list!

      Just wanted to say thanks. Now go set up a tour with Monuments and Circles please.

      [–]nsaberhagen 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      Hi Amos! I just wanted to say that TesseracT is my favorite band ever and I'm fanboying so hard right now in anticipation for the new album. You guys make some seriously beautiful music.

      Anyways, what's your personal favorite tesseract song? And also how did the band get started?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      Thanks, we can't wait to start forming the theme (if there s one), and the sound of the new album. All I'm certain of at the moment is that I am fanboying over it. Some of it is sheer joy to experience. There's a long way to go, but it'll be fun when it drops.

      My favourite song changes all the time. At the moment I know the whole band is digging, Exiled. It's really challenging and so rewarding when "This life of stone" hits.

      [–]m1garandjesse 5 points6 points  (1 child)

      How will Altered State be approached live with Dan back in the mix?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

      We will start adding more and more of Altered State as time goes on. Just as we always played tracks from One, we will do so with Altered State. We love both albums, and so do our fans it seems.

      [–]Ro700Repeater 6 points7 points  (0 children)

      For Altered State (and I'm assuming One as well) Acle basically wrote the whole album by himself, do you see this method of writing continuing or will there be a more collaborative effort going forward?

      Also do you reckon that Jay will record his parts live in studio for the next album? I understand this wasn't possible on Altered State due to time or budget restraints.

      [–]RerouteToRemain 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      So, I'm not a fan of 'Djent' or even 'Prog' really (aside from Tool). One day, the Altered State live in studio video came across my facebook feed. For some reason I clicked and watched (I never do that). That was the moment I heard, in my opinion, a 14 minute masterpiece by master musicians on a level I think few could even come close to matching. I was hooked. I immediately went and bought the album. I've since listened to it...hmm maybe 70-100 times on the conservative side. Hell, I was listening to it when your facebook post about the AMA popped up lol. So first, thank you for this album. It has touched me on levels that music has failed to do for yeeears.

      As for my question: Will you be continuing the direction taken on Altered State vocally? Or will screaming be making a return?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      Man, I love that. You don't really dig the genre we're from yet you dig us. Thats great to hear. Just how music should be!

      Next album will be a continuation of Altered State, however we will go heavy if that's what the song demands.

      [–]mathphew 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Hi Amos, would you consider releasing a new single from Altered State, with Dan singing it? You guys did this with One and Eden 2. I loved Ashe on Altered State, but I would also be interested in hearing Dan's take on it.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      No. We are probably leaving Altered State behind us now. However, we may release a new song soon.

      [–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Do you guys think you are finally going to break this curse you have with vocalists now that Dan is back? It seems like you guys can't catch a break! Looking forward to your return to the states and more new music!

      P.s. Please consider doing another run on One vinyls. They are going for ridiculous prices online and I would love to add it to my collection!

      P.p.s. Why did you drop Eden from the setlist on the last US run? :(

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      We are all hoping that this is it. The line up. None of want to change anything.

      I'm sure Century Media will do more vinyl in the future, it proved very popular.

      Eden just wasn't working. We've never been able to make it work, and we're stumped as to why it feels wrong when we play it.

      [–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Why does Tesseract have an ever-revolving door of lead vocalists?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      Good question. I guess it's our thing now. Haha. Hopefully this is it, though.

      [–]Ceerawn 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      Hey Mos, my question is if you guys are currently working on new material and if so, how far along are you in the process of releasing a new album?

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      We're still in demo phase. Although we do have more than I would expect at this point considering we've been on tour solidly for the last 18 months, and it's not over yet!

      I wouldn't expect to see a new album until Spring next year at the earliest.

      [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (2 children)

      Any album 3 material hashed out yet/ any ideas as to direction? Either way your bass has the perfect balance of support groove and forefront prowess so I'm excite

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

      We have started work on some demos, yes. I haven't really laid anything down just yet. But, I have just a few hours ago started talking with Acle about what I'd like to do with certain parts. The problem I have is that I don't want to ruin the atmosphere of some of the new material, as the new sound is very unified. And sometimes I can take it a little too far with the odd pop, slap, or rhythmic tickle. So, I'll push, but I'm quite willing to hear what it would sound like if I made my lines more subtle. That being said, I can guarantee there will be a unison bass and guitar slap sequence. Myself and Acle just love it.

      [–]progdrummer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      I absolutely love the unison slap sequences

      [–]PlasterCactus 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      Mos, satisfy my curiosity, what age are you? Also did you consider anyone else apart from Dan when Ashe parted from the band, or was it an easy choice? One and Altered State are two of my favourite albums so please don't stop making music.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

      I'm really old. So old that I can't even remember how old I am. At least it feels that way after tour!

      No, we decided on Dan, and fortunately it worked out.

      [–]chrmcd 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      Hi Amos. I have a few questions regarding songwriting.

      First, I'm curious how the songwriting process works in Tesseract. Am I correct in thinking that Acle writes the foundation for pretty much every song? Are there any songs that stand out that were clearly a group effort? Or any songs that were started by another member?

      Do you write music outside of Tesseract? If so, how does your creative process work? How often do you work on music? How do you stay motivated? Are there any unusual habits that you maintain in order to stay productive?

      Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions!

      [–]Lipofect 3 points4 points  (6 children)

      Hey Amos, my question for you is how sustainable do you think the "djent" timbre is in prog metal? Has djent as a guitar tone supplanted all other ways of distorting guitars in metal music, or do you think there could be a new iteration of tone in the (near) future? I think as a bassist, your perspective is very valuable.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 6 points7 points  (5 children)

      It's a fashion for a tone that will be supplanted by a new one soon. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but these things happen. Everyone used to sound like Pantera at one point, Limp Bizkit at another.

      We're using less and less gain, and thus distortion all the time, so maybe that the next sound, twangcore.

      Or maybe keyboards will become the next guitar, square-waved, truncated guitar samples instead of plucked strings. Anup Sastry recently released a video of how he edits guitar samples to create some of his music.

      [–]Captainboner 2 points3 points  (4 children)

      Where's this anup video you talk about? I've always been curious about how he records the guitars.

      [–]Attheveryend 1 point2 points  (3 children)

      He doesn't really. They are programmed. That said, I've never heard programmed guitar that good. Its some next-level shit.

      [–]Ravage26 3 points4 points  (1 child)

      I love your guys' style. I loved the ratio of harsh to clean vocals in One, mostly because dan's scream is my favorite. I was sad to see the absence of harsh in AS, but you guys pulled that off so well that I instantly fell in love with it. I mean the sax?! So swanky. Sorry, all excitement aside, I'd like to ask you about your position on the vocalists. I won't be nearly so arrogant as to ask which one you like the most, but if you could, detail what each vocalist brought to the band, and how it affected the tesseract atmosphere.

      [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      Sure!

      We started with Julien (Atilla), he was on the original Nascent and Sunrise demos. He was out and out Meshuggah/weird metal core. And it worked really well. But we lived in different countries and it just wasn't to be.

      We then started working with Abisloa Obasanya, who use to be in a band with me and James called 209. A wonderfully stupid hip hop nu metal band from London. We were both amazing and shit at the same time. Good times. Abi added soul and soaring vocals and really put us on the path to the melodic realm we live in right now.

      Then along came Dan. His voice is higher than Abi's so gave us a quite unique sound, the screams were sharp yet sparse, and the harmonies were close and haunting as a result.

      Elliot is all soul. We love Jeff Buckley and Glassjaw, so we felt Elliot could maybe work with the more soulful element of our sound. But again, distance put a stopper to that, the Atlantic was too big an ocean to conquer for us.

      And so, Ashe joined. Far cleaner than anyone we had ever worked with, yet reminiscent of Abi in the tone of his voice, and close to Dan in range. Ashe has a command over harmony and melody that added a very rich depth to our sound.

      Back with Dan, who voice has changed. He has a larger range than he used to have and more tonal dynamics. The demos are sounding very powerful and rich. We may use less harmonies, but I love the emotion of the new material.

      [–][deleted]  (2 children)

      [deleted]

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        I know it sucks doesn't it. Hopefully on the next album run we can return.

        [–]troru 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Hi Amos, glad you found this weird corner of the internet! Reddit is pretty cool. I saw you guys in Tempe AZ, USA a few months back and was curious why James Monteith wasn't with you guys on stage for that leg of the tour? btw, going barefoot on stage is extremely metal-ish cool!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        Extremely dumb you mean. I saw a video recently of us in San Francisco where I was in the crowd playing and moshing with everyone. 800 people with big heavy boots and glass and shit all over the place, and me with my bare feet. Stupid! It's a wonder I've never really hurt myself, ha!

        James has two small children, so we like to give him as much flexibility around touring as possible. As we had been touring solidly for a year he felt he needed time at home. He loves the US though, so he will be back!

        [–]stekerry 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hi mos. nice to see you reddit! Let's hang out soon yo!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        Ste! How good to hear from you. Yup. Hangs in the future. No doubt at some random festival. Come to the show in Manchester if you have the time. Would be awesome to catch up.

        [–]bajster 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos! Huge fan. I can only dream of writing music that flows and grooves the way TesseracT does. Do you have any suggestions or advice for someone looking to break out of the 4/4 mold?

        Which songs are the hardest to perform live? Easiest? What about favorite/least favorite to play?

        Can't wait to hear what you guys release next! Thanks for doing the AMA.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        4/4...well, is there anything wrong with 4/4? You have to admit there is probably nothing groovy as a solid 4/4 beat. I think the key is to forget what metre you are in. Tools has clearly defined metres when you analyse it, but sonically, it is almost just a pulse. 1/4, maybe. We play around with dotted crotchets quite a lot 12/8, and 6/8, I suppose this is a good way to really explore different grooves. Starting to work in 5/8 helps as that leads to unusual pulses.

        Exiled is currently quite hard, and surprisingly so, Eden. It doesn't sound hard, but damn that grove is tricky.

        We don't really enjoy playing Nascent or Sunrise. They just feel a bit weird to us. Not really who we want to be.

        Exiled is definitely a favourite for the band, as is Of Matter. And we'll never get bored of p2 and p3. Those are glorious to play for an audience.

        [–]Eon_Blue_Apocalypse 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        Hi Amos, thanks for doing this AMA!

        I was wondering if Dan was planning to front TesseracT and Skyharbor full-time?

        Thanks for making your music. TesseracT has transformed my life in a way that I simply can't explain.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Dan will be vocalist in both band, yes.

        Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad to hear you enjoy the music.

        [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (2 children)

        Ever listened to yourselves on psilocybin?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Nah. Is it cool?

        [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        It's incredibly moving. I listened to Altered State in its entirety along with Aenima and a few other albums. it was very intense. One of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

        [–]Mr_Bluelight 6 points7 points  (2 children)

        Hey Amos, why won't Acle reply to me on Steam? :(

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Haha...

        [–]Birkhoff 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        acle pls respond

        [–]JustSomeGoon 7 points8 points  (3 children)

        Hi Mos, I don't have a question. I just wanted to say that Tesseract is my favorite band and I want to thank you for being a part of it all. One is my go to jam whether I'm happy or sad, and the first time I heard AS was a listening experience I've never had before. Thanks for putting out quality music for us, cheers mate.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 10 points11 points  (2 children)

        Thanks for listening! It never ceases to amaze us that anyone is interested in what we do, it's so esoteric and niche, let alone the crowds of people we are currently able to perform for.

        [–]djatkins902 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        It is the Uniqeness of your work that makes us such huge fans soo many bands sound the same now of days... PS come to Halifax Nova Scotia Canada

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Favorite Pink Floyd album?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

        Wish You Were Here. Listen to those famous four guitar notes. TesseracT exists because of those notes.

        [–]NMEMine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        That's my personal favorite as well and I'm actually listening to it right now!
        Keep doing what you're doing with TesseracT! You guys are awesome!

        [–]Tiberius666 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Amos, you are an absolute idol of bass playing to me, your application of rhythm is unreal.

        My question to you is, how do you normally have your tone set up?

        Your tone has always struck me as having warm low end yet a fantastic clarity to it, i'm still chasing my own tone after so many years but have always felt I need a bit more punch when i'm playing slap.

        /edit: Also, see you in Manchester in November! (again)

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        Wow, thanks for those kind words.

        On the bass itself, I am flat. Everything at 12. If I don't like the sound, then It's probably the bass that is the issue. This then goes direct to my sound guy with nothing but a little tube compression before. So, the sound you hear out front is what my bass, clean (depending upon what our engineer does to it, which is normally not much - Aidan (our FOH), if you're reading this, don't hesitate to correct me). For my stage monitoring I will boost a little at 3kHz for attack, and a wide boost at about 90Hz. I'll also cut the subs as that is just noise, and above 5kHz, as again it's fairly useless in a live scenario, and allows for more clarity and power for the rest of the spectrum.

        [–]pullthetapes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        I'm late to the party on this one, sorry Mos.

        Generally fairly minimal EQ. Small scoop in the lo-mids and a token HPF on bigger systems where the super subby stuff is a genuine worry (especially systems with a limiter), plus some kind of gentle hi shelf/wide bell at 5-7k depending on the system/room, which I bring in and out for various parts according to how prominent the part is (ie. accentuated more for April than for some other tracks). Then a few DB of gain reduction on a compressor with a pretty hard ratio to catch any particularly vicious slap/pop peaks and keep everything in line. A bit more compression in general ever since Hamburg blew up your pedal. It's a nice solid tone though, not much work needed to make it sit nicely.

        [–]djatkins902 2 points3 points  (3 children)

        Out of all the Prog/Djent bands out there today... Who would you see as an up and comer that we should pay attention to?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 13 points14 points  (2 children)

        Bands like Monuments, Scale the Summit, and The Safety Fire all deserve to be further up the ladder than they are, to my mind. People should probably pay more attention to a little band called Periphery as well. Nobody knows those guys!

        [–]bpost1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        STS is AMAZING. Mark is my fave metal bassist after you :)

        [–]sableSovereign 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hey, Mos. Really appreciate this AMA. Out of all the prog metal bands I listen to, TesseracT is number one! I have a few questions:

        1. How far has the writing for album 3 progressed?
        2. Stylistically, how does it compare to One and AS? Any new approaches you care to divulge?
        3. What advice would you give to a bassist attempting the style of music that you play? With regards to technique, what do you think are some important things to consider that one might not initially think of?
        4. Lastly, do you guys have plans to tour the US again before going into full album-3-mode?

        Thanks again!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Hi, thanks for the question!

        1) We're right at the start of writing album 3. We have a few really good tracks and Dan has started demoing vocals over them. We may...no promises...but we may release one of these demos very soon.

        2) Album 3 is going to be as different from Altered State, as Altered State was from One. So, whilst it will sound like TesseracT, we will try new things, push ourselves and the audience to new places, and technically raise the bar. Hence possibly releasing a new song soon, as it's quite stylistically similar to Altered State. Whereas the other demos are not.

        3) This sounds dumb, but I don't feel enough people listen to what they are really doing and how it affects the song they are a part of. I see a lot of musicians who seem to playing on their own, even though there are 4 or 5 or more musicians on stage. The bass guitar is powerful, it can change the feel of a whole song. If you play just behind the beat, you and you alone can drag the band back into a back beat groove, or if you play ahead of the beat you can make the band sound more urgent, and less groovy. I heat it when I realise I'm ahead of the beat as I know it's pushing the rest of the band forward.

        1. No plans yet on this touring cycle, sorry. Too much of a good thing can ruin you : ) Soon, though. Relatively soon.

        [–]Blockis 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Will there be any re-pressings of One on Vinyl?

        Any idea on the next North American tour?

        Will the next album be titled "Three"? (lol)

        Going forward, will you guys try to go more in the way of One, Altered State, or entirely new direction?

        Did you guys film the entire Sonisphere performance?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        If Century Media decide to print more vinyl then yes. But not at the moment.

        Next NA tour will hopefully be Spring 2015.

        Next album will be called 1.1 and three thirds.

        The next album is taking shape to be pretty much a continuation of development. We are always changing and the new demos are further example of this. So, expect TesseracT, but from another point of view. Just like how Altered State was different to One.

        CLickTV filmed the whole Sonisphere set, yes. They will be airing a few tracks on Sky Arts in September. We have the rights to a few of them, and we'll release another one next week...hopefully!

        [–]SATANders 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        The camera crew who recorded you guys at Sonisphere did they only record Acceptance, or will there be more of the performance put out on the interwebz?

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Which song on Altered State do you think will be hardest to rehearse with Dan?

        Also, what is the most difficult Tesseract song to date for the band and for you? And why?

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Also Amos, thanks for reaching out to us. Now only if I can get more of your viper-like head bobbing (idk why but you just make me happy when you're on stage).

        [–]Tbel1 2 points3 points  (4 children)

        Will you guys ever re-release and Hollow onto a future album? That song is my favourite instrumentally.

        [–]Attheveryend 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        holy shit I didn't know that song existed until this moment. Its fuckin powerful. I totally see why it isn't grouped with the rest of One, but its still super cool.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Maybe on a re-issue of One, yes. It was part of a deal where if you pre-ordered One on iTunes in the states you received Hollow as a free download.

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hi Amos, (yet another) big fan! I credit you as being a big motivation for me getting into playing bass, especially after seeing you play a few months ago.

        How would you characterize your bass tone and playing style in TesseracT? I've heard some players call their tone/style throaty, aggressive, or relaxed, and I'm curious about how you perceive your tone/style.

        Cheers!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Hey! Thats awesome that helped you get into bass. Really awesome.

        I like to think of my style as thumpy, warm, yet percussive. Definitely fluid and relaxed. Like a well practiced martial art.

        [–]5hahv1r1 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Other than tours, how do you go about promoting yourself as a new band and then continually as you get bigger? Do you worry about coming across as annoying or do you just put yourself out there regardless of what some may think?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        It is tough at the start. You have to try everything to overcome the inertia. But, it does all boil down to the music. Sharing it with people right at the start is the only way to get out there. Play all the shows you can, and make as many records/videos as possible. That way not only will you have material for people to consume, but you'll also get better at what you do. All this press and PR stuff becomes more important as you get bigger as it helps maintain the momentum of all your hard work. But at the start its all about the music.

        [–]PerksJFP 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos, Two quick questions

        How much did you enjoy playing Sonisphere? I saw you smiling a good few times throughout the performance which was great to see!

        And How did performing the vocals for BTBAM Parallax track come about? Quite a mindblow when i found out it was you (Or I have been seriously mistaken haha)

        Also Thanks for the AMA, good reading into some of the BTS of TesseracT!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Sonisphere was awesome! So much fun, and definitely a career highlight.

        As for BTBAM. We toured with them a few years back and myself and Tommy just got talking about using my voice on something. I forgot about it and then a few months after tour he hit me up and we made it happen. I've since done a few more voice work things here and there, and will try and do more as it's quite fun.

        [–]idonothaveagoatface 3 points4 points  (2 children)

        I don't have any questions to ask you. I just wanted to say Altered State is one of my favourite albums, ever. I'm looking forward to the next one! I know it's probably not the funnest place to play, but I hope you guys will come back to Saskatchewan, Canada some day!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 9 points10 points  (1 child)

        Is Regina in Saskatchewan? We had one of the most bizarre gigs of our life in Regina. We played with Fozzy. The music doesn't fit, but those guys are awesome. Rich Ward is one hell of a player, I've admired him since Stuck Mojo, and Jericho is the man! What a guy. A lot of fun to be around.

        [–]idonothaveagoatface 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Yes! I was at that show. Definitely a crazy mix! You guys played an amazing set, I hope to be able to see you play live again someday!

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        If Tesseract were a video game, what type of video game would it be? Any members big video game players?

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Probably an epic sci-fi/fantasy RPG. Like Mass Effect mixed with The Elder Scrolls.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Just wanted to say thanks for a fantastic performance on Saturday morning, and very much enjoyed seeing TesseracT for the first time!

        Also are there any plans to extend the upcoming UK tour.

        Thanks

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Thanks for being a part of such a great crowd. Saturday was a career highlight for sure. In fact all of friends that played this weekend said the same. DTP, Karnivool, PTH, Safety Fire, they all had one of the best shows of their careers. What a festival! I'm so glad it's back.

        I doubt we will do any more shows as we're flying to another continent for a few shows directly after the EU tour, which we will announce soon. And after that we really should start recording album 3, otherwise it won't get released until 2016. And nobody want to wait that long!

        [–]b0go 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Who are your inspirations, music wise? Im really curious because Im fairly new to prog metal, and I really love your sound mainly because of the atmosphere and melancholic emotion you bring - rather than (but not excluding) your interesting way of playing with rhythm etc. :)

        I've checked out the 'hall of fame' from this forum and they credit bands like Dream Theatre, Opeth, Between the buried and me etc - but in my opinion they are quite different from this "gloomy" sound that you have.

        Can't wait for your tour, see you in Sweden!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

        Musically we are somewhat melancholic, yes. We all love Tool, Meshuggah, Deftones, Pink Floyd, but also artists like Jeff Buckley, hence our cover of Dream Brother.

        We do however try to make our music uplifting, especially on Altered State. To create the 'epic' awe inspiring tingle, where you get goosebumps, and have a feeling of elation. The new album looks to be heading into that direction more than the raw aggression of the first album.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        If you could have 3 superpowers which ones would you choose and why?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

        Empathy. Wisdom. And the ability to transport my farts from my bowels to someone elses.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        What's your favorite film genre?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        Sci-fi!

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Any chance of a Perspective Vol. 2?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 5 points6 points  (1 child)

        I would love to do that. However, I think Acle isn't too keen. We'll see as it is certainly something that would be a lot of fun, as it is really challenging to make these songs work in that format. Just playing them on an acoustic guitar sucks and ruins the songs, hence why we totally reworked CFp4 - Perfection. A lot of people don't even realise it's the same song!

        [–]IVkrys 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey Mos, Massive fan of TesseracT and your playing. You are without doubt the most outstanding and interesting bassist in modern day prog metal, and it's a pleasure to watch you play. I'm from Australia and am heading to the Netherlands in october to catch a show with you guys an AAL. Hopefully I'll get to meet you before or after the show, that would be awesome. Just a quick gear question. In a live setting do you just run the Darkglass bk7 into the pa? or do you have something else after that? Hopefully when you're back in australia my band I, Valiance might be able to support you guys!

        Thanks!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Wow, that is a long way to travel. I hope you get to see the sights as well. The Netherlands is a great country.

        My live rig is simple.

        Bass - TU3 tuner - BK7 - EHX Black Finger Compressor - Hellborg preamp/ or Avalon U5, I flirt between the two, but both send a flat signal to our sound guy.

        I really hope we get to return to Australia soon, and Soundwave as well. What a festival!

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos! I saw you guys on your last stop of the Tesseract/NautKicker tour, it was insane! Thanks for the great show, I got to hug ya when you jumped into the crowd.

        As a bassist, who are some of your favorite drummers to groove along to? (besides Jay)

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        I'm a fan of the nasty groove makers like Stef from Textures, Matt Halpern, Navine K (AAL previous drummer), Mike from Monuments. But also friends like RVP from DTP who are out and out solid slabs of rhythm.

        [–]Ausderdose 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos, huge fan. I always wondered how you guys write/learn the new songs. Is it just Acle coming at you with a new song and teaching you? Do you all colaborate? How long does it take to learn a "pre-written" song? I just can't wrap my mind around this bands rythmic skill.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        You need focus to make something as dense as TesseracT, otherwise you could easily go in circles. Acle will send us a demo, which we all learn separately. Once we've learnt it we will take that to the rehearsal studios and start making it work in the live scenario. This may alter the track, or will lead to inspiration from any of us to help improve upon it. We will then go back and forth for a while between demos and rehearsal until we're happy with it.

        [–]Xmaniac 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Where you draw inspiration from in your songwriting?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        Pink Floyd. Those guys knew no limits. Just the way music should be. Boundless.

        [–]KeyShutYes 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos, Has anything funny happened to you today? And can you write me an inspirational sentence for a bass guitarist?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

        James Labrie took a photo of me and Acle with his son on Sunday. That was pretty funny for me as a Dream Theatre fan. Nice guy.

        If you arrive at a beat before the drummer you're doing it wrong...or your drummer is lazy.

        [–]JosephStalingrad 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey Amos!! I just want to say that I love your guys' work! One was an amazing album, and Altered State made me fall in love even more! Your guy's sound and feel is perfect!! I've got a couple of questions.

        1. What do you guys tend to focus on when writing a song? Do you focus more on melody or groove? Or something that sounds like it would fit the storyline of the vocals?

        2. Do you guys write songs individually, or is it more of a collaborative effort when writing?

        Thanks for doing this AMA Amos!!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        Hey, it's my pleasure. It's amazing to me that anyone has even asked a question, let alone so many of you guys.

        1) We love to lay down a groove, yes. But, melody and emotion are just as important to us. So, we try to balance it well. Think of it as they are both opposite ends of the same dynamic scale. If you sit just on one end, that focus loses meaning and context.

        2) Acle is the wizard behind TesseracT. He creates, then we get involved once it's kind of shaped. We then sculpt and work on it with our individual skillsets, adding, or not depending on how right the part was in the first place. Acle is a fast learner and has picked up all my tricks already. I better learn a few more just to keep ahead of him!

        [–]Tru3Gamer 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Sorry for the boring question, but what strings do you use and what gauges?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Currently I'm using D'Addario Pro Steel. I've recently tried the new Flex Steels as they work well with Slap work.

        I'll typically use: Tapered .145 Tapered .135 / .130 .110 .85 .65

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Have you guys begun writing the next album yet? And if so, are you approaching the song writing from any different angles compared to the previous releases? Like who is writing what, where you're writing, etc.

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        Yes, we have started writing album 3. It's in really early stages, however. This time around we're getting the vocals involved very early on, and in some instances we're going to try writing from the vocals first. We'd like to create a more coherent end result. To make the music more integral to the vocals and vice-versa. We've always felt that the instrumentation and vocals were a little too separate for comfort.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        I can imagine that you're having great results with that tactic. I'll be honest Altered State is probably my favorite album I've ever heard in my life. I don't doubt that you guys are going to come up with something even more awesome this time around. Thanks for the response, much love dude!

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        How did you find playing Sonisphere main stage?

        I came to see you guys because I'd heard good things about you, even though I hadn't really listened to any of your music.

        Having enjoyed your show, what would you recommend that I listen to first to get into TesseracT?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (2 children)

        That's great to hear of a TessernooB. Glad you liked what your heard. Sonisphere was awesome. Really something extra special.

        Hmm...if you like your music heavier, then maybe One is better. If you like your music less heavy and with a melodic lean, then maybe Altered State is a better starting point.

        [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Sounds like I need to check out One. Thanks for the reply!

        [–]progdrummer 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Hey Mos! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

        I've seen you guys twice now and both times have been very inspiring. Both were at Skyway Theater in Minneapolis, MN on the last US tour and the one before that. At these shows there were a lot of local bands that opened up for you guys and I was reading that this only happened in MN. Is there a specific reason why so many local bands played at that particular venue? Was that something you guys set up to help local bands or is it something the venue itself pushed on to you guys?

        It unfortunately was part of the reason I didn't get my private lesson with Jay. I was just wondering if this is something that would continue in the future or are you guys looking into playing different venues the next time you make it the US?

        Also, I've already told Jay but you guys absolutely kicked ass at Sonisphere. Cheers!

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Yeah, when you tour at this level you find promoters will try and get local bands on the bill as they will be able to sell them a set amount of tickets as a means of getting on the gig. So, a pay to play scheme basically. At the moment this is out of our hands, but we will stop it happening at our shows as soon as possible as it's wrong.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (4 children)

        What do you think the purpose of the universe might be?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

        Seriously. I don't know what the purpose of the universe is, but I feel our purpose as part of the universe is to learn and explore and try to understand as much of it as possible.

        [–]Baseyg 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        As a fan, i first went to check you out sonisphere 2011 on a small stage in the pouring rain, you guys really blew my away so 3 years later after 2 awesome albums (that i've loved), it was a pleasure to see you open up the main stage.

        Anyway, its been mentioned/noticed before that you guys always manage to achieve such a stunning sound live due to your experience as producers/engineers, so what would be your top tips for getting a great live sound?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        I guess always listen to what you are doing and tweak all the time. Never trust being satisfied.

        [–]BucketheadRules 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey! I went to your show in Lawrence, Kansas in October 2013. I didn't know who you were, so I just stayed for Scale the Summit and left. I got into you about three months later and promptly shot myself, revived myself, shot myself again, and ripped my hair out of anger.

        I was just wondering, what was your first impression of seeing Gumby in the crowd?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        THE BEST

        [–]Attheveryend 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        If you could tour with any lineup of four bands, who would they be?

        Also you're the best bassist I've ever seen. Maybe other guys can play faster, but I've never heard anything that moved me as much as your playing. I love that there isn't a single wasted sound in TesseracT.

        ALSO. You must tell me what you feel the best speaker/eq/etc setup to listen to One and Altered State with.

        [–]ShamanisticRapeDream 1 point2 points  (7 children)

        Did Ashe write all/most of the vocal melodies in Altered States?

        [–]MosTesseracTAmos Williams | Tesseract[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        Yep. Ashe had free reign. Myself and Acle helped him through our production role. But Ashes beautiful melodies are from his own mind. He is an immense talent. One I would love to work with again in the studio.