Choosing a studio to an album...

[inaeturnum]

Hey guys!

I am recording engineer and have great interests towards studiowork in general. Since i am big fan of opeth i can't stop wondering why they chose fascination street to record their next lp. Don't get me wrong but i have heard couple of records that recently came out from that studio and they seem completely stelil and lacking character to me. For example, my younger brother were recording album there and it sounds ok and maybe great to their music since it's kinda that big "american styled rock". Same with new soilwork release. Sounds were of course very clear and they kicked big time but as a whole album sounded so steril it was boring. Of course it's not only the studio but producers and artists too that create sound to records. Why iam conserning this issue it's simply because imo fascination street isn't best place for opeth to record an album. And still i base my opinion only in stuff i have heard from that place. Still, who wants to hear completely overcompressed and overpolished sound.
Ok. just random thoughts. what you think about it?

 

[Ermz]

I think it's mainly down to the engineer/producer. Most Andy Sneap records sound sterile as all shit, and he records it all at his own Backstage Studios.

I think the advent of the new ProToolsHD systems has alot to do with it. Nobody really gives a shit about tape anymore... hell Andy even mixes at 48khz :s.

It seems nobody really gives a shit about the actual quality or tonality of the stuff you record. It's just about polishing it all up and branding it with your stamp so that the label will hire you again. The warmth is gone.

I don't know what sort of equipment or acoustics fashion street has, but I'd say alot of it is also down to how the producer/engineer choose to use it.

 

[inaeturnum]

Yes. It's mainly because digital recording systems. One of the most known "against it" engineers is steve albini. I think he has fantastic opinions about recording and how music should sound. He gives responsibility to musicians and their playing. And i think it is really what it's all about. Nowadays there's more similarity in records and it's not interesting. Nowadays modern metal music is one of best examples of it not forgetting big market rock and punk.
I don't really wanna be oldie and against evolution of recording society but it's really hard to accept direction where it is going. Fascination street uses PT HD 3 but they also have otari's mtr-90. Of course there's plenty of top notch equipment not forgetting SSL and it's not certainly bad place to record and mix albums. Remember, iam talking only as a fan of music. So only thing i count are records that came out there. I've heard that jens bogren (the owner, engineer and co producer of next opeth opus) is very district when working. So it's pretty funny to see how camp of opeth survives

 

[Ermz]

Well let's hope the sterility doesn't make its way onto this record.

What do you mean by 'the owner' of the album, though? Did Opeth sign over the publishing rights for the new album to him or something?

 

[inaeturnum]

oh...i ment owner of the place fascination street.

 

[Anarkissed]

Hey, it's the Soundsleep dude! Hi Soundsleep dude!

I, too, hope the 'sterile' digital sound wont be on the record. But come to think of it, the last 3 albums also have a somewhat processed sound to them in comparison to their first four albums - but as we know, Opeth do a lot the ol' layering type stuff, so it should be less noticeable. Ramble ramble ramble blah blah blah...

 

[JoeVice]

i hope it is sterile...i don't want to get sick. whats everyone's problem with practicing good health in a studio?

 

[deliverance]

Hey, it's the Soundsleep dude! Hi Soundsleep dude!

I, too, hope the 'sterile' digital sound wont be on the record. But come to think of it, the last 3 albums also have a somewhat processed sound to them in comparison to their first four albums - but as we know, Opeth do a lot the ol' layering type stuff, so it should be less noticeable. Ramble ramble ramble blah blah blah...

unfortunately i think the record will sound sterile, productionwise, basing on the last 3

 

[cthulufhtagn]

they should take the money and buy new cars and fancy suits and record the album in the forest on a 4-track

 

[deliverance]

there are no forests in sweden, so there goes that theory, asshole

http://www.forestindustries.se/

hmm

 

[cthulufhtagn]

 

[OGM]

eenie meenie minie moe

 

[deliverance]

i forgot you live there, and have seen all of the country, my bad.

 

[cthulufhtagn]

hahaha, "erk all you want"