Andy - Opinion of new Nevermore?

[LegionsOfTheDead]

Just wondering what you thought of the production on the new Nevermore album?

I must say it doesn't stand up to Dead Heart... not even close.

That album is probably one of the best sounding metal albums I've ever heard. I'm an audio engineering student and that album to me just sums up metal perfection.

Sadly EoR does not... what do you think?

And what would you have done differently if you were doing the mix?

 

[Andy Sneap]

Sorry chap, not really cool of me to pass judgement on someone elses work like that.

 

[LegionsOfTheDead]

aahh ok. Fair enough man. Thats cool.

 

[Andy Sneap]

Glad you liked DHIADW though. Some people have commented on the gtrs being muddy and I listened to it again the otherday. What people dont understand is a guage 80 bass string will sound signficantly different (this is what Jeff was using for the low B). I'm pretty happy with that album even now, there's old school Nevermore fans, who prefer Neil Kernons work, some like mine, personally I enjoy both, I think we both brought some interesting and different qualities to the table.

 

[Kevin Kitchel]

I listened to the mp3 on the Century Media site, and to me, it didn't sound like it was mastered yet. Then again, it was an mp3, and I was listening on headphones. The guitars sounded more organic than they do on DHIADW to me, but that is by no means a put-down on Dead Heart, just a comparison. The guitars on Dreaming Neon Black are so interesting because you can hear the speaker getting to the excursion point at times, which sometimes makes stuff sound weak when its really technical like Nevermore, and is better for Motorhead type stuff, but it works SOOO well. I wish I could get my guitars to sound so "appropriate".

 

[Kevin Kitchel]

And I would never call DHIADW muddy. I would call Bongzilla muddy.

 

[FrostGiant]

Comparing DHiaDW to previous Nevermore the guitars are a bit muddy, much in part to the 7 string (actually sounds much like Dickensons solo work, both use bass strings on the guitar). That low E string on a 6 string is pretty easy to keep bright. And I've never tried to record a 7 string with bass strings (or without) so I can't comment on that.

But one thing I loved about DHiaDW where the drums. Some of the best sounding drums since Megadeth-Countdown...

And on EoR, my biggest gripe would be with the drums. They're buried too deep in the mix for my tastes.

 

[Andy Sneap]

Very good point about Bruce's album actually. I was talking to Roy (Z) about this and they did exactly the same thing with a guage 80. You really don't get the attack and high end out of the thicker strings, so you have to try and get more of the note out the mid range. This is why it sounds alot different to previous Nevermore stuff, but I think in general it worked. It's also a real ball ache trying to get the bass to fit in when tuned down to A. That takes alot of messing around to get right, then add fast double kick and it can get messy real quick. I prefer using baratone guitars rather than 7 strings as the scale of the neck keeps the tuning better so you can go with thinner strings.

 

[LegionsOfTheDead]

an .80 bass string? Jesus! That's awesome. ahaha. "Muddy" is never a word I would use to describe Dead Heart. I always say it's "punchy" and very clear... strange that.

 

[FrostGiant]

Well, the guitars alone wouldn't be, but the problem lies with trying to mix a nice solid kick, bass guitar and a guitar with bass strings. They all like to float around the same frequencies (the kick may be a little lower) and create a little bit of mud on mixdown. The first thought that crossed my mind when listening to DH, and also Dickenson's Chemical Wedding, was that the guitar tone was a little muddy. But that's just a term I guess. To be honest, you hear the guitar fine as well as bass and kick on both albums.

I'll definitely say that I use the mud term too loosely and probably shouldn't considering everything I've done is pure mudd (I'm not anybody, just a homerecer loser). But I do enjoy critiquing other peoples work. Even thought I may make myself sound like an idiot

And actually it's the artists choice to use it. Like he said, a baritone guitar works so much better when you are playing low. Novembers Doom tunes a 6 string baritone to Bb I believe, and it sounds pretty damn good. But Sneap and Roy Z both did a good job separating out those frequencies so I probably should shut up.

 

[jeronimo]

I find DH one of the best recordings on metal, period.
Nothing comes close. I told you that already Andy.
What kind of guit did Nevermore used to record? Baritones or 7s? All tuned to B?

 

[FrostGiant]

Nevermore use ESP 7 strings live. I'm thinking they record with the same.

 

[jeronimo]

I wouldn't bet on this one :/

 

[Andy Sneap]

yeah it's a 7 string, I forget which make some custom thing. I remember the bridge being a bit of a bodge job though!!!

 

[jeronimo]

Ok... so it's a 7 string with the 7th beign .80?

 

[ruinandmisery]

ESP makes a Baritone guitar.

Also, Andy, thanks for getting back to Richard Marcum regarding the questions that we were asking for mixing, it went very well!

"RM"
www.lilitu.ws