The next afternoon, the room was loud with cables dragging, amps buzzing, and the occasional thud of Kai's boots hitting the bass pedal.
Rex leaned over his laptop, dragging the last plugin into the cheap recording software. The interface looked like something out of 2006, and the second-hand USB interface kept crackling if the cable moved wrong. But it would do.
"Alright, gentlemen," Rex called, straightening up. "Let's go over the structure before we hit record."
Ash, already warming up with quick pentatonic runs, raised a brow. "Wait, you don't want to jam it first?"
"We will," Rex said, "but I want everyone clear on the roadmap. This song isn't just verse-chorus-repeat. It has movements. Energy shifts. If we don't sync, it'll sound like noise."
Silas adjusted his strap and nodded. "Makes sense. This thing's got layers."
Kai leaned back, drumsticks spinning. "Run us through it."
Rex grabbed a marker and went to the whiteboard they'd pulled out of the garbage a week ago. He drew a quick breakdown:
1. Intro riff – Guitar gallop, tempo set by drums
2. Verse 1 – Vocals + rhythm tight
3. Bridge riff – Key change, groove heavy
4. Solo 1 – Ash
5. Verse 2 + breakdown
6. Solo 2 – Rex
7. Final chorus and outro – Explosive finish
"Jesus," Ash muttered, eyes scanning the structure. "This thing's a monster."
"It's supposed to be," Rex said. "But if we pull it off, it'll be a statement."
Kai tapped his sticks on his thighs. "Alright. Let's run the intro first. I'll count us in."
They positioned themselves.
"Three… two… one—"
And the room ignited.
The opening riff shot from Rex's amp like a warning siren, and Kai's drums followed—tight, aggressive, like a battlefield march. Silas came in with a thick, pulsing bass line that rounded out the chaos.
But twenty seconds in, Ash threw his hand up. "Stop, stop!"
Everyone halted.
Ash winced. "Tempo's dragging. Kai, you're a hair behind the beat."
Kai frowned. "No way. I'm playing to the metronome."
"Yeah, but listen—" Ash picked up his guitar and mimicked the intro. "It needs to pull. Like it's on a leash but ready to snap. You're too safe."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "You saying I'm playing soft?"
"I'm saying," Ash replied, "that this riff needs attitude. Push it."
Rex stepped between them, guitar still in hand. "He's not wrong. This song thrives on edge. You're technically perfect, Kai, but maybe loosen the wrists. Let the rage come through."
Kai grunted, but nodded. "Fine. Again."
They restarted.
This time, the drums hit harder—faster fills, sharper snares. The riff surged forward with more urgency, and suddenly the sound clicked.
"That's it!" Rex shouted over the noise. "That's the bite!"
They ran through the first verse. Rex's vocals cracked with rawness, and Ash built harmonic flourishes into the rhythm. When they hit the bridge riff, Silas stepped up—bass fuzzed and thunderous.
"Dude," Silas called out, grinning between notes. "This part makes me feel like I'm summoning a demon."
Ash laughed mid-chord. "You are, bro."
But again, they stopped at the solo.
Ash stretched his fingers. "Alright, solo time. Rex, you're giving me the first one?"
"You earned it," Rex said. "Let's see if you can keep up."
Ash smirked. "Try and stop me."
He launched into the solo—fast, fluid, and unapologetic. But halfway through, his notes started to slip.
Rex winced. "Clean your slides up. You're losing articulation after the bend."
Ash exhaled hard and yanked his pick hand away. "God, this part's tricky. Feels like the frets are too damn close together."
"Use a lighter touch," Rex offered. "Don't fight the guitar. Ride it."
Silas cracked a smile. "Wow. That's either really deep or super kinky."
Everyone laughed, tension breaking.
Rex clapped his hands. "Alright, take five. Hydrate."
While the others flopped onto couches or sipped warm soda, Rex checked his laptop. The System flashed subtly in the corner of his vision, unseen by the others:
> 🎵 "Four Horsemen" – rehearsal quality: 67%
🎯 Suggested improvements: Lead Solo (Ash), Drum Dynamics (Kai), Vocal Endurance (Rex)
💡 Tip: Boost Ash's confidence for better solo performance. Reward: +2 Band Synergy
He smirked. So that's why he's slipping.
Rex turned to Ash. "Hey, man. That tone you hit in the first half? Pure fire. You nail the end run, and it'll melt faces."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "You really think so?"
"Absolutely. You're the only one I trust with that solo."
Ash straightened a little. "Alright. Let's go again."
They got back in position. This time, Ash flew through the solo like a man possessed—notes screaming from his guitar in chaotic glory.
They hit the breakdown next.
"Silas," Rex called, "give me that bassline thick and filthy."
"You got it." Silas dropped a note so low it shook the floor.
They powered through to the final chorus, Kai double-kicking like a war drum, and Rex shouted the last lyric with everything in him.
When the sound finally died, they were breathless.
Silence.
Then Kai whooped. "That. Was. Brutal."
Ash dropped to the couch, wiping sweat from his brow. "If we can capture that in the recording, we're golden."
Silas nodded. "It'll be rough. But this song… it feels like something big."
Rex unplugged his guitar and looked at them all.
"We're not there yet. But we're damn close."
They were four kids in a crappy studio, held together by tape, static, and raw ambition. But in that moment, with the echoes of The Four Horsemen still ringing in their ears, they felt like giants.