To Live and Die in the Wild by Stephen Karukas

Designed to evoke images of primitive life, To Live and Die in the Wild utilizes a range of sounds, including intense ritual drumming, intricate polyrhythmic cells, and weeping, howling effects made possible by fading between different drums and rolling on the very edge of the bass drum. It explores many timbres possible on drums, such as playing on different locations on the head and rim and covering the drumheads with cloth. Each section of the piece represents a different terror that could mean life or death for a creature without shelter. They all share a grounding timbre, the combination of sizzle cymbal and bass drum, representing the heavy Earth to which all animals are destined to return.