RISEUP Paranormal

EVP or Electronic Voice Phenomena are electronically documented sounds resembling speech that are not intentionally created by those recording them. In most cases this is done through use of digital or analog devices.

There is a significant division between the paranormal and scientific communities as to the source of these sounds. On the one hand it is maintained the the noise is the result of stray radio signals, static or normal background noise that is being misinterpreted as having human qualities when compressed into digital format. The other school of thought holds that these voices are the result of an ability for those who have passed on to communicate with the living by methods of imprinting their voice on these devices outside the range of human hearing.

RISEUP goes to great lengths not to take a leap of faith in either direction. We do not offer these sounds as definitive proof of the afterlife, nor do we search out extreme rationalizations to discredit them. Each clip is analyzed through an audio program in a sincere effort to determine the sound range and the existence of vocal characteristics in anything anomalous we record. There is also a determination to honestly assess the possibility of misidentifying noise emanating from natural sources.

Most of the clips presented are in their raw form as we first heard them. A few have been amplified or noise filtered to provide a better listening experience. In no case has the basic footprint of the recording been altered or manipulated to satisfy a false desire for authenticity. These are recordings of things that, to date, we could not fit within our criteria for naturally occurring sounds.

We would suggest that use of headphones for some recordings will provide better sound quality and allow more subtle sounds to be better heard. Any clips that have been amplified or filtered will be duly noted.

Under normal circumstances, we would not allow anyone to learn beforehand what we feel the recordings said so as not to prejudice their personal opinions in any way. In displaying these clips, we have chosen to waive that stipulation, but we encourage any and all thoughts on their content. You are welcome to send those along to info@riseupparanormal.com

Belcourt Castle is a magnificent mansion located along Bellevue Avenue in the heart of Newport, R.I.. For over 50 years, the house has not only served as a private residence but also a museum and home to the Tinney Family collection of rare artifacts collected from around the world. Belcourt has been both a historical and cultural fixture in the city for over 100 years.

Over a seven month period, RISEUP conducted a host of private and public investigations inside Belcourt. The most ambitious investigative project ever undertaken in this magnificent structure. The following is some of the best audio evidence we gathered over that time period.

When we first heard this submission by our RISEUP Connecticut group we frankly weren't sure what to make of it. During a session inside the Tinney bedroom, Gail, Ann and Don recorded this whispered, but extremely clear voice. This is, in our opinion, one of the most fascinating pieces we've heard to date. We think we can state with some certainty what is being said...but why? Can the handheld equipment investigators carry with them misconstrued to be something more sinister than plastic, metal and wiring? We'll let you judge at 0:03.

We tend to use different types of stimuli to elicit a response. They could be requests, commands, bangs, or in this case - whistling. Ken DeCosta is inside the Tinney bedroom with members of the TAPS Home Team when they all hear this audible response to Ken's musical appeal at 0:04. There was absolute satisfaction by all parties that this was not mechanical in any way or originated from any camera or device present.

NOTE: That's Joe Chin from SyFy channel's 'Ghost Hunters International' asking "What was that?"

A very common question we ask ourselves is, "Can all our questions be understood in English?" Conversely, will all answers be in English as well? Or how about energies attaching themselves to objects? A place like Belcourt Castle with artifacts from 33 different countries just might be the place to determine the answers and one guest may have done that. While in the organ loft, she was conducting an EVP session under our supervision when we heard this response at 0:06 upon review. There are a number of Spanish relics inside the castle and we believe we hear the word 'alama" [ah-lah’-mah], which is Spanish for gold or silver cloth. That evening the woman was wearing a silver jacket.

As time went on, singing became a recurring phenomena there, particularly in this area of the mansion. The investigators were alone on the second floor when this is recorded at 0:08. Take our word - no one in RISEUP is prone to break out in song.

On a particularly active night in this part of the mansion, we were seeing our equipment activate in response to questions (i.e. KII meters, TriField meter) accompanied by thumps above us from an empty wing of the mansion. At one point, when we registered a 'hit' on the KII, we recorded this simultaneously. Ken DeCosta's reaction is to the meter spiking and not to the voice. No one else reacted to this and we cannot make out a word or name, but it is clearly a raspy, perhaps somewhat agitated voice from somewhere in the stables area at 0:05.

There is a tunnel off the kitchen area that was used for deliveries and such that had become the scene of some very unusual happenings as time went on. Many of them were clearly audible sounds and voices and this was no exception. As is always the case, we make totally certain before and after a session that there is no one in and around the area that could intentionally or unintentionally cause us to misinterpret something like this. The sound clearly comes from inside the tunnel at 0:03.

A group of investigators negotiates a dark hallway and at 0:07 did they record a tiny voice that wishes to join them?

RISEUP investigator Chris Blanchette is seeking some type of response and turns to audible sounds as an alternative form of communication. He seems to have impressed someone at 0:07.

Located in Tiverton, R.I. 4-Corners National Register Historic District. Built in the late 17th or early 18th century. This 3/4 cape with gambrel roof, now owned by the Tiverton Historical Society, was home to whaling captains and their families, descendants of one of the first of twenty seven freemen listed as original residents of Tiverton. The house and grounds retain many features original to a Colonial village farm including a corn-crib and wash house.

RISEUP has conducted a number of investigations of this iconic colonial home in our hometown and the results have been surprisingly positive.

On our first visit to the home, we recorded a couple of strange voices inside the main bedroom. They seem to be female in nature and with a mixed bag of emotions. The first is somewhat indistinguishable, but very clearly that of a woman.

In the second clip, we hear what appears to be a woman's laugh as we are explaining the nature of the devices we will be using to try and establish contact.

Near the eastern entrance of Narragansett Bay, about three miles southwest of Newport, stands one of the oldest and most elaborately constructed forts in the United States. Its' massive wall of masonry with casemate ports for an armament of 500 guns of the type used for coastal defense in 1820-50, attracts the attention of all who enter this eastern passage of the bay.

RISEP conducted both private and public investigations of the fort in the Fall of 2009. On one of the private investigations, we were to record to voices of some of her current occupants who still remain within her walls. One such recording happened near a gate that leads to the enlisted men's quarters. One of our investigators remarked that she heard a noise within the tunnel beyond that gate and received a puzzled response in the beginning and then a direct answer at the end.

While two investigators were conducting an EVP session inside the Officer's Quarters, they heard and saw an object hurled in their direction (recorded) and then a clear whisper ordering them to leave.

The Observation Tower at Fort Barton, RI

Located in Tiverton, R.I., this is a Revolutionary War redoubt. It was the troop staging area for the invasion of Aquidneck Island and Newport and the eventual Battle of Rhode Island. RISEUP undertook a summer-long project in which we researched and investigated claims of paranormal activity within the grounds of this significant portion of Colonial history.

8/19/08

On this particular night, two male investigators entered Fort Barton after sundown and began an EVP session within a section called "the earth works", a type of trenching that troops would use to conceal themselves from the enemy. While asking question surrounding the history of the fort, they recorded a startling voice - that of a female - as both spoke. No female was present at this time. The first investigator asks if a possible entity may be scared of them.

"He got it."

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Nature's is a new-age/metaphysical establishment located in Portsmouth, R.I. that has been a staple of RISEUP investigations since 2008. They also specialize in geological and Native American artifacts and offer semi-weekly psychic and Tarot readings for their patrons. The store was first brought to our attention when we were requested to perform a lecture on the paranormal for their customers and then were treated to many of the claims of unusual phenomena that regularly occurred there. Our subsequent investigations seem to be adding to the validity of what the staff and patrons have experienced there.

Often we ask for environmental changes to occur, based on reports of cold spots and such. On this occasion we did just that and received a marvelous and witty response from an entity that was present. For what it's worth, we measured an ambient temperature drop of 8 degrees over 36 seconds after this request.

Later on as we were having various normal conversations, we recorded these peculiar whistles at two separate points during the night. They have absolutely no reason to exist where and when they did as no one present was in any way responsible for them.

On a later visit to Nature's, we let the recorders run in the basement that night as we just sat and listened. Information had come to us suggesting we might be dealing with a child spirit there, so we were pleasantly surprised to have captured this voice on one of our digitals that night.

For reasons of anonymity, the identity of this Newport mansion will not be revealed, but it provided us with one of the more shocking audio clips we have gotten to date. Three investigators are on the third floor of the mansion, where the domestic help would keep their own quarters. An anguished response to a question would be recorded, but in this case the scream was clearly heard by all present making this not a true EVP but a disembodied voice.

A remote microphone had been placed in the ballroom directly under where the investigators had this experience. When checked - to determine if perhaps the sound came from outside the mansion - the voice did not register at all at the appropriate time.

RISEUP accepted an invitation to investigate paranormal claims originating from an office building in Barrington, R.I. and has since returned for two follow-up visits to date. The evidence gathered for the most part is in the form of audible phenomena. Some of the more intriguing clips are presented here.

Most of the claims originate from the offices of our hosts and our first night there gave us a clear indication that indeed something quite unusual might be taking place. It appears to be getting a bit crowded in the office at 0:02.

We had reports that there was a child presence inside the walls of this building and this recording gave us our first hint that the claims may have some validity to them. Listen at 0:16 when we hear a young voice bluntly tell us it's time to go.

As we were starting to become convinced of a child's presence in the building, we brought along a large rubber ball as a "trigger object" to entice the spirit to join us at play. As the ball is being bounced we appear to hear an appreciative remark at 0:03

There are vast numbers of EVPs submitted that have the words "get out" somewhere in the recording. Perhaps it's because of a false sense on the part of the investigators that they really don't belong there. As a result, we hear what we expect to hear. This is yet another of those, but unlike the child, this is a male voice at 0:03 and it seems to be quite distinct. To further appreciate it, be advised there were no males present this night anywhere in the building.

This particular recording is one that we point to with a great deal of pride and interest. Again, it seems to capture the voice of a small child, perhaps female. This was recorded on a stationary handheld camera with no one speaking at the time, no children present and the voice was not audible to anyone there. There is some debate as to what is said exactly, but the words "who" and "this" is very pronounced. The quality and legitimacy of the clip speaks for itself.

We traveled to Providence, R.I. for a private case that involved a lot of various phenomena, but this particular location yielded a couple of very intriguing audio recordings as well. In the first, we can hear a female voice make a plea on behalf of someone at 0:02.

Research and interviews revealed that the 3rd floor apartment was once occupied by a woman who earned a living as a prostitute. This fact was made clear and verified by a voice recorded that night in the apartment as we were just readying for an EVP session.

We traveled to a home in Rehoboth, MA. to investigate claims of activity in a 17th-century home that was once part of a working farm. The home was investigated by the late Hans Holzer and an entire chapter was devoted to it in one of his many books on ghosts and the paranormal. While attempting to contact one of the spirits in the home, we recorded the voice of one such entity who was trying to oblige with our request.

Rose Island was used during World Wars I and II as part of the Navy Torpedo Station where explosives were stored. After World War II this use ceased and the island (except for the Lighthouse) was declared surplus by the Government. Since then, over the last 50 years, Mother Nature has been slowly creeping back, taking possession. Today, the only inhabitants of the Torpedo Station are three species of snakes, plus thousands of nesting birds that are protected by the State. There are no mammals -- therefore, no ticks! The Lighthouse was operated until 1970, when it was abandoned and vandalized after the Pell (Newport) Bridge was built. The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation was organized in 1984 to restore and operate the lighthouse on behalf of the City of Newport which received it from the US Government at no cost.

During a private investigation of the island a lighthouse, one investigator made his way into "The Foghorn Room", a brick building detached from the lighthouse. Separating himself from the group, he performed an EVP session and received more than expected. As the building occupies a separate space, there is little to no doubt the voice does not originate from beyond a wall and no one is outside at this point in time. What is being said is difficult to distinguish, but we feel some comment is made concerning the room itself.

Considered by many to be the most haunted home in the state of Rhode Island, the original, 2 1/2 story, 5-bay, gable-roofed house, built about 1790, was expanded eastward by two bays in the early nineteenth century, likely after the family's first success with textile manufacturing. The original window caps were copied on this addition, and all the sash in the house was changed. The doorway, with its segmental transom and sidelights, probably dates from this enlargement; the entrance porch is twentieth century. In 1864, at the height of their fortunes, the Sprague family erected the 2 1/2 story, 3-bay addition to the south.

An astral presence still manifests itself in Sprague Mansion. The apparition is most often observed descending the main staircase or is felt as a passing breath of icy air in the wine cellar. A séance held to determine the ghost's identity revealed the agitated spirit of a subsequent owner's butler, who had expected--but had not received--an inheritance. The séance was hastily concluded when the Ouija began to move violently, spelling, "My land! My land! My land!"

Our very first investigation of the Sprague Mansion yielded two startling and amazing pieces of audio and a third that confirms an identity. The first was captured in the room where Mary Waterman Sprague, daughter of Byron, passed away at the age of 10. We hear the voice of a young girl asking for her mother as two female investigators begin the session.

In the second clip, a bit of historical knowledge of the Sprague family is required for it all to fall into place. One investigator asks for a clue to the identity of any entity within the room and we record one simple name. As it turns out, William and Kate Sprague built a lavish summer home on the beach at....

Finally, we seem to receive confirmation that at least one member of the family has decided to remain within the walls of this beautiful and iconic home.

RISEUP was given permission to investigate this stunning 1931 art-deco theater in Torrington, CT. in January of 2011. The reports of activity there were quite varied and intruiging to us, so we jumped at the opportunity to travel there and have a first-hand look at the building. Theaters were often times the home to larger-than-life, colorful personalities and the energy that remains there can actually be somewhat palpable as you roam the stage area, dressing rooms and so forth.

One of the claims about activity at the Warner centers around the apparition of a little girl seen in the theater area. As we investigated that part of the theater, an EVP session revealed something quite odd that we captured on our digital recorder.

In the basement, we were wrapping up an EVP session and beginning our ascent of the stairway leading back to the lobby. Upon playback, we heard this deep, male voice had found its way onto our recorder. While ominous, it appears to make a statement we don't really understand (perhaps residual?), but are happy to present as proof a presence remains there. This is the spot where a man fell down those same stairs and succumbed to his injuries a few days later. Is this his voice affirming his tragic blunder?