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CREATIO:

There are vocal elements on several of
PERSONAL his tracks, almost grunge like my
opinion, that remind me of acts like
Audioslave and Soundgarden. I
TESTAMENTS brought up some of the vocal effects
present on one such song, ‘Looking
Glass,’ and he shared these details
about his entrance into the realm of
audio engineering.

“I cut that album before I went to engineering
CONTRIBUTOR school, so I can’t take credit for that
review and photos by—Ben E particular album. I did write the song: all of
Zander what you hear on the track is actually me
playing instruments, or synth, or keys, or
what-have-you. That song was mixed,
produced, and mastered by Jason of Redline
I contribute my own feelings that a period Sound Studios in Sarasota, Florida. I used to
existed in my youth, some thirty years ago, live in Florida, so I met J down there. He’s a
when Garth Brooks was absolutely wonderful engineer, a very talented
considered ‘The Man.’ Creatio agreed. individual, super smart, one of the smartest
people I know. He met me in a bar where I
“Yeah, he was. To the point where I was was promoting metal shows. He offered to let
calling into the radio station to win tickets to me intern for him. “We cut the song ‘Triage,’
the show. Grandma bought me nosebleed and I moved away from Florida, back to North
section tickets. She came through, man. So, Carolina. Then, I came back down to cut the
there was that little period, and then, like, rest of the album a year later. We did ‘Rock n
90’s alternative kind of happened. I found Roll Jesus’ as a single track followed by
Matchbox 20, and I was just like, that’s Passage. Everything you hear on Passage,
awesome! Holy crap, I didn’t know that except for ‘Triage,’ was cut after ‘Rock n’ Roll
existed. That’s when I started getting my own Jesus.’” “Triage,” like the rest of his catalog, is
musical tastes, like the Goo Goo Dolls and a potently personal track. It’s an
Nirvana and all that good stuff. From there, in acknowledgment of the idea that when we’re
about middle school, someone turned me on really hurt, we may need emergency services
to System of a Down, my first metal band. It to help put things back together. When I
was a slippery slope, and like, my mind was asked for some insight into “Triage,” he
blown. Then, Slipknot! My mind was further reflected on breaking the cycle of family
blown.” dysfunction and the failure of his marriage
As Stephen was finishing high school, he when his daughter was three.
found a sound that he wanted to attach
himself to. “Hardcore heavy metal breakdown “Because of how I grew up, I had this family
kind of music was happening, I wanted to be [now] and I didn’t want it to fall apart. I had
on that train.” This would be the vehicle that all these feelings running through me, and I
would transport Creatio further along his just wondered what was best for my kid.
development. He played in metal bands for Ultimately, the split was best, but in the
close to ten years before moving to Florida moment, it was really hard.” He compared
and continuing to evolve his range and style. the pain to a physical injury that requires
There, he did “the cover thing” while intervention. “Where’s the first place you go
exploring the music industry through when you get to the hospital? The emergency
promotional avenues for heavier and harder room triage: what’s wrong, where does it
rock bands, even booking and scheduling hurt? How are we going to fix this? At the
tours while managing bevies of behind-the- time when I wrote ’Triage,’ the name
scenes duties. He learned the biz, baby. He’s matched the context of processing all the
always had his hands in music, somehow, and emotions.”
has done a little bit of everything.
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