My band's first demo - critique/suggestions are welcome!

[loktide]

Hi guys,

we just finished recording our first demo of my band 'The Amentia'. We're in the process of writing and recording our first (self-produced) debut album and would appreciate some feedback on the production/mix:



Guitars were recorded using a Mayones Setius 7 through an AxeFX 'das metal' + metal cab and the 112 mic.

Drums are superior drummer with blended SSD samples

Vocals and guitars were recorded using a ProFire 2626 and Samplitude


I got an iso-cab from Grossmann audio recently, so we'll re-record this using real amps soon. It sucks not to be able to crank and mic your amp in your apartment

 

[ManFromMars]

Not my kind of style at all, but some thoughts: over-compresed for my taste but that's the way things are headed... it does the make the guitars get a very fatiguing, they lose a bit of clarity during busy sections. Everything nees a bit more room to breathe. Can't really hear the bass very well. Drums sound pretty good. The harsh vocals sound a bit trebly, the clean vocals sound better. Good luck with the recording!

 

[loktide]

thanks for your thoughts. i agree with you on the overcompression and guitar tone. we recorded this at our drummers home studio, and this is the kind of sound he's into so we gave it a try. personally, i'd also prefer a more open sounding mix with a more natural guitar tone.

 

[neonlight]

...we recorded this at our drummers home studio...

why didn't you record real drums then?

the mix sounds kinda dull so far..

I'm excited to hear this with a real guitar amp, maybe you can share some thoughts about the iso-cab when you tested it

 

[Terminus]

The guitars sound strange for lack of a better term...almost kind of phasey sounding and ccould stand for some different eqing.. The drums sound very compressed and lack any open feel to them, again for lack of a better term, maybe ease up on the compression. The song is cool. The clean vocals kind of remind me of Painter's Palette era Ephel Duath.

 

[loktide]

thanks for the comments!

@neonlight: i guess home 'studio' was the wrong term since it's merely a recording computer, an AxeFX, and a few defferent mics and cheap pre's for recording vocals.

 

[theNeologist]

the track sounds good and I can tell you guys have talent. But the track is quite lifeless. It sounds like theres a giant veil covering the whole mix. Almost like listening to a band playing in the other room....and i want to fuckin hear you up close. I'm really digging the track...so I'd love to hear this opened up. Not exactly sure how to do that except ease off the compression like mentioned, and maybe carve out each instrument in the spectrum a little bit, so everything fines a space. That might help you get more power out of the mix too, rather than trying to compensate with tons of compression.

 

[iarebrandon]

guitars sound harsh. screams sound like theres too much high end and kindof like you threw the same distortion as the guitar on them. i like the clean vocal effects but they need to be raised in the mix.

 

[tranquilseas]

Sounds pretty tight. Well done. In terms of production, no my thang. Too compressed and not eough character. Kinda like the Periphery album or the latest VoM album. But again thats an entirely subjective matter.

 

[tranquilseas]

By the way, here is an example. I went for a Misha type sound on this one:

http://soundcloud.com/yage-letters/chugs-to-china-demo

and on this one I went for a more "natural" sound. This one is much older and I didnt double track the guitars. This is the sound I want to work on and refine:

http://soundcloud.com/yage-letters/a-different-kind-of-high

Just a bit of mucking around trying to get my producing chops up since I"m quite new to this.
By the way, what do you mean exactly Superior blended with SSD samples?

 

[loktide]

thanks for the comments! much appreciated

i personally agree the mix is over-compressed and would profite for a more 'open' sound. we trusted our vocalist on making the mix, and coincidentally he's a huge fan of the periphery production as you already noticed

as a guitarist, i definitely want to move away from the 'axefx tone'. i've been experimenting with my isocab for the past few days, and hopefully we'll come up with a decent guitar tone.

 

[loktide]

By the way, here is an example. I went for a Misha type sound on this one:

http://soundcloud.com/yage-letters/chugs-to-china-demo

and on this one I went for a more "natural" sound. This one is much older and I didnt double track the guitars. This is the sound I want to work on and refine:

http://soundcloud.com/yage-letters/a-different-kind-of-high

Just a bit of mucking around trying to get my producing chops up since I"m quite new to this.
By the way, what do you mean exactly Superior blended with SSD samples?

cool. i'll give it a listen later when i get home