help me figure out what's wrong!! (Killswitch-esque Hardcore)

[EmilioArteaga]

firstly, this is my first "Rate My Mix" thread. This is a single from a local band's upcoming debut full-length. The band is called With Liberty
that being said, I feel like this is a good mix, however I feel that it could be better. I can't quite put my finger on what, though.

Some things I can point out:
the kick loses power at times
the snare is buried
the reverse reverb on the vocals are a tad overpowering
the guitars aren't sitting well enough for me.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=1027634&content=music

It's the only song there

 

[whatwhat]

It sounds like the stuff is tracked decently well....I feel like the guitars and vox aren't working well together. Maybe that's why they feel like they aren't sitting well. Maybe vox are too loud over the gtrs?

There's my 2 cents.

 

[EmilioArteaga]

thanks for your input. i was kinda feelin the same thing

 

[ApeScaleConflict]

Remove or multiband down some 200-250 from the guitars, and mix the kick to sit more with the guitars, it is too clicky compared to guitars, takes the edge out of 'em to me. Snare should SNAP more, maby a little help to 8k with 0.340Q does something i don't know vocals are also too loud. Overall ould be cleaner and brighter?

 

[Apsu]

Guitar tone doesn't do it for me at all during the verses. I agree it sounds like most everything else is tracked well, but not only does the guitar sound like it's not in the same room as the drums (drums too dry or guitars too washed/verby), but the tone on it just feels loose and flubby, particularly during the pre-verse sections with the drawn out chords; those dissonant intervals mixed in really highlight the guitar tone issues to my ears. Your spectral balance in the guitars sounds great, it's just the quality of the actual distortion. Maybe it appeals to you but I don't think it suits the material and sound of the other tracks.

Also, definitely need to add an harmonic exciter or gentle high shelf somewhere in here, perhaps with some surgical wooliness removal in the 400-700Hz ish range -- currently there's a bit of an "under a blanket" feel to the overall track.

 

[EmilioArteaga]

Thank you Apsu for your advice on the exciter. It really made a HUGE difference to my ears. I put one on the guitars and they sounded clearer, then I threw one on the master bus and the "blanket" was removed! I've been trying to get a bright sounding mix without being too harsh and i never even thought to use an exciter *facepalm*

thank you all!

 

[cobhc]

Man I'd love to have the raw tracks to mix this myself! I think the kick is losing power due to compression, sounds like it drops in volume during the fast parts, and yeah the guitars need balancing to the drums a little more.

 

[Mago]

Man I'd love to have the raw tracks to mix this myself! I think the kick is losing power due to compression, sounds like it drops in volume during the fast parts, and yeah the guitars need balancing to the drums a little more.

+1 !

cool song!

have you tried gclip on drums? helps if if the mastercompressor/limiter burries kick and/or snare sometimes.

vocals too loud have been said allready.

guitars sound a bit boxy and not bright enough.

@ the subdrop...but im not a fan of these anyway^^

 

[digitalmikey]

+1 !

cool song!

have you tried gclip on drums? helps if if the mastercompressor/limiter burries kick and/or snare sometimes.

vocals too loud have been said allready.

guitars sound a bit boxy and not bright enough.

@ the subdrop...but im not a fan of these anyway^^

I agree with Mago. The guitars sound real boxy and need more mids/highs I think.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

1st- Fix the guitars: Highpass the guitars at 80hz or so if they're not already hp'ed, take some low mids, starting from 150hz until like 600hz or so and finally put the lowpass a bit wider, @ about 12khz or so.

2nd- Snare needs more volume in the final mix, use some gclip to clip it before the mastering. Then add some more air (5-8khz).

3rd- Kick drum: It's a bit too muddy for the mix. I'd take some lows by highpassing it at 50hz or something like that. Then I think it would work with the rest of the mix.

4th- Vocals: Now they should fit the mix well, as they sound pretty good by themselves.

The band is VERY KSE-esque, too much IMO. But that's not your fault

 

[onqel]

Whah!? That's KSE's evil step brother! Ripoff IMO !

 

[AerialThesis]

The tracks are well recorded, so just clear every plugins you had on and just give it a brand new try with probably less compression, since there is almost no macro dynamics in this song and the 808 completely kills the audio quality when it kicks in. The guitars sound a bit grainy, if they were tracked directly from the amp then leave it this way. I love the arrangement, i don't think the vocals are too loud, but they would probably benefit from less compression and a bit of sidechain insted, still this is my opinion. Good work overall!