Stella Natura: Reaping the Flesh of Light

September is quickly approaching!
Stella Natura: Reaping the Flesh of Light is beckoning

Àrnica/ Wolfsblood limited 10" split, finally available!

I am so excited to announce that the records are finished!



Aditionally, Stella Natura: Reaping the Flesh of Light has begun to take form.
Please visit thefleshoflight.org for news and updates as they arrive.

Many more great things are coming.

A few days late

2008 was a great year, in fact it was the best year I can remember.
This is owed in no small part to all those who I've met, those who allowed me to come into their lives and graciously let me to take bits of wisdom and knowledge.
This plethora of wonderful folks started finding their way into my life pretty much from the get go of 2008 at the Silvester Neofolk Festival in Leipzig, new years of 2008. Although the video from that evening was mostly ruined due to sound issues, that event laid the stepping stones into a wonderful community of people. Throughout the year I had many wonderful experiences that surely wouldn't have happened had it not been for Leipzig, and the confidence that event gave me with the international neofolk/post-industrial community.
I've met many distinguished folks whom I've looked up to for many years, who introduced me into the ideals that have shaped me over the years. In Philadelphia, during summer solstice I was honored to be granted access to film and produce a DVD (coming out soon, I swear it) of the Changes show. During my time there I was able to converse with to great extent, and befriend these folks who have been so inspirational to me.
I was also very fortunate to be introduced to black metal this year, which I owe thanks to Markus Wolff for priming my ears for these new sounds, by way of his gifting me his Sanguis album in 2007.
The group of Cascadian black metal folk-legends that I was introduced to after the Seattle Folk Life festival have surely had as much impact on me as any of my personal heros. They have re-familiarized me with a positive way of living and thinking, for which I believe has allowed me to grow and become a better person.
My father also celebrated his 80th year in 2008; still working full time, his dedication to life has always proven inspiring to me. Seeing him overcome personal challenges reminds me of the inner strength and resilience that flows through my blood.
Thanks to the cosmos (quite literally) and to my dear friends who I do not spend as much time with as I should, Jon and Michelle (C.O.T.A.), I met my would be employer while watching Perseids in the San Gabriel mountains. Brian Traylor and Digital Pickle LA has been one of the greatest companies I have had the pleasure of working for. They allow me so much more than they should, even allowing me to come into work during my very awkward growing out of my beard.
Yule provided some of the warmest memories for some of the coldest times that I've experienced, and was the only foreseeable way to wrap up such a fantastic year. New years eve was spent as a quite night at home, with my loving Carissa.

Echtra and Vines (Fauna) and Lina, Chet and Rachel Scott, the Craban family, Markus Wolff, Dimo Dimov (Svarrogh), Gerhard, Thomas (Die Weisse Rose), Jesus (Madrid), Simon Collins, the wonderful men from Arnica, Wolfsblood, Robert and Nicholas, Michael and Annabell, David E Williams, D. Nikias, my Olympia friends, ROME, Nebelung, Bain Wolfkind, Marco (FdF), Andrew Kind, John Murphy (and the rest of KnifeLadder), CoRE, Pythagumus, Brian Traylor, Jon and Michelle, Jesse Griffith, Fred.... Mom and Dad and of course Carissa (for their unyielding support of basically everything I've done this year), I owe thanks to each and every one of you (and the countless others who have come into my life this year whose names escape me right now). I appreciate you all so very much and I wish you warmth throughout these cold winter months.

KnifeLadder, Arnica/Wolfsblood, and Changes news

I'll start with good news, touch on some not so great news, and then end with some more good news.

A short interview with John Murphy edited with some nice footage of KnifeLadder life at Madrid le Blanc has been posted at Heathen Harvest. I've not been as active on Heathen Harvest as I would like to be, as far as submissions are concerned which is mainly due to my increasing amount of "real world" responsibilities, however they have been very gracious with me in this situation and are still happy to feature my work, as sparse as it may be. Next edition they will post additional footage, most of which has been available on Vimeo for a while now, but it will no doubt reach a larger audience.

And now the not so great news. I had hoped to have both the Arnica/Wolfsblood 10", and the Changes DVD released by Yule. However this is looking more like a dream right now, so I've pushed back the release date to next month. The vinyl press I'm working with has been great, but the holiday seasons have set back production. The Changes DVD is simply a lack of available funding.

With that said, I'll end on something a little lighter.



Spire: The Twilight Language is only a few days away. The forth annual Cascadian winter solstice gathering is something that legends and oral traditions are made of. I am honored to be invited to chronicle the event and suggest that if you can, you attend this meeting of souls.

September, 2009: Pesanta will be holding a harvest music gathering in the Sierra Nevada Foothills near Nevada City. This will be a retreat from modernity, featuring some fantastic artists within the ritual ambient, metal, and folk movements. I'll not be announcing these artists publicly for a few more months, but it will without question be a special event.

3 Changes online

Changes - The Saddest Thing from Adam Torruella on Vimeo.

I know I know, it would seem that I am all talk in regards to releases.... But they are coming! Yule-time!
The above video as well as the video for the debut of "When the Sun Kings Reign Again" and the classic "Fire of Life" have been uploaded to my Vimeo page. These are taken from the forthcoming double-DVD release of the Changes show at Germ Books in Philadelphia this last midsummer. The DVDs shall consist of both sets from their show (expect to see some very special guests!!) as well as intimate interview footage with both Robert and Nicholas.

Also, I've upgraded to Vimeo Plus, so you can watch more videos in HD. Just go to my Vimeo page!

Minor change on ƒ Consortium

I've given the site a face list, and basically stripped content.
The removed image galleries may be found on the right-hand column. Additionally, you may find other (newer?) images by selecting "photos" under the "Subjects" listing, or by visiting my Flickr account (and Vimeo for video)

Also, please visit my friends (formally links on The ƒ Consortium, now on the right hand side of this blog) as they are all wonderful people.

Pesanta's site is up!

Pesanta's site is up and running!
Arnica and Wolfsblood split coming very soon!