Apologise (One Republic) metal cover

[Max Morton]

Greetings!
Wanna share my new track with you I made this cover in collaboration with Konstantin "Laars" Naumenko (http://www.myspace.com/sunrisekiev power-metal band singer and a great dude ). It was real fun to do a power-metal ballad style interpretation and we both enjoyed the result, so it's interesting what you say on any aspect of the track - arranging, performing, timbres, mix, etc, etc.

Konstantin "Laars" Naumenko - idea, vocals
Max Morton aka Bormoleos Van Drill - guitars, bass, keys, arranging, mixing/"mastering"

Recording info:
Vox> Oktava MK-105 mic> SET SOUND 2205 mic pre > RME Fireface 400

Gtrs> Mesa Mark IV lead channel > Randall 4x12 with V30 (riffs) with G12T (solo) > single SM57 (except second solo, where i used MD421 in the same position)> Focusrite Octopre > RME Fireface 400

Bass> MXR Bass DI (all flat, cabsim off) > RME Fireface 400

Here's the raw doubletrack guitar sound (what came from the mic without any correction)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nqcpgw

I also did two mastering versions - loud (at around -9) and with dynamics (at around -12)

Links:
LOUD
http://maxmorton.com/MaxMorton_and_Laars-Apologise(OneRepublic_cover).mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5vuys4

DYNAMICS
http://maxmorton.com/MaxMorton_and_Laars-Apologise(OneRepublic_cover)-12dbMaster.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/p8x06m

Waiting for your comments

 

[lolzgreg]

Right off the bat, I liked your pick of the harpsichord patch. I love this song. I could see the vocals going down about a dB or two though, especially in the beginning. This would create a tiny bit more power when the song comes in.

The singer sounds great.

The mix is really good. It could use a bit more bass guitar, otherwise the tone is wonderful and everything is nice and glued together.

What did you use for drums?

 

[jauernis]

Wow very solid!! Great performance, execution. mix, guitars, drums, vocals are fucking amazing...started listening to your stuff on myspace..wow!!

 

[Max Morton]

lolzgreg: It's a pleasure to read your comment, thanks! Yeah, that vocal's loudness in the intro is what makes it all fall apart, I agree. Maybe I'd even try to eq it just a bit there.
I used Superior Drummer 2 (Avatar) for drums, no compression except just a bit on Oh and Room. Lots of eq-ing though and a bit of Overloud BREVERB plate reverb sent on snare.

 

[Max Morton]

Wow very solid!! Great performance, execution. mix, guitars, drums, vocals are fucking amazing...started listening to your stuff on myspace..wow!!

Thanx!! Very pleased) Well, Sunrise are the guys i've been working with as a soundengineer and we've found a lot of common musical interests with their singer, so we've made a try to do a song together and it was real fun So we'll do more!
As for me, I'll soon present my new material at maxmorton.com

 

[Decimator]

Wow, this sounds really good

 

[Day-dreamer]

Just WONDERFUL.

More than great singer, and perfect mix.

 

[Plankis]

I think a half time feel on the chorus might've been cool.
Everything sounds really good though, especially that snare.

 

[Max Morton]

Decimator, Day-dreamer, Plankis: thank you so much for the wonderfull comments! Damn, so glad
I also must note that i used no compression on drums except some parrallel compression on room (that can work on sampled drums, wanna try on a good live drum performing).
Oh yes. And i've opened the mix and found out that i've got Freeverb 2, not Breverb on snare reverb ^_^

 

[Machinated]

loving this, classic when songs like this are covered.

really like the drums, exactly how avatar should sound in a mix. you managed to get that avatar kick to work really well for this kind of stuff.

 

[Max Morton]

Machinated : thanks! yeah, the avatar kick is a bit wierd thing, but i've got used to it. fell in love into metal foundry thing, btw. thinking hard on buying it.

 

[SentencedToBurn]

sounds like sentenced. no?

 

[Max Morton]

sounds like sentenced. no?

absolutely no idea