Progressive Metal Mix - Feedback appreciated!

[Random3]

Hi guys, this is my first post here but I'll try to keep it fairly short.

I am a masters student studying Music Engineering and Production, and for my major project I am recording, mixing and producing a progressive metal album of my own material.

I won't go into any detail about what processes I have applied or what recording techniques I used as I want any feedback to be from a 'clean slate' perspective.

I am happy to share any techniques I used if asked, but I will keep this initial post free from detailed information.

I am looking for feedback on the mix as a whole, but also specific instruments. The work I have done on this track I think is by far my best work I have ever done, although I am sure there is still room for improvement.

Musically and sonically the album was influenced by a variety of bands including Dream Theater, Between the Buried and Me, Protest The Hero, Periphery, Ozric Tentacles, Coheed & Cambria and various other progressive metal and rock bands.

And finally, the track is unmastered, just mixed.

Here's the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/offlx67ku9gr84j/V - Perfect Cosmic Meltdown (WIP).mp3


NEW UPDATED MIX: https://www.dropbox.com/s/obrdn1lrjrorfhl/V - Perfect Cosmic Meltdown WIP 2.mp3
Thanks in advance!

MOST UPDATED MIX + MASTER: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yslotq3wpa3yv6/V - Perfect Cosmic Meltdown Master.wav

 

[Random3]

Just wanted to bump this, any help or advice would be extremely helpful to me. I am more than happy to give some feedback for your mixes if you link me in your comment.

 

[FailsafeRecords]

Sound Really good awesome job dude ! like Fortress album PTH

 

[Random3]

Thanks man, yeah Protest are one of my biggest influences, although I would say a couple of the other tracks show that more than this one.

 

[FailsafeRecords]

Man, i mastered your track just for fun ahaha, is so fucking cool, https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59117517/Perfect Cosmic Meltdown.mp3

 

[xXxMetalJunkiexXx]

Sound damn good! Bass has a strong presence and it really fits the song.

 

[Random3]

Cheers guys, I am working on the material every day and making small improvements so I have already got a slightly better mix than the one in the OP, here's the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/obrdn1lrjrorfhl/V - Perfect Cosmic Meltdown WIP 2.mp3

I'll post updated mixes here, the improvements may be subtle but just for some feedback

 

[Random3]

I have updated the OP with a newer mix of the same track. I am very happy with this one and I feel it is basically complete and ready to be mastered. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

 

[Scapin]

It sounds very nice indeed. I'm not a fan of the guitar tone but it is nicely mixed. The bass sounds very clean. Did you apply any distorsion to it ?
Cheers !
I'd be interested on trying to mix this. Do you plan on uploading the raw files ?

 

[Random3]

Thanks for the feedback dude.

I assume you are talking about the updated mix in the op?

Can I ask what you don't like about the guitar tone?

The bass actually has a lot of distortion on it, more than I have applied in the past. You can hear the bass on it's own immediately after the clean section with a phaser effect on it. Minus the phaser, this is exactly the same as the bass tone for the rest of the track.

I wasn't planning on uploading raws as I am doing this project for my masters course and then releasing the album online in September, but I may get some raws up after that if people want them

I do have a roughly mastered version that I have been working on, I will link it in the op.

 

[Scapin]

No problem. I'm really into prog these days and I really like your song .
So I'll give you a better review (it's worth what it's worth).
-I'm very picky with guitar tones. To be honest I'm still looking for my perfect tone. I find yours a bit fizzy on the rhythm guitar. I don't know if that's the right word for it but when you pick, you get this unpleasant (to me) burst of distorsion. Anyways, I am clumsy with my words but I hope you see what I'm talking about. The playing is awesome. Very organic and dynamic, I like that !
-I find the lead tone a bit harsh. It sounds like there is a wah going on, so it might be that. I prefer smoother and warmer tones. And it's a bit low in the mix in some places.
-At around 2:00, I would make the main guitar a bit louder. And I would make the reverb a bit more pronounced. A good and even unnatural reverb is awesome for dreamy parts.
-At the 3:15, the lead guitar is right on !

I like that you can easily hear what the bass is doing. Since I'm never satisfied with guitar tones, I usually double track the bass and have a very distorted bass with a heavy high pass filter eq. It acts as a wonderful glue and makes everything sound full. It's very much what Ola does.
The drums are awesome. Are those live drums ? If not, teach me your secret ! But they are a bit dry to my taste. And in some areas of the song, there could be a little more punch.

Again, that's my word on your awesome work. I like the ever changing time signature. Mostly 7/4 am I right ?

Cheers mate ! I want to hear more from you.

 

[Random3]

No problem. I'm really into prog these days and I really like your song .
So I'll give you a better review (it's worth what it's worth).
-I'm very picky with guitar tones. To be honest I'm still looking for my perfect tone. I find yours a bit fizzy on the rhythm guitar. I don't know if that's the right word for it but when you pick, you get this unpleasant (to me) burst of distorsion. Anyways, I am clumsy with my words but I hope you see what I'm talking about. The playing is awesome. Very organic and dynamic, I like that !
-I find the lead tone a bit harsh. It sounds like there is a wah going on, so it might be that. I prefer smoother and warmer tones. And it's a bit low in the mix in some places.
-At around 2:00, I would make the main guitar a bit louder. And I would make the reverb a bit more pronounced. A good and even unnatural reverb is awesome for dreamy parts.
-At the 3:15, the lead guitar is right on !

I like that you can easily hear what the bass is doing. Since I'm never satisfied with guitar tones, I usually double track the bass and have a very distorted bass with a heavy high pass filter eq. It acts as a wonderful glue and makes everything sound full. It's very much what Ola does.
The drums are awesome. Are those live drums ? If not, teach me your secret ! But they are a bit dry to my taste. And in some areas of the song, there could be a little more punch.

Again, that's my word on your awesome work. I like the ever changing time signature. Mostly 7/4 am I right ?

Cheers mate ! I want to hear more from you.

I'll have another look at the lead parts, yes there is wah on the bit you are talking about so I may re-sculpt the EQ.

The drums are all programmed with Superior, apart from the clean section in the middle which is live. I did copy some samples from Superior to reinforce the live drums in order to blend them, which is what I have done for the rest of the album as well. The idea was to blur the lines between programmed and live, which I think I have pretty much achieved by spending a LOT of time on the programming.

Oh and the time signature for the main riff of the song is 15/16, but also uses 3/4 and 4/4.

Thanks again, glad you liked it!