Mix and Song Advice?

[HDWR]

Hey everyone here's a link to a personal project I've been working on. It's still a work in progress of course but I'd like some opinions on how to make it better. It's not mixed very well at this point and No matter what I do the harmony guitars sound out of tune, or is it just me?

I played it all myself and because my guitar skills are not so good I've gotten fed up with it. I need a break from it and some perspective that my fellow Sneapsters can probably supply. Give a listen if you have time and let me know what you think. I'll edit the drums and quantize the shit out of them in the future but somehow try to avoid the sound of soulless programmed perfection.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5144930/New Song.mp3

 

[HDWR]

The fade in makes me cringe.
Acoustic riff is really beautiful but doesn't go together at all with the heavy guitars that fade in. Maybe use the acoustic part for another song.
The drums sound really confusing, like there is no structure at all. Play simpler stuff, I'm seriously getting a headache from the stuff your playing...
Guitar Tone and Bass are nice. I like the leads.
There is something weird and very highendy going on with the overheads, too.

First of all thanks for your input. I listened to your posted track a little bit ago and was impressed to say the least. Sounds awesome. Shocked you got that sound of a strat regardless of pick up choice. Makes me regret selling my MIM strat... I'm wondering about the hi hats in your song though. I couldn't really hear them? Was it all crash riding and ride cymbal? Maybe the hats sound like riding on a crash to me through these speakers?

For the fade in / acoustic thing I was going for a Metallica To Live is to Die vibe. It's not really supposed to match up at all. It's supposed to lull you and then slowly make you uncomfortable, like something is about to go drastically wrong. But in a cool way. Guess that didn't work for you! You think I should lose the fade altogether?

Hm. The drums. Seems my drum tracks are less than appreciated by most people lately. I'll look into dumbing them down. It hurts me to do so but I guess the public has spoken. I was going for a Pantera Becoming sort of kick drum part at the intro restatement towards the end. Lots of heel toe bass drum rolls and stuff going on. Too much huh?

I'm personally shocked that anyone likes the leads. It was just a place holder to me. I'd like someone to redo it for me. I'm not much of a guitarist.

I'll look at the ovh's in the high end. It's mostly cruddy mics and Zildjian A Customs. They are exceedingly bright.

Again thanks for your critique!