Modern production

[Hell Awaits Us All]

perfect death metal production

gorguts - obscura
morbid angel - covenant
modern immolation
modern dismember
atheist - unquestionable presence

 

[Alter]

To be honest, I really dislike the direction production has taken in the past few years especially. For example, to me it seems like every band of off Roadrunner Records (for a prime example) has a very generic sound to them, with a flat dull drum sound, awful bass, generic guitar sound. And I can't help nowadays but when I first listen to a new album, sometimes I need time just to adjust to the production values.

Then again it depends on what type of music it is. If it's death metal I prefer good production but not overproduced. Death Metal that has a thick dull production will usually translate to a dull, bland sounding album imo. But death metal with too sharp a sound will come off as being almost artificial and awful sounding. Anything non metal or black metal, I usually prefer the older techniques over modern production.

Nothing can really be overproduced, aside from black metal.

 

[skeptik]

And why is that? Anything can be overproduced.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

Ok.

When a band goes to record they enlist a producer. A producer oversees the recording process. They help with gear. They give tips about how a song can change for the better a little. Help with protools. Make sure no one is fucking around. Thats why you may notice bands produce there own music because they don't want someone else doing this for them.

Mixers are in after the recording is done. Mixers mix the help together and help with the production. They make the album sound a certain way. They chose how high the vocals and the bass are. They remove any unwanted gain on the track.

Make sense?

I would say the producer does alot more then that. But then again I think it depends on which producer. Some are control freaks and others aren't. As for mixing I would say the Producer is there when it's being mixed and has final say but again that depends on the controlling factor of the producer and/or band.

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

Fuck modern production in Metal. Compressing the shit out of heavy music should be illegal.

Never have truer words been typed in this forum.

 

[Deadtide.com]

I'm incredibly tired of "modern" productions. Not so much the over-compression garbage (thank you, hip-hop), but the completely unreal sound that so many bands have these days. I don't want to hear a band sound like they're playing in a garage (i.e.: Darkthrone), but I'd like to be able to hear something at least somewhat realistic and live. Drumkits don't even sound like drums anymore (not that they did on the old thrash records, either), vocals don't sound like vocals and the instrumental performances usually have every ounce of life sucked out of them. Everything is quantized and lined up and doubled / tripled / quadrupled and punched-in and done over and over again until it's "perfect" and by the time they're finished, it sounds like a machine playing samples instead of a band playing intruments.

I dunno. I guess I'd just like to hear a metal record that sounds played instead of fabricated.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

I'm incredibly tired of "modern" productions. Not so much the over-compression garbage (thank you, hip-hop), but the completely unreal sound that so many bands have these days. I don't want to hear a band sound like they're playing in a garage (i.e.: Darkthrone), but I'd like to be able to hear something at least somewhat realistic and live. Drumkits don't even sound like drums anymore (not that they did on the old thrash records, either), vocals don't sound like vocals and the instrumental performances usually have every ounce of life sucked out of them. Everything is quantized and lined up and doubled / tripled / quadrupled and punched-in and done over and over again until it's "perfect" and by the time they're finished, it sounds like a machine playing samples instead of a band playing intruments.

I dunno. I guess I'd just like to hear a metal record that sounds played instead of fabricated.

.

 

[Matt]

As a general rule I prefer modern production to old school production. If the music needs to retain a raw feel, it shouldn't be a problem with modern production to achieve that. The problems tend to come when bands focus too much on production and effects and not enough on songwriting.

I've never understood what is meant by the term 'overproduced'. How can an album be overproduced? The mix is either right or wrong. To me it can only mean 'too much focus on enhancements and effects', but this is more an element of songwriting, not production.

Agreed 100%. Some bands have to have great, clean production in order to not suck tremendously (like most power metal, symphonic bands, etc). Other bands would suck tremendously with great production. It all depends on the band.

 

[Matt]

But imagine Symphony X's Paradise Lost with Darkthrone production. It would sound awful.

 

[skeptik]

Uh...I'm not talking about Black Metal production. I'm talking about normal production without compression and all of that bullshit. Symphony X would sound better without the compression.

 

[Matt]

Uh...I'm not talking about Black Metal production. I'm talking about normal production without compression and all of that bullshit. Symphony X would sound better without the compression.

I disagree. But whatever, seeing as what you think is automatically correct

 

[Alter]

And why is that? Anything can be overproduced.

Aside from black metal nothing can be overproduced. It helped the record sound better. Underproduced means the album does not meet the right recording sound standards for the songs(of course saying something is underproduced is relative). Overproduced would mean it rises above the perfect sound.

I would say the producer does alot more then that. But then again I think it depends on which producer. Some are control freaks and others aren't. As for mixing I would say the Producer is there when it's being mixed and has final say but again that depends on the controlling factor of the producer and/or band.

They are rarely there when they do the mixing.

 

[skeptik]

Overproduced would mean it rises above the perfect sound.

Which is in no way limited to Black Metal.

 

[Alter]

Another album that needs better production is Bathory-Blood,fire,death. I sat down to listen to that album the other day and it was SHIT. I could not tell the differnce between notes at all.

 

[Alter]

Which is in no way limited to Black Metal.

Black Metal has its own kind of production.


Tell me one band that is overproduced. Or song for that matter.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

I disagree. But whatever, seeing as what you think is automatically correct

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

They are rarely there when they do the mixing.

We'll like I said.. if it's a control freak producer he'll be there... I wouldn't be surprised if Bob Cock was when he took over producer duties for Metallica back in the day...

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

Another album that needs better production is Bathory-Blood,fire,death. I sat down to listen to that album the other day and it was SHIT. I could not tell the differnce between notes at all.

I liked it and I could tell the difference but i guess everyone hears things differently..

 

[Vossyrus]

I agree with Necuratul, any form of music can be overproduced. I think the production values should suit the music above everything. 'Outstanding' production values aren't always a positive when it comes to music regardless of the genre. I don't even mind the production values that were more prominent in the early 2000's but the past few years, the current trend just seems to lean towards the generic side of things, and really lacking anything unique.

 

[hibernal_dream]

Tell me one band that is overproduced. Or song for that matter.

Amorphis - Eclipse
Mayhem - Chimera
Arch Enemy - Doomsday Machine
Borknagar - Quintessence
Vital Remains - Dechristianise
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Slayer - South of Heaven
Suffocation - Pierced From Within

perfect death metal production

gorguts - obscura
morbid angel - covenant
modern immolation
modern dismember
atheist - unquestionable presence

I find all of these too loud.