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1 files changed, 176 insertions, 176 deletions

diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml
index a99006d..ce3a488 100644
--- a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml
+++ b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml
@@ -1,36 +1,43 @@
 Album: Homestuck Vol. 8
 Date: October 25, 2011
 Date Added: November 15, 2019
-Banner Dimensions: 1100x203
-Wallpaper Style: |-
-    opacity: 0.6;
-    background-repeat: repeat;
-    background-size: auto;
-Color: '#4ac925'
-Groups:
-- Official
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/homestuck-vol-7-8-with-cherubim
 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cIpWboujY4
 - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnVpmehyaOFa9Ssz0RANELG8eSoUeOQiC
 Cover Artists:
 - Homestuck
-Wallpaper Artists:
-- Homestuck
+Color: '#4ac925'
+Groups:
+- Official
 Banner Artists:
 - Homestuck
+Banner Dimensions: 1100x203
+Wallpaper Artists:
+- Homestuck
+Wallpaper Style: |-
+    opacity: 0.6;
+    background-repeat: repeat;
+    background-size: auto;
 ---
 Group: Main album
 ---
 Track: Calamity
 Artist: Michael Guy Bowman
 Duration: '3:38'
-Art Tags:
-- Karkat
-- Gamzee
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/calamity-2
 - https://youtu.be/oNeKbfEVi0g
+Cover Artists:
+- Tavia Morra
+Art Tags:
+- Karkat
+- Gamzee
+Referenced Tracks:
+- Walk-Stab-Walk (R&E)
+- Warhammer of Zillyhoo
+Sampled Tracks:
+- Apollo 11 Launch Countdown
 Lyrics: |-
     (War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal. 12, 11, 10, 9<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>Ignition sequence starts, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>1, 0, all engine running... LIFT-OFF! We have a lift-off!
     (War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)
@@ -40,23 +47,23 @@ Commentary: |-
     There was a certain difficulty in making “Calamity” really work for me. I had a couple of different sounds I was attempting all at once, each working on their own but sort of fighting for control when mashed together. The introduction and conclusion of the song using a theme from “Walk-Stab-Walk” needed to be really punchy, while I really needed the middle of the song to glide, and the connecting bits with the chanting needed to build and build in tension. There are a lot of different sounds in the song’s palette, the most difficult of which to utilize was the enormous saw synth that dominates the middle. Getting that thing to be grand without utterly overpowering the rest of the song was incredibly difficult.
     Overall I was really satisfied with how much excitement there is in this song. It’s got a big simple melody but it doesn’t outstay its welcome. As the album opener, it sets up the stakes and excitement of Homestuck without sort of beating the point into you by lasting too long. I think of it as a cousin to “Sburban Jungle” or at least another song approached in that dramatic, electronic way.
     The countdown sample is from a NASA recording, I believe it’s the launch of Apollo 11.
-Cover Artists:
-- Tavia Morra
-Referenced Tracks:
-- Walk-Stab-Walk (R&E)
-- Warhammer of Zillyhoo
-Sampled Tracks:
-- Apollo 11 Launch Countdown
 ---
 Track: Do You Remem8er Me
 Artist: Malcolm Brown
 Duration: '4:28'
-Art Tags:
-- John
-- Vriska
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/do-you-remem8er-me-2
 - https://youtu.be/x8mLKTY5TWM
+Cover Artists:
+- Richard Gung
+Art Tags:
+- John
+- Vriska
+Referenced Tracks:
+- Lifdoff
+- track:showtime-original-mix
+- Death of the Lusii
+- track:ruins
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Malcolm Brown:</i>
     <i>(original commentary)</i>
@@ -80,13 +87,6 @@ Commentary: |-
     Overall there’s quite a 8it I like about this one. The Percussion doesn’t vary much, which lets it down I think (It’s 8asically just the same loop for most of the song, something I’m hilariously guilty of in most everything I make :p) but it did the jo8 in giving Vriska a good sendoff.
     Oh yeah - The reason it doesn’t use any of Vriska’s theme is because I find that theme a 8it........ All over the place ::::p Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool 8it of music, 8ut I don’t find it as easy to play a8out with than other tracks.  8lame my laziness!
     I also fully suspect I missed some ‘8’s somewhere........ This stuff’s harder than it looks.  God help me if I try to commentary another gorram Terezi track ::::p
-Cover Artists:
-- Richard Gung
-Referenced Tracks:
-- Lifdoff
-- track:showtime-original-mix
-- Death of the Lusii
-- track:ruins
 ---
 Track: Flare
 Artist: Clark Powell
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ Cover Artists:
 Track: Galactic Cancer
 Artist: Thomas Ferkol
 Duration: '3:36'
+URLs:
+- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/galactic-cancer-2
+- https://youtu.be/ByBpRkrg9SA
+Cover Artists:
+- Lauren Ross
 Art Tags:
 - Karkat
 - John
@@ -108,104 +113,99 @@ Art Tags:
 - Jade
 - Genesis Frog
 - 'cw: body horror (abstract)'
-URLs:
-- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/galactic-cancer-2
-- https://youtu.be/ByBpRkrg9SA
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i>
     What started off as me meandering about with slightly odd chord progressions became a rather meandering piece in general.  Originally labeled Nether, at least as the piece began to formulate, the first part quickly developed in what I hoped would be a style reminiscent of Russell Brower’s music for Outland in World of Warcraft, primarily the Outland Suite and Netherstorm (what the first name referenced).
     I completed most of the piece without drums or effects at first, but felt something was missing.  After messing around with some different bits of drum samples, I found beats that were suitable for what I was going for, and those helped give more definition to the meter of the piece as much of it was long chords that made it hard to distinguish at times, then added some occasional filter effects to increase the overall spacey feel.
     After everything was in place, I listened through it multiple times and just began to imagine Karkat’s monologue about how everything was his fault and the phrase “Galactic Cancer” stuck.
-Cover Artists:
-- Lauren Ross
 ---
 Track: Serenade
+Directory: serenade-vol8
 Artist: Clark Powell
 Duration: '5:05'
-Directory: serenade-vol8
-Art Tags:
-- Nepeta
-- Karkat
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/serenade-2
 - https://youtu.be/iQyr0eYN7hI
 Cover Artists:
 - clorinspats
+Art Tags:
+- Nepeta
+- Karkat
 ---
 Track: Frog Forager
 Artist: Erik Scheele
 Duration: '3:18'
-Art Tags:
-- Dave
-- Jade
-- Frogs
-- Jack Noir
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/frog-forager-2
 - https://youtu.be/5KihK9orAi0
 Cover Artists:
 - Kaymurph
+Art Tags:
+- Dave
+- Jade
+- Frogs
+- Jack Noir
 ---
 Track: Love You (Feferi's Theme)
 Artist: Toby Fox
 Duration: '1:58'
-Art Tags:
-- Feferi
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/love-you-feferis-theme-2
 - https://youtu.be/cmXzwEixV4s
 Cover Artists:
 - Left
+Art Tags:
+- Feferi
 ---
 Track: Ocean Stars Falling
 Artist: Michael Guy Bowman
 Contributors:
 - Tavia Morra
 Duration: '3:12'
-Art Tags:
-- Squiddles
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/ocean-stars-falling-2
 - https://youtu.be/QmEZzp7o8i8
+Cover Artists:
+- Richard Gung
+Art Tags:
+- Squiddles
+Referenced Tracks:
+- Ocean Stars
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i>
     The [[album:squiddles|Squiddles!]] album gets no love. There, I said it. I’ve mentioned before how awesome it is and how dramatically it has undersold compared to the rest of our material, but apparently everyone is too terrified of its My Little Pony meets Cthulu approach to give it a shot. Trust me, you’ll like it more than you think you will.
     Anyway, one of the most surprising tracks on that particular album is “Ocean Stars”, a peaceful, mysterious little ditty imagined by Mark with a nautical theme in mind. I thought it had a beautiful little structure, and I guess the song must have stuck with me because at some point I found myself playing its chords over and over on my keyboard faster and faster until I was sure it would make for a great little indie rock inspired track. So I did just that.
     This song takes its cues most heavily from “Regatta de Blanc” by the Police and “Life in Technicolor” by Coldplay - the meditatively simple rock backup is accompanied by a huge chorus of wordless vocals provided by countless overdubs of Tavia and myself. These middle voices are bookended by the twinkling bell sounds in the high range and the rumbling drums and guitar in the low range to make for a very full mix that really surprised me with its depth. I threw in some slowed-down bubble sounds (the same samples from “Mister Bowman Tells You About the Squiddles”) to create the ocean ambiance, something I’d really gotten the chance to hear on a scuba dive I’d done over the summer.
     This is another example of a song that has the “just right” feeling about its length. I could probably have easily repeated the vocals endlessly as though I was attempting to induce transcendental meditation - it would probably have had the same effect as “Hey Jude” or any number of other great songs. Owing though to my sense that this album was going to be a long one (my contributions alone come out to more than 20 minutes of music) I decided to capitalize on having achieved the harmony and just let it end when its thought was fully expressed, not unlike the original composition by Mark.
-Cover Artists:
-- Richard Gung
-Referenced Tracks:
-- Ocean Stars
 ---
 Track: Escape Pod
 Artist: Michael Guy Bowman
 Duration: '2:58'
-Art Tags:
-- WV
-- CD
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/escape-pod-2
 - https://youtu.be/GJo7ZH6p6wA
+Cover Artists:
+- Paige Turner
+Art Tags:
+- WV
+- CD
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i>
     Before going into a description of this track, I must make a long-overdue rebuttal to the factors that overshadowed its reception. Yes, I know this song and its track art pertain to the Wayward Vagabond. Yes, I know it’s sad that Andrew “killed off” the Wayward Vagabond on the same day that this album was released. No, I had no idea that would happen nor do I care how incongruous the song’s mood seems in relation to that particular plot point.
     Anyway, now that I finally said my keep on that, “Escape Pod” was a really really fun track to do. It’s a rock track with a feelgood video game attitude - I’ve heard it described as Sonic music a lot, though to be fair my main reference were Nintendo games, particularly Earthbound from which I borrowed the deliberately fake brass. It also shares some similarities with the Mario sound, kind of really owing to the competitive games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party.
     The track also pulls a lot from actual rock music - the Roxy Music track “Street Life” was a big cue here, and the start-stop structure on the second chorus was really inspired by Tally Hall’s track “<a href="https://youtu.be/8sV1EOJQTEI">Greener</a>” of which the effect can only be described in exotic dance. I really wanted to pull out the stops on this one and make it catchy as hell, but apparently the two tracks book-ending it on Volume 8 steal its thunder.
     What more can be said about it? This is about as totally poppy (or perhaps J-poppy) as I get. Compared to stuff like “Greenhouse” and “Squiddle Samba” this track is right up my alley. It in contrast with some of the other stuff that I’ve made appearing on the very same album (the minimalist piece “Gust of Heir” which I collaborated on with James Dever comes to mind) you’ll see that I can go just as far in the saccharine direction as I can into the abstract. For me range has always been an asset I’ve felt was important to nurture, so with Volume 8 I set the pace for my work ethic on Ithaca in terms of never settling to have “found my sound” no matter how well any one idea works.
-Cover Artists:
-- Paige Turner
 ---
 Track: Davesprite
 Artist: Toby Fox
 Duration: '1:41'
-Art Tags:
-- Davesprite
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/davesprite-2
 - https://youtu.be/Iy5fKp-aV4o
 Cover Artists:
 - P-RO
+Art Tags:
+- Davesprite
 Referenced Tracks:
 - Hawkeye
 - track:atomyk-ebonpyre
@@ -222,58 +222,62 @@ Cover Artists:
 Track: Frog Hunt
 Artist: Michael Guy Bowman
 Duration: '4:15'
+URLs:
+- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/frog-hunt-2
+- https://youtu.be/VkYB3Fw4bLw
+Cover Artists:
+- Tavia Morra
 Art Tags:
 - Dave
 - Jade
 - Frogs
-URLs:
-- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/frog-hunt-2
-- https://youtu.be/VkYB3Fw4bLw
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i>
     Uh oh, Jit and I showed up to the album with the same song idea. That’s like two girls showing up the party in the same dress. Awkward! Good thing for Jit and I that, like the two girls in that famous scenario, we each have our own swagga and wear those dresses like the hot young messes we are. Wow, don’t quote me on that. (Too late - DPF)
     Anyway, while “Frog Forager” is almost immediate in its “aw man, yeah, it’s THIS kind of tune” factor for avid listeners of Homestuck music, my ditty “Frog Hunt” seems to hit a lot of people out of left field. Maybe it’s because I was busy surprising myself with this one as well.
     I’ve mentioned Weather Report a few times as an influence, and while I can’t bring even a fraction of that band’s musicianship to my work, I really attempted to bring their sense of atmosphere to the piece. There’s a lot of elements thrown in there - the wacky time signature (17/8 if I recall correctly), the meandering syncopated piano, the funk breaks, all that latin percussion, plus a pile of odd sound effects. I threw in some frog ambiance using some really odd synthesizers and a toy accordion as well.
     The point of this song was to kind of put the action, the drama, and all that teenage chemistry on hold so I could focus on a moment in the story that might be just a little bit more peaceful. Going on a safari for frogs on a newly-awakened alien forest world seems to beckon a very different angle than the heated stakes typically associated with Homestuck. Plus, I’ve always felt that the environment of Homestuck deserves a little more attention given that nearly 99% of all art generated by the fans are homages to their favorite characters and not the fantastic places imagined by Andrew.
-Cover Artists:
-- Tavia Morra
 ---
 Track: Terraform
 Artist: Solatrus
 Contributors:
 - Thomas Ferkol (electric guitar)
 Duration: '4:35'
+URLs:
+- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/terraform-2
+- https://youtu.be/bWp5uUxarAQ
+Cover Artists:
+- Richard Gung
 Art Tags:
 - Jade
 - Dave
 - Jack Noir
 - Frogs
-URLs:
-- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/terraform-2
-- https://youtu.be/bWp5uUxarAQ
+Referenced Tracks:
+- Terra
+- track:frost-vol6
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Solatrus:</i>
     That’s a remix of Terra and (obviously) Frost.
     Why? Well, I wanted Terra to be in Homestuck and sound more like a video game rock or metal song.
     And because the fight of Dave and Jade vs. Jack was an interesting event, so that’s how the song came to be.
-Cover Artists:
-- Richard Gung
-Referenced Tracks:
-- Terra
-- track:frost-vol6
 ---
 Track: Unite Synchronization
 Artist: Malcolm Brown
 Duration: '2:54'
+URLs:
+- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/unite-synchronization-2
+- https://youtu.be/uHmXe2eY6Kg
+Cover Artists:
+- melodiousDiscord
 Art Tags:
 - Dave
 - John
 - Rose
 - Jade
 - 'cw: blood'
-URLs:
-- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/unite-synchronization-2
-- https://youtu.be/uHmXe2eY6Kg
+Referenced Tracks:
+- track:showtime-original-mix
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Malcolm Brown:</i>
     <i>(original commentary)</i>
@@ -304,59 +308,60 @@ Commentary: |-
     It is remarkably disturbing how seriously on the ball Dirk is.  Not only does he paradox up his own reincarnation with a bucket and his own head, he manages to resurrect two ladies and get them and himself time-warped to Jake.
     This after his little presentation on Derse with Hearts’ head.
     I’d like to see Dave match that. :p
-Cover Artists:
-- melodiousDiscord
-Referenced Tracks:
-- track:showtime-original-mix
 ---
 Track: Homefree
 Artist: Hilary Troiano
 Duration: '4:28'
-Art Tags:
-- John
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/homefree-2
 - https://youtu.be/7aYso7j8wsw
-Commentary: |-
-    <i>Hilary Troiano:</i>
-    Someone sent me a PM asking for some commentary about my two MSPA songs, so [[media:misc/hilary-troiano-commentary.mp3|here it is]]. (<a href="https://jaydeis.tumblr.com/post/19609363685/someone-sent-me-a-pm-asking-for-some-commentary">source</a>)
 Cover Artists:
 - Vivian Ng
+Art Tags:
+- John
 Referenced Tracks:
 - Shooting Star
 - Homestuck Anthem
 - track:sburban-jungle
 - track:upward-movement-dave-owns
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>Hilary Troiano:</i>
+    Someone sent me a PM asking for some commentary about my two MSPA songs, so [[media:misc/hilary-troiano-commentary.mp3|here it is]]. (<a href="https://jaydeis.tumblr.com/post/19609363685/someone-sent-me-a-pm-asking-for-some-commentary">source</a>)
 ---
 Track: Galaxy Hearts
 Artist: Mark Hadley
 Duration: '2:54'
-Art Tags:
-- Terezi
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/galaxy-hearts-2
 - https://youtu.be/YQX0TWA_x6Q
+Cover Artists:
+- Rachel Weiss
+Art Tags:
+- Terezi
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Mark Hadley:</i>
     I made the theme for this a long time ago for an RPG a friend was making, but then cancelled. I still really liked the theme, so I modified it slightly and repurposed it for Homestuck. Out of everything I've done for Homestuck, it's still one of my favorites.
-Cover Artists:
-- Rachel Weiss
 ---
 Track: Scourge Sisters
 Artist: Erik Scheele
 Duration: '2:50'
-Art Tags:
-- Terezi
-- Vriska
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/scourge-sisters-2
 - https://youtu.be/srAkO5O1QaM
 Cover Artists:
 - melodiousDiscord
+Art Tags:
+- Terezi
+- Vriska
 ---
 Track: Arcade Thunder
 Artist: Robert J! Lake
 Duration: '2:56'
+URLs:
+- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/arcade-thunder-2
+- https://youtu.be/2JJJTSs_JeA
+Cover Artists:
+- Maf
 Art Tags:
 - John
 - Rose
@@ -370,22 +375,17 @@ Art Tags:
 - Vriska
 - Jack Noir
 - Consorts
-URLs:
-- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/arcade-thunder-2
-- https://youtu.be/2JJJTSs_JeA
-Cover Artists:
-- Maf
 ---
 Track: Pyrocumulus (Sicknasty)
 Artist: Robert J! Lake
 Duration: '2:50'
-Art Tags:
-- John
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/pyrocumulus-sicknasty-2
 - https://youtu.be/4BqRC-ZPovM
 Cover Artists:
 - Rutares
+Art Tags:
+- John
 Referenced Tracks:
 - Skaian Skuffle
 - track:skies-of-skaia
@@ -402,14 +402,14 @@ Cover Artists:
 Track: Temporary
 Artist: Robert J! Lake
 Duration: '3:37'
-Art Tags:
-- Dave
-- The Felt
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/temporary-2
 - https://youtu.be/CYh1OlRWzp4
 Cover Artists:
 - Chaz Canterbury
+Art Tags:
+- Dave
+- The Felt
 Referenced Tracks:
 - Temporal Piano
 ---
@@ -418,30 +418,30 @@ Artist: James Dever, Michael Guy Bowman
 Contributors:
 - Clark Powell (additional sequencing)
 Duration: '4:17'
-Art Tags:
-- John
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/gust-of-heir-2
 - https://youtu.be/pGlTekY3qZI
+Cover Artists:
+- Fibug
+Art Tags:
+- John
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i>
     Two of the tracks I put on Volume 8 were collaborations with other Homestuck musicians, something I’ve been meaning to do more of because two heads are usually better than one. The first of the two was “Gust of Heir”, a track that James Dever wrote and for which I did the production.
     James and I are both fans of minimalism, specifically the work of Philip Glass. An eerie-looking autographed program from the Philip on Film tour graces the wall of my room, and the primary piece of music that got me interested in composition is Einstein on the Beach, a five-hour opera consisting largely of slowly-evolving repeated figures using chanted numbers and solfege. Those otherwise unfamiliar might know his music better from the many movies he’s scored including Secret Window, The Truman Show, and The Hours.
     Anyway, I knew right away where James was coming from when he sent me a midi demo of “Gust of Heir” though originally it was arranged as a piano solo. Without access to a pro recording situation as on the Sburb piano suite, we knew there would have to be an alternate solution, hence the electronic approach. I played pretty heavily with a set of new sounds, specifically the soundfonts of Ethan Winer, an audio professional whose work was recommended by Radiation a good while back.
     As I have on many occasions I took cues from <a href="http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/">Oblique Strategies</a> to get some ideas for the arrangement. Part of the intrigue in producing this piece was that it was fully written, meaning that in some ways I was boxed-in to a complete journey for the song to take musically yet in others free to really explore and discover a unique sound for the song. I really played toggling a slew of effects until this tune became rendering hell for my computer. I stepped a bit outside my own range of comfort and got some drum loops from Clark Powell to really polish off the piece, adding a touch that otherwise would probably have eluded me.
-Cover Artists:
-- Fibug
 ---
 Track: Afraid of the Darko
 Artist: Robert J! Lake
 Duration: '3:00'
-Art Tags:
-- Doc Scratch
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/afraid-of-the-darko-2
 - https://youtu.be/PSbPXcKGYto
 Cover Artists:
 - Robert J! Lake
+Art Tags:
+- Doc Scratch
 ---
 Track: Even in Death (T'Morra's Belly Mix)
 Artist: Clark Powell, Tavia Morra
@@ -457,19 +457,19 @@ Referenced Tracks:
 Track: Bargaining with the Beast
 Artist: Thomas Ferkol
 Duration: '4:13'
-Art Tags:
-- Jade
-- Denizens
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/bargaining-with-the-beast-2
 - https://youtu.be/2HT5FcjHt1s
+Cover Artists:
+- Vivian Ng
+Art Tags:
+- Jade
+- Denizens
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i>
     Bargaining With the Beast was a doozy.  With little conscious attempts at maintaining structure (other than the section after the intro, which appears a few times to hold things together), it can come off as a wild ride through a bunch of interesting ideas just sort of strung together like a glass mobile made with craft glue and shiny twine.  And that is a pretty accurate description.
     The piece was sort of an experiment for me, filled with a lot of concepts that might even have needed a separate piece to flesh them out properly, but I made this piece with the Volume 8 submissions deadline looming over head (I think it was a little under a week until final decisions on tracks were supposed to be).
     This is also an example of a piece where I set out with a clear mindset for what I wanted.  Seeing there was no piece based on Echidna and Jade’s encounters (Radiation didn’t show us his tracks until around when the order was being decided hehe), I wanted something majestic and regal, something befitting of a monstrous queen in ancient stone halls of a frozen world.  Eventually it developed into a sort of audio tour of Echidna’s palace and highlighted the conversation, never fully revealed, that took place between Jade and Echidna as they struck a deal.
-Cover Artists:
-- Vivian Ng
 ---
 Track: Frostbite
 Artist: Toby Fox
@@ -487,41 +487,45 @@ Referenced Tracks:
 Track: The Lost Child
 Artist: Toby Fox
 Duration: '2:54'
-Art Tags:
-- The Handmaid
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/the-lost-child-2
 - https://youtu.be/-OFQHEy5TDw
 Cover Artists:
 - Sarah Fu
+Art Tags:
+- The Handmaid
 Referenced Tracks:
 - psych0ruins
 ---
 Track: Questant's Lament
 Artist: Thomas Ferkol
 Duration: '3:13'
-Art Tags:
-- WQ
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/questants-lament-2
 - https://youtu.be/ILt6Qyxc1bw
+Cover Artists:
+- Fibug
+Art Tags:
+- WQ
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i>
     Questant’s Lament is one of my favorite tracks that I’ve made.  Originally for The Wanderers, because there weren’t any WQ tracks and I liked her portrayal in the comic, I wanted something regal, almost stoic, but also forlorn.
     With the beginning, I imagined her away from the others in their camp, sitting alone on some stone at night and listening to an old music box, one of few possessions that she could have salvaged from Prospit.  From there she reminisces, from her perspective, on the progression of the session and her foresight of and departure from the impending devastation of Prospit.
     In the end, she closes the trinket, accepts her new fate, and returns to her fellow exiles.
-Cover Artists:
-- Fibug
 ---
 Track: Hussie Hunt
 Artist: Malcolm Brown
 Duration: '2:46'
-Art Tags:
-- AH
-- Doc Scratch
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/hussie-hunt-2
 - https://youtu.be/oz4UOqdFQEA
+Cover Artists:
+- Hanni Brosh
+Art Tags:
+- AH
+- Doc Scratch
+Referenced Tracks:
+- track:explore
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Malcolm Brown:</i>
     Hah!  If 'Sneaking music' was a genre, here's another one to the mix.
@@ -529,26 +533,22 @@ Commentary: |-
     More or less my first attempt to do something in this style. Also, surprisingly, most of it was played live on keyboard into the sequencer (not something I normally do) and then heavily quantized to fix my wonky playing. It gives it a <i>slightly</i> more organic feel, most noticeable on the chords during the 'Explore' section at the end (Which may also owe a little bit to the Monkey Island soundtrack).
     Basically a bit of music for Andrew's huntin' of Scratch shortly before the end of act. Included is the "AAAAAHHH FUCKING WOLF!!" moment for good measure (That was added after the first draft to Rad's suggestion). There was even talk of getting some grumbly vocals from the man 'imself, but alas...
     Had quite a bit of fun doin' this one. Also quite proud of the name  Even if I do have to occasionally explain it to people who don't read the comic...
-Cover Artists:
-- Hanni Brosh
-Referenced Tracks:
-- track:explore
 ---
 Track: Havoc
 Artist: Svix
 Duration: '2:35'
-Art Tags:
-- The Handmaid
-- Doc Scratch
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/havoc-2
 - https://youtu.be/Wq0SjupReyA
+Cover Artists:
+- Emi
+Art Tags:
+- The Handmaid
+- Doc Scratch
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Svix:</i>
     Havoc began as an intro section for another song I made a while back but I quite liked the melody and decided to make a separate track out of it. I submitted it to Homestuck as I felt the chiptune nature of the piece fit in with the comic's style and I'd been wanting to write a 'Strife' type tune for some time.
     The track itself has a lot of C64 elements in the percussion and synths that blend into more powerful sounds for a more Drum and Bass style which is something I quite like to do with my music.
-Cover Artists:
-- Emi
 ---
 Track: Drift into the Sun
 Artist: Thomas Ferkol
@@ -556,22 +556,22 @@ Contributors:
 - Clark Powell (some production)
 - Toby Fox (climax drum programming)
 Duration: '3:22'
-Art Tags:
-- Rose
-- Dave
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/drift-into-the-sun-2
 - https://youtu.be/f5BP2W9a93U
+Cover Artists:
+- Zilon
+Art Tags:
+- Rose
+- Dave
+Referenced Tracks:
+- track:atomyk-ebonpyre
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i>
     Drift Into the Sun started off as me trying to emulate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pv2LgRzvKg">the opening choir track</a> of a black metal EP.  Soon some big drums and some spacey guitars found their way into the mix (in my attempts to make something on the line of ambient black or doom metal).  Finally, I added Dave’s “blast off” to help Rose with a metal-ified version of Atomyk Ebonpyre (which people keep requesting a full version of... maybe).
     This was another track that I had a clear design for, following as best as I could the events surrounding Rose and Dave’s chat on Derse before creating the Green Sun, focusing more on the atmosphere surrounding the debacle than what they talked about.
     After putting the original version up for the team to see, Plazmataz offered to spruce things up.  And they did.  And it was awesome.  And then Radiation said he could make some crazy drums for the last section.  And he did.  And it was awesome too.
     And that was how Virginia was founded!
-Cover Artists:
-- Zilon
-Referenced Tracks:
-- track:atomyk-ebonpyre
 ---
 Track: Infinity Mechanism
 Artist: Thomas Ferkol
@@ -579,22 +579,27 @@ Duration: '3:20'
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/infinity-mechanism-2
 - https://youtu.be/I3S8LNG4aNo
+Cover Artists:
+- VickyBit
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i>
     Then we’ve got Infinity Mechanism.  I am not sure what to say about it.  I played live guitar and cello on it.  It was one of the first full guitar based things I wrote for MSPA and the first that I used my computer to record rather than a Tascam mixing board + studio that I had used on my very old works.
     Its mechanical sound and return to the beginning at its end reminded me of Beat Mesa, and it kind of became my own sort of theme music for The Scratch.  Also it is now the first track written by me to be used in an animation and it is amazing.
-Cover Artists:
-- VickyBit
 ---
 Track: Revered Return
 Artist: Nick Smalley, Michael Guy Bowman
 Duration: '2:33'
-Art Tags:
-- Terezi
-- Vriska
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/revered-return-2
 - https://youtu.be/x3ruWSdc1Vo
+Cover Artists:
+- Noot
+Art Tags:
+- Terezi
+- Vriska
+Referenced Tracks:
+- Dirgeish
+- track:sburban-jungle
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i>
     “Revered Return” began as a track called “Dirgeish”, a .pxtone composition that Nick had completed some time ago but never managed to squeeze into an album. Because as a chip tune it had been long overlooked, I decided to take a whack at producing it in a different style for inclusion on Volume 8. I had been looking for a piece that would work as a rock tune, and “Dirgeish” really struck me because of the heavy involvement of drums, its steady pace, and dynamic structure.
@@ -602,24 +607,19 @@ Commentary: |-
     The structure I think might be the most unique part of “Revered Return” - it doesn’t waste time by really repeating itself a lot. Nine out of ten times I work on a song I find myself writing or arranging something that moves in a very basic structure like ABAB or AABA or other variants, etc. “Dirgeish” gave me the challenge of establishing coherency in a piece that seemed to move almost completely linearly, and I made sure to preserve its sort of ABCDEFGBA-type structure in arranging “Revered Return” for Volume 8.
     <i>Nick Smalley:</i>
     Remember that thing about ORGMaker? Yeah, this song, too. Except add me asking Andrew Huo to help finish it and Bowman to ramp it up, and you’ve got Revered Return. :3
-Cover Artists:
-- Noot
-Referenced Tracks:
-- Dirgeish
-- track:sburban-jungle
 ---
 Track: Judgment Day
 Artist: Toby Fox
 Contributors:
 - Kelly Sadwin (violin)
 Duration: '2:00'
-Art Tags:
-- John
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/judgment-day-2
 - https://youtu.be/MD2TLTtyfDE
 Cover Artists:
 - Lazylaz
+Art Tags:
+- John
 Referenced Tracks:
 - track:ruins
 ---
@@ -652,11 +652,15 @@ Referenced Tracks:
 Track: I'm a Member of the Midnight Crew (Acapella)
 Artist: David Ko
 Duration: '2:50'
-Art Tags:
-- Midnight Crew
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/im-a-member-of-the-midnight-crew-acapella-2
 - https://youtu.be/Br294PLbHBA
+Cover Artists:
+- Vivian Ng
+Art Tags:
+- Midnight Crew
+Referenced Tracks:
+- I'm a Member of the Midnight Crew
 Lyrics: |-
     I hate a moral coward, one who lacks a manly spark<br>I just detest a man afraid to go home in the dark<br>I always spend my evenings where there's women wine and song<br>But like a man, I always bring my little wife along!
     I'm a member of the Midnight Crew<br>I'm a night owl, and a wise bird too<br>Home with the milk in the morning<br>Singing the same old song!<br>Rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun<br>Early to bed, and you'll miss all the fun<br>Bring your wife and trouble, it will never trouble you<br>Make her a member of the Midnight Crew!
@@ -665,24 +669,24 @@ Lyrics: |-
     I never shall forget the night I made six robbers run<br>Although I didn't have a knife, a blackjack, or a gun<br>I proved myself a hero of a very high degree<br>I ran for home, and six of them, were running after me!
     I'm a member of the Midnight Crew<br>I'm a night owl, and a wise bird too<br>Home with the milk in the morning<br>Singing the same old song!<br>Rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun<br>Early to bed, and you'll miss all the fun<br>Bring your wife and trouble, it will never trouble you<br>Make her a member of the Midnight Crew!
     Make her a member of the Midnight Crew!
-Cover Artists:
-- Vivian Ng
-Referenced Tracks:
-- I'm a Member of the Midnight Crew
 ---
 Group: Bonus tracks
 ---
 Track: How Do I Live (D8 Night Version)
 Artist: Michael Guy Bowman
+Contributors:
+- Thomas Ferkol (electric guitar)
+- David Ko (backup vocals)
 Duration: '3:23'
-Art Tags:
-- John
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/how-do-i-live-d8-night-version-2
 - https://youtu.be/Svy9DBBZKpk
-Contributors:
-- Thomas Ferkol (electric guitar)
-- David Ko (backup vocals)
+Cover Artists:
+- Victoria Grace Elliott
+Art Tags:
+- John
+Referenced Tracks:
+- How Do I Live
 Lyrics: |-
     How do I<br>Get through one night without you?<br>If I had to live without you<br>What kind of life would that be?<br>Oh, and I<br>I need you in my arms, need you to hold<br>You're my world, my heart, my soul<br>If you ever leave<br>Baby that would take away everything good in my life
     Without you<br>There'd be no sun in my sky<br>There'd be no love in my life<br>There'd be no world left for me<br>Oh, and I<br>Baby I don't know what I would do<br>I'd be lost if I lost you<br>If you ever leave<br>Baby that would take away everything that's real in my life
@@ -694,23 +698,19 @@ Commentary: |-
     I always had thought of “How Do I Live” as a breakup song, so as an anthem of dependency between generic 90’s lovers I was underwhelmed. However, in Con Air it’s meant to be the love theme of a woman whose husband serves in the military, giving the song a very different meaning. The stakes are not whether the singer’s lover will stay or leave but whether they will live or die, a thought that is instantly more resonant for anyone who has been in love I think.
     The trick to this one for me was cutting out all the bullshit really - the ridiculous key change is removed and the drums are minimal to the extent of sounding like a funeral march. Rather than starting off with chipper little electric organs and keyboards, this version takes a cue from “Purple Rain” and uses only electric guitar and vocals for the first minute. The vocals start off sounding a million miles away and are subtly brought closer and closer until the other instruments join in on the second verse.
     I added a new bridge section in so that Thomas Ferkol could have a chance to play some real guitar in this one, and of course he showed his colors as a metal guitarist, sending me a duet between harmonized voices. David Ko also appears on this track as the gently-spoken backup vocalist.
-Cover Artists:
-- Victoria Grace Elliott
-Referenced Tracks:
-- How Do I Live
 ---
 Track: Cascade (Beta)
 Artist: Tensei
 Duration: '4:06'
-Art Tags:
-- John
-- Dave
-- Vriska
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/cascade-beta-2
 - https://youtu.be/Svy9DBBZKpk
 Cover Artists:
 - Mia Schwartz
+Art Tags:
+- John
+- Dave
+- Vriska
 ---
 Track: Black Hole / Green Sun
 Artist: Malcolm Brown, Toby Fox
@@ -721,25 +721,25 @@ Duration: '2:30'
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/black-hole-green-sun-2
 - https://youtu.be/B6e2XacZSIs
-Commentary: |-
-    <i>Malcolm Brown:</i>
-    Not much to say on this really except the title is kind of an ode to Soundgarden.
 Has Cover Art: false
 Referenced Tracks:
 - Black Rose / Green Sun
 - track:sburban-jungle
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>Malcolm Brown:</i>
+    Not much to say on this really except the title is kind of an ode to Soundgarden.
 ---
 Track: Carefree Action
 Artist: Mark Hadley
 Duration: '2:08'
-Art Tags:
-- Dave
-- Jade
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/carefree-action-2
 - https://youtu.be/saFRtTDSVKQ
+Cover Artists:
+- 8bitkitten
+Art Tags:
+- Dave
+- Jade
 Commentary: |-
     <i>Mark Hadley:</i>
     Back when we knew Jade as just GG, I wrote the first part of Carefree Action as a possible upbeat strife theme for her. It never ended up getting used, but other people liked it, and eventually a remix of it (Carefree Victory) made it into the comic. The original was pretty short, so I lengthened it so that I could eventually get it onto an album. Like Sburban Reversal, I recommended it as a bonus track.
-Cover Artists:
-- 8bitkitten