ANDY SNEAPS JOB ON MIXING DELIVERANCE

[Ermz]

Great album, terrible mix. Andy Sneap is a worthless hack.

You're not gonna start this again, are you? Do you need James Murphy back in to verbally own you, or should I do it this time?

@Mumblefood: It depends on whether the producer was present at the mixing sessions. By rights a producer is meant to see a project through to completion and shape it, technically and also make amendments, additions or subtractions to the music itself. Basically he's the guy that's been entrusted to make everything succeed and come together.

I think in the case of Deliverance it was like

Wilson: 'Well hey, we recorded the album using my techniques, now I'm outta here'
*album gets shipped over to England*
Andy Sneap: 'w00t, let's get some grammy-winning shit going'

 

[Manbient]

haha, i see

btw, is um acting funny for anyone else?

 

[Ermz]

I think Andy may have corresponded with the band though. I recall him saying something on his forum about Lopez wanting more cymbals.

 

[Mr. Niel]

@Mumblefood: It depends on whether the producer was present at the mixing sessions. By rights a producer is meant to see a project through to completion and shape it, technically and also make amendments, additions or subtractions to the music itself. Basically he's the guy that's been entrusted to make everything succeed and come together.

That's the general idea, but not necessarily the gospel.

I think Deliverance's sound should solely be blamed on:

1)Mike

2)Sneap

 

[Ermz]

Well I'm not sure if I'd use the word 'blamed'. It's a matter of taste. Some like the sound of Deliverance and some don't.

 

[:Wreath:]

Yeah. On my part, I pretty fucking love the album and the sound... It's true that it's not the typical Opeth - and this is why I love it even more! It makes it unique... The album is the heaviest Opeth album and the dry production makes it even more intense me thinks... The vocals are too low in the mix but even this has a good side as they sound more eerie. And I love the sond of the drums on those quieter parts - think: the acoustic parts in Deliverance. They sound so... spacious So before GR it was my pick, along with BP

 

[affinityband]

Great album, terrible mix. Andy Sneap is a worthless hack.

Shut the fuck up You ignorant bastard, what the hell is wrong with you to make comments like that about someone who is obviously not worthless. Im not usually this viscious, but seriously your a total bell end.

 

[Agalloch]

Suck it Moonlapse. I can have my opinion, it's not against the rules. My opinion is that he's a worthless producer and mixer.

 

[Alex78]

Andy Sneap=James Murphy ? I don't get it.

 

[:Wreath:]

Well, have you seen them BOTH at the same time in the same place? Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it...

 

[Ermz]

Suck it Moonlapse. I can have my opinion, it's not against the rules. My opinion is that he's a worthless producer and mixer.

Calling someone a 'worthless hack' goes beyond a simple statement of opinion. It's spiteful and not to mention totally unjustified since there was no reasoning given. Also, I'm well within my rights on here to respond to your opinion.

Saying he's a hack implies that the repeated success he's enjoyed in the metal scene is the result of some fluke chance and that he has no ability. The man churns out hit after hit and the bands and labels continuously go back to him because he's good at what he does. Backstage studios is constantly booked out by high-profile acts wanting the sound Andy can give them.

You may not like the sound he gives to bands, but that doesn't discount the fact that the man is very good at what he does. You can give him any piece of crap recording (Enemies of Reality, for instance) and he'll put it under the microscope for a few days and you'll end up with a crystal clear, broadcast quality release, where all the elements are sufficiently audible.

 

[affinityband]

I dont like what he does. But hes amazing at what he does.

*Edit* ok moonlapse pretty much put what i put.

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

Haven't read tha whole thread, but anyway: I really respect Andy Sneap. I think he is one of the best at what he does. And I think the 'synthetic' sound actually really suits the record. I actually think Deliverance is very well mixed, but it's the only Opeth album that could really work with the mix Sneap gave it. i think he chose wisely!

 

[Opethian666]

Yeah somehow I like the dry production on deliverance, it kind of gives off that empty, bleak, depressing atmosphere that this album needs. I also especially love the lead tones for the guitars. It's all just a matter of taste and perspective.

 

[Ermz]

I like the guitar tones on Deliverance. Very rectifier-sounding. I just don't like the overall clinical treatment of the entire mix. The drums sound chopped up and put perfectly in time, the kick is triggered to the max and even the snare sounds a bit machine-gun like at times. The whole perfect instrument seperation to the point where the mix sounds like there's an empty void behind it just doesn't work for Opeth, IMHO.

 

[MixGrafix]

As a drummer I love the sound of the drums on Deliverance. It kicks major booty. Imagine if they sounded like Lars kit on St. Anger.....yikes.

 

[:Wreath:]

^ Yeah! Nothing like the good old Lars Ulrich signature trash-can, lol

 

[Opethian666]

Since people bought St. Anger, I am thinking of recording drums with a spoon and a can of beans to complement the songs I made .

And as for the clinical sound, perfect timing, drum triggering, and instrument separation: It makes me feel like I'm in a large, cold, empty room, with a dark, doomy, pale and depressive atmosphere, which I think is a great thing to accomplish through production.

 

[Stimuli]

I love deliverance... the sound is fantastic... the vocals, the drums, guitars...everything... I don't hear a single problem...there is tons of atmosphere like on all the clean parts of the brutal songs...and I like the fact that it sounds different than any other Opeth record. Different does not mean worse... Sometimes I think a few people on this borred would be happier if they just kept re-releasing MAYH and Still Life...

But if you wanna talk about bad production or a bad overall sound...

lets talk Morningrise...

 

[martyrs_price]

I think shitty production adds a cool element to albums sometimes. More raw and unrefined just works sometimes, and I think Morningrise is one of those instances.