New Slipknot ".5: The Gray Chapter" - Drum Sound

[CubanDude]

What are your feelings on this mix? Apparently mixed by Joe Barresi. I always wondered how you achieve this "thick, meaty" kick drum sound.. Cutting out the low mids? Actually I quite like the drums and they are very present in the mix.

E: Just noticed that I actually wrote Drum instead of Drums.. Maybe the admin or mod can change that

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Whole album sounds like garbage. Probably not what you wanted to hear though

 

[TheWinterSnow]

The album is raw and natural, something a lot of people seem to not like because we are so used to that "processed" sound. To me the production is very slipknot, its ugly, in a good way, it fits the band.

I was actually shocked to realize the drums are 100% natural, the kicks volume and timber changing in the double sections, its imperfect but I love to hear that, beats the sample replaced, quantized and compressed to hell production that has taken over these days.

 

[Taurean]

The album is raw and natural, something a lot of people seem to not like because we are so used to that "processed" sound. To me the production is very slipknot, its ugly, in a good way, it fits the band.

I was actually shocked to realize the drums are 100% natural, the kicks volume and timber changing in the double sections, its imperfect but I love to hear that, beats the sample replaced, quantized and compressed to hell production that has taken over these days.

100% agree. Kind of tired of the direction that the consensual "good" is taking.

 

[Terminus]

I think the album has a nice fat ugly guitar sound.

 

[crillemannen]

100% agree. Kind of tired of the direction that the consensual "good" is taking.

Me too. Im on a metalcore group on FB, most kids that are active there and you'd be chocked what they think is a "natural" raw drum sound haha.


I generally like Colin's stuff but I don't think his style fitted Slipknot, felt to mechanic and clean. I kinda liked the new album sound wise. Songwise I think they long passed their best creative era.

 

[C_F_H_13]

Don't know anything to contribute to the original posters question (sorry!) but does anyone else feel like this album lacks the dynamics of previous slipknot records. I'm not talking about technical dynamics, but just in the song writing arrangement. This band was built on builds and breakdowns and I just feel like the transitions from builds to "the big riff" are just bland and motionless. The single for example, it's building and building to the main riff...but instead of taking off like it normally would, it just kind of casually changes.

I don't know, I've been a slipknot fan for as long as they've been around so this will never be as good as they once were, but I was just hoping for a little more of that energy I am missing.

 

[mva801]

I don't know, I've been a slipknot fan for as long as they've been around so this will never be as good as they once were, but I was just hoping for a little more of that energy I am missing.

Precisely what I think about the new record. I'm ok with the production. I think it fits them fine, although the kick is a little overbearing in some parts. The songs just aren't grabbing me like they have in the past.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Don't know anything to contribute to the original posters question (sorry!) but does anyone else feel like this album lacks the dynamics of previous slipknot records. I'm not talking about technical dynamics, but just in the song writing arrangement. This band was built on builds and breakdowns and I just feel like the transitions from builds to "the big riff" are just bland and motionless. The single for example, it's building and building to the main riff...but instead of taking off like it normally would, it just kind of casually changes.

I don't know, I've been a slipknot fan for as long as they've been around so this will never be as good as they once were, but I was just hoping for a little more of that energy I am missing.

The individual riffs are pretty great, especially compared the last record, but yeah, the songwriting is awful and the "HEAVYHEAVYHEAVY but I'm saaaaaaaad on the choooooorus" parts are annoying and out of place.

 

[TheIllusionist]

The album is raw and natural, something a lot of people seem to not like because we are so used to that "processed" sound. To me the production is very slipknot, its ugly, in a good way, it fits the band.

I was actually shocked to realize the drums are 100% natural, the kicks volume and timber changing in the double sections, its imperfect but I love to hear that, beats the sample replaced, quantized and compressed to hell production that has taken over these days.

Where did you hear about the drums being natural? I'd heard down the grapevine that they were 100% programmed. Not to say they sound that way, but it was a fairly reliable person who told me this.

Information could be wrong of course.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Where did you hear about the drums being natural? I'd heard down the grapevine that they were 100% programmed. Not to say they sound that way, but it was a fairly reliable person who told me this.

Information could be wrong of course.

Uh...they went to the trouble of firing Joey Jordison and hiring a new drummer almost a year ago. That sounds like total malarkey, no offense. It would be more credible if it were Meshuggah, where the drums are so slow and mechanical-sounding that it wouldn't make a difference, but this is more dynamic than that.

 

[Pman]

Uh...they went to the trouble of firing Joey Jordison and hiring a new drummer almost a year ago. That sounds like total malarkey, no offense. It would be more credible if it were Meshuggah, where the drums are so slow and mechanical-sounding that it wouldn't make a difference, but this is more dynamic than that.

It's totally possible the drums were programmed. The new drummer and bassist are supposedly not considered 'full' members.

http://www.metalinjection.net/lates...-bassist-arent-official-band-members-just-yet

I've read somewhere that they all shared bass duties on the album, which isn't too surprising. But the drums could have potentially been programmed for that reason. I haven't heard the album so I have no idea either way.

 

[J.L.BeelerMusic]

If someone programmed the drums for that whole album then they need an award of some kind. I personally think they're real drums since slipknot strike me as a band that would frown upon that. But honestly I have no clue.

 

[schwinginbatman]

I simultaneously like and hate the production. I can't nail it down, it's mainly in the guitar tone. It just doesn't feel right.

 

[CraigJohnsJr]

If someone programmed the drums for that whole album then they need an award of some kind. I personally think they're real drums since slipknot strike me as a band that would frown upon that. But honestly I have no clue.

I mean, they ARE using Axe-FX now so it's probably not about what's real, it's about what sounds best and what's doable.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Wow. I was impressed by how old-school tubey the guitars sounded, assumed it was an Orange of some sort.

 

[J.L.BeelerMusic]

I mean, they ARE using Axe-FX now so it's probably not about what's real, it's about what sounds best and what's doable.

Right, but I'm pretty sure they only use them live. They pride themselves in the fact that the first two records were recorded on tape, as well as mick and Jim are both gear heads. If you happen to check out their audio biography video you can tell that they put emphasis on doing things the "right way". Also I feel that there's a big difference between axe fx (which still captures your performance) and programming an entire albums worth of drums (which would be a synthetic performance/vibe). Then again I'm just speculating. This is just where my thought process is going.

 

[Lern2Swim]

http://noisecreep.com/slipknot-jim-root-mick-thompson-analog-versus-digital-debate/

Not sure whether that info still applies, but I haven't seen any mentions of them using Axe FXs for the album on the Fractal forum, so I'd assume they didn't.

And they have talked in various interviews about the drum recording sessions, mainly in relation to how that played out with them bringing someone new on board. They're not programmed.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

The album is raw and natural, something a lot of people seem to not like because we are so used to that "processed" sound. To me the production is very slipknot, its ugly, in a good way, it fits the band.

I was actually shocked to realize the drums are 100% natural, the kicks volume and timber changing in the double sections, its imperfect but I love to hear that, beats the sample replaced, quantized and compressed to hell production that has taken over these days.

Raw and natural does not = automatically good.

This album sounds fucking horrid, the mid voicing on the guitars is horrendous as is how everything else fits, no impact, no punch.

Slipknot - Slipknot is a 100% raw and natural album and that one sounds amazing.

 

[CubanDude]

I agree on the guitars, not a huge fan of them.. And this also includes the bass guitar. They sound muffled. But I like the kick and snare... Overall very mixed feelings, but I feel like this sound is what they were after and I can't say it doesn't work for their style and the music.