New While She Sleeps (Brainwashed)

[Vice//Versa]

Just decided to post because it hadn't pop up yet. Mix by Colin Richardson and mastered by Ted Jensen (the dream team, essentially). Really think Colin nailed this kind of aesthetic out of the ballpark.

Songwriting is also fucking stellar. Some riffs here are mighty tasty.


Not a huge fan of ringy snares, but this one if just on point



Some beautiful clean tones and vocals

 

[KHE]

cool music, thanks for posting!

 

[Habsburgs]

Still using the same samples from Scream aim fire? Come on!

 

[Vihaleipä]

Wow, I didn't know this was mixed by Colin, I wouldn't have guessed it. The songwriting is great and I also really like the mix.

 

[Vihaleipä]

Still using the same samples from Scream aim fire? Come on!

Well those samples seem to belong into his trademark production style, and they sound good so...

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

That guitar tone. The whole mix. gg

 

[crillemannen]

Yeah wow sounds awesome as I would expect when Colin is involved. But yeah.. kinda boring that he really copy pastes his drum sound on every album even though it ofc sounds awesome!

 

[Nuno Filipe]

The mix is great but sounds almost the same as other mixes of colin. I am not a fan of scooped guitar tones but this one, sounds rad.

 

[Flow Of Time]

oh boy, this is fucking sweet.

 

[Clockwork]

Surprised this wasn't posted earlier. Whole album is fucking awesome, Sean's lead parts are always so fresh.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

I heard yesterday the album and I must say that is the best metalcore album that I heard in a while.

I dont hear much metalcore these days and the most anticipated album for me was Wovenwar album and after hearing it I was quite disappointed. So this new while she sleeps album was a very pleasant surprise.

 

[Manicompression]

This is awesome, Thanks for posting.

 

[Vice//Versa]

Surprised this wasn't posted earlier. Whole album is fucking awesome, Sean's lead parts are always so fresh.

The lead playing is really interesting in this record, nothing too wancky, really fucking tasteful. The lead at the end of Our Legacy is just fantastic (really like the weird pitch effect on the lead tone)

I heard yesterday the album and I must say that is the best metalcore album that I heard in a while.

I dont hear much metalcore these days and the most anticipated album for me was Wovenwar album and after hearing it I was quite disappointed. So this new while she sleeps album was a very pleasant surprise.

I know songwriting doesn't pop up that often around here but honestly, I think this record's songwriting embodies what was great about metalcore to begin with.

Part of it is the fact that "conventional" breakdowns are pretty absent. Instead of chugging the guys just play big riffs that are way more climatic. They also don't follow the same clean chorus "good cop/bad cop" cliche (while still using those almost folk chants to spice up the vocals).

Part of it might also be that they are playing in drop C and not drop G.

Things are bound to move away from the status quo, I just can't wait for more music like this.

 

[Alphanumeric]

Not digging it. Wrong mix style for the songs, which are fairly slow and chugy/groovy with big open chords. The kick and snare are same supposed "D4" he always uses which in this setting sound extremely thin and wimpy, would have been fine if this was 2004 200bpm metalcore or 90s death metal but its not. Kick is missing some major punch, too clicky, too scooped, lacks low end ... snare is too pingy, lacks fatness in the body and lacks sustain, the ring is nice but that's all you can hear from the room sound, needs much more oomf in the room mics/reverb.

Guitars obviously sound great as his always do, its cool to hear scooped guitars that actually sound good against the wall of honky - bass pass eq style tones you hear today. Of course, given that this is probably 6505 or 5150 with a TS808 they aren't THAT scooped, again, they are like 2004 metalcore "scooped" rather than pantera scooped aha. Bass presence is almost non existant and its mostly sub to support guitar low end but that's classic Richardson, for me, far too clean, would be nice to hear some grind or clank for a change.

Overall, same drum samples, guitars and bass as usual. This sound works/worked well at a particular time and place and that was circe 2004-2008 with Bullet, Trivium, DevilDriver, Machine Head etc

 

[Carl_Treehouse]

Hey guys,

Thought i’d chip in and say hey, I Produced the WSS record…. interesting to hear your takes on it.

As a Band WSS are one of the most talented and hard working i’ve come across - i really wanted to push the boat out on this one for them.

I’m totally happy to answer any questions on how i tracked it/made the record etc if anyone is interested

I think Colin was the perfect choice to mix it with me and Ted really helped push their sonics to a new level with the mastering.... I'm super happy with how it all turned out!

C.

 

[Manicompression]

Hey guys,

Thought i’d chip in and say hey, I Produced the WSS record…. interesting to hear your takes on it.

As a Band WSS are one of the most talented and hard working i’ve come across - i really wanted to push the boat out on this one for them.

I’m totally happy to answer any questions on how i tracked it/made the record etc if anyone is interested

I think Colin was the perfect choice to mix it with me and Ted really helped push their sonics to a new level with the mastering.... I'm super happy with how it all turned out!

C.

Hey, thanks for dropping in here. Do you know what Colin used for the clean tones on the guitars? I had never heard of this band before this thread but I have been really enjoying the record.

 

[Carl_Treehouse]

hey man,

The clean tones never really changed from the tracking.... bit of comp and EQ

For the crunch clean tones it was a Vox amp and Tele with a Rio Grande pickup in the bridge. (beginning of Saints etc)

For the Uber clean tones (our legacy etc) it was either that Tele or Sean's Ibanez FR with 81's in it, through a Galaxy amp and a Crystalliser and Revibe patch i made for Sean during the tracking.... with a little h3000 on it for width.

 

[Vice//Versa]

Thanks a ton for chiming in! and once again, awesome job!

I was wondering what guitar(s) and bass(es) did you guys use (besides the Tele)?. Also, what vocal mic did Loz use for his vocals, he sounds fantastic?

 

[Carl_Treehouse]

cheers mate!

main guitars were Ibanez FR, Tele, and gibson 335

Bass was a fender jazz 4 string

Vocal chain was sm7 into an ssl mix bus comp mostly .....but ultimately i could of given Mat and Loz any mic and it would have been packed with all that attitude - Colin did a super job on the vocal sound too!

 

[MetalMiller]

Really love this record, best Metalcore i´ve heard since Rise To Remain.

One question for you Carl, were the drums again tracked at Chapel Studios? The Roomsound is simply awesome!!! I´ve searched my impulse response folder for a similar sound, but can´t get any close...

I guess you produced the drums again, right? What shells were used, i love the sound!

Thanks!