Excellent albums ruined by shitty production

Again, it's far from bad. But these days, especially after hearing their work with Russ, it feels lacklustre.

Another nominee should be the obvious Carcass - Reek of Putrefaction. though the crappy production kind of helps give it atmosphere.
 
Also, to a degree, I must mention Enter the Grave here. It's not a shitty production job, far from it, but it's too goddamn clean! It's got no grit to it, too slick for my liking these days.

agreed. I don't like the studio versions of the tracks so much. It's like you've said too clean. I remember when I saw Evile the first time live, I loved it and I didn't even know the songs excactly but it was just amazingly awesome.
I can't explain it..though it's still one of my favorite albums.
 
I never understood complaints about production values. It's the music that matters, and as long as you can pick apart what each instrument is playing it's fine. Sure, some songs sound much better with higher production values (see Sad Wings of Destiny compared to Unleashed in the East) but I can't think of any cases where production really diminishes or completely ruins the value of an album. Then again I love punk so whatever. You should all love punk.
 
Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence - It is just so bone dry and so hard to listen to at times...
 
I actually kind of have to agree with the Evile stuff, it all sounds way too...tied down I guess? Not saying I dislike the songs at all, I'm just saying that it doesn't sound as free as it would live. If I'm making any sense. But I love what Evile does, and what they've done, I can't wait to see them live, the way Evile was meant to be heard in my opinion.

Death Magnetic's production kinda ruined it for me.
 
I actually kind of have to agree with the Evile stuff, it all sounds way too...tied down I guess? Not saying I dislike the songs at all, I'm just saying that it doesn't sound as free as it would live. If I'm making any sense. But I love what Evile does, and what they've done, I can't wait to see them live, the way Evile was meant to be heard in my opinion.

Death Magnetic's production kinda ruined it for me.

Death Magnetic was the one that instantly came to my mind, although I wouldn't exactly call it an excellent album.

Also I don't like the production of Show no Mercy by slayer. The bass pedal sounds like someone having a wank. (might just be me)
 
...and justice for all

...my favourite Metallica album. It makes me headbang like no other, even on vinyl! Heavy shit. I'm probably one of the few who LOVE the production on that album. I mean really, who gives a fuck about bass when your guitar sound is THAT fucking chunky?

Of course - it's all subjective. One man's poo is another man's gold.
 
Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence - It is just so bone dry and so hard to listen to at times...

You're fucking joking! There's NOTHIGN wrong with Tortured Existence, it's the second heaviest album ever made... and possibly my favourite production job ever :lol: On this note, don't go praising the production of any other Scott Burns albums, lest you be labelled a hypocrite.

I'd say I disliked Epidemic of Violence's sound moreso than TE. Another case of it sounding too clean, they should've gone with Scott Burns again.
 
Exactly. If I ever see you praising any other Scott Burns albums ThrashyPhil, prepare for a verbal lashing. You shall forever be documented in the sands of time as a hypocritical douche.

Now that's out of the way, Blood Feast - Kill for Pleasure is rather nasty sounding.
 
I'd say I disliked Epidemic of Violence's sound moreso than TE. Another case of it sounding too clean, they should've gone with Scott Burns again.

Totally. Scott Burns rules, even if all his albums sound similar production-wise, they all sound ace. Slaughter in the Vatican by Exhorder and Idolatry by Devastation are the two that leap to my mind instantly. They all share that magnificently heavy sound...
 
...my favourite Metallica album. It makes me headbang like no other, even on vinyl! Heavy shit. I'm probably one of the few who LOVE the production on that album. I mean really, who gives a fuck about bass when your guitar sound is THAT fucking chunky?

Agree with this completely. I love everything about the sound on Justice. Fuck the bass. :lol: I'm not really sure how to describe it... fucking vicious is one way to put it. Lars' drums sound great, they click rather than thud and it just compliments James' dry, sharp guitar sound perfectly, especially when the two lock up together. The riffs sound twice as aggressive than they otherwise would, which is amazing cause Justice has some of the best damn riffs I've ever heard. Mix all that with James' most aggressive and gritty vocals and you have, in my opinion, easily the best Metallica album.
 
Agree with this completely. I love everything about the sound on Justice. Fuck the bass. :lol: I'm not really sure how to describe it... fucking vicious is one way to put it. Lars' drums sound great, they click rather than thud and it just compliments James' dry, sharp guitar sound perfectly, especially when the two lock up together. The riffs sound twice as aggressive than they otherwise would, which is amazing cause Justice has some of the best damn riffs I've ever heard. Mix all that with James' most aggressive and gritty vocals and you have, in my opinion, easily the best Metallica album.

It sounds like it should be massive though, all of those songs are dying for more low end in the sound.
 
There is low end on the album. Especially after mastering too.

But the guitars low end is left too high on the EQ. A little annoying when you hear that WHOMP sound your speaker makes every palm mute. Fact is the bass could be more present without it just being low end anyway. The mids/hi-mids are what most listeners will notice anyway. But yeah it's turned down too low.

BUT, it's the best Metallica album.
 
Totally. Scott Burns rules, even if all his albums sound similar production-wise, they all sound ace. Slaughter in the Vatican by Exhorder and Idolatry by Devastation are the two that leap to my mind instantly. They all share that magnificently heavy sound...

I'm a huge Scott Burns fan and I think one of his greatest achievements is managing to create so many different sounding albums. Sure, there are similarities between some albums (Demolition Hammer for example shares a similar guitar tone with Obituary of all bands) but just look at the variation in sound in these albums:
Deicide - first three
Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
Obituary - first three
Death - Spiritual Healing, Human and Individual Thought Patterns
Cynic - Focus
Malevolent Creation - Ten Commandments, Retribution
Suffocation, Napalm Death and so on....

...just to name a few. Thrash/Death albums with huge amounts of character production-wise. Every band has its own sonic identity. That's a huge accomplishment in my opinion, most of them were done at the same time period and still sounded so diverse. Scott's the MAN.

As for Justice, you don't hear the bass (as in, the instrument) but the album has HUGE bass overall. That guitar tone and volume is like a blueprint for half the 90s. I still remember the shock of the Blackened bridge or One's outburst. Insane.