Question for Sentient6 re: Sanctuary

[midlife crisis]

Hi Warrel,

I know that Sanctuary is a closed chapter for you guys, but I'd like to know if you and Jim would consider at some point in the future having someone like Neil Kernon or Andy Sneap to remix Sanctuary albums with modern technology like Mustaine did with Megadeth albums; and also tack at the end some bonus stuff like 86 demo songs 'Insane' and 'Incubus', live tracks from 'Into The Mirror Live' mini album and some Serpent's Knight demos?

Now before the rest of you folks will say that remixing is not a good thing, do yourselves a favor and check out Megadeth's first 2 remixed albums. It's amazing how the sound of earlier Megadeth albums like 'Peace Sells' has improved with REMIXING!!! It sounds like it was recorded today.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

I think the old proverb goes:

"If it ain't broke don't fix it."

 

[Will Bozarth]

yeah. i consider that a bad idea. just like how Ozzy rerecorded bass and drum parts for the recent remasters. completely stupid, and loses the sentimental6 value of the original

 

[Captain Beard]

I'd buy it anyway, they sound awful on my car stereo.

 

[Brooks]

Who in the hell is gonna pay for that?

 

[rebirth]

who will pay when you can dl it from winmx...hahaha

NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF METAL REALLY ANYWAY...
NO ONE REALLY READS MAGS ANYWAY TO GET INFO

THEY GET EVERYTHIG OFF THE NET, INCLUDING EBAY

 

[Matt Lee]

As far as I'm concerned revisionism has no place in art. Once you complete a work it is it's own entity that has it's own right to exist without you going back and fucking around with it. The worst example of this I have personally witness is obviously how George Lucas has changed the original star wars trilogy, refused to release it in it's original form on any new medium and even claimed that the original pre-special edition masters have been DESTROYED and that that version "no longer exists." I'm hoping when I read that it was an exaggeration and/or not true, but come on! That's my childhood you're raping you arrogant fat bastard. Sorry, didn't mean this to turn into a star wars rant, but it's an obviously related issue.

Remastering CDs is one thing, it's generally making up for the fact that when CDs first came out they weren't great at transferring stuff to them and mastering for them so you got some really lackluster transfers from LP to CD. But remixing is messing with the actual art itself and rerecording parts and releasing it as a "remaster" of the same album is just insane and wrong.

/End tirade.

 

[Und]

Remastering CDs is one thing, it's generally making up for the fact that when CDs first came out they weren't great at transferring stuff to them and mastering for them so you got some really lackluster transfers from LP to CD. But remixing is messing with the actual art itself and rerecording parts and releasing it as a "remaster" of the same album is just insane and wrong.

/End tirade. [/QUOTE]

And the remaster of EOR is what?
Exhibit A...things can be fixed!

 

[Bob McBojit]

...and even claimed that the original pre-special edition masters have been DESTROYED and that that version "no longer exists."

The version I've heard was that the originals were in such bad condition that, if they were to clean them up and transfer them to something else, it would be the last time they were able to.

I've never heard Sanctuary. I haven't found a CD store that stocks their stuff, and I don't do the whole 'buying online' thing. The only reasons I'd want them to be remastered is that, that way, maybe ye olde musicke shoppes around here would stock the new versions. Or not.
I don't imagine that the original versions were mixed badly enough to warrant a remix, anyways. That's also my opinion on Enemies of Reality, but then again, I am a whore, and will buy the new version when it's released.

 

[TrueBeliever]

I have no problem with remixing cds, do you think they wouldn't have used the technology if they had it back then? I think it's more of a question of whether it's worth the time/effort/money. It's hardly sacriligious.

...it's not as if it's black metal.

 

[Satans Mom]

I don't care for messing with originals, but I don't think remastering is messing with the original, it's an improvement. In some cases you can make them better (re-recording or remixing), or more enjoyable. I prefer that if you a band were to do something like that, that the original is still available. Trying to erase history, I believe, is wrong.

Testament, First Strike Still Deadly is one example, I feel, of doing it "right". I sent my copy to a soldier in Iraq. Fitting title I suppose.

There are examples where I wish something could be done (sepultura), but then again....that's part of history.

Depends, in the end, on whether the musician still has that same "fire" and hunger that they had when they were younger. If they don't, the re-record will fall flat.

 

[Matt Lee]

Um, ok, first of all. TrueBeliever, there really hasn't been any technology advancement that amazing in mixing since whenever you're thinking of. Recording and mastering sure, and maybe HOW you mix, but mixing itself is pretty much what it's always been, just with slightly different tools. There are some FANTASTICally mixed older albums around. So remixing is not an issue of technology. It is a matter of changing how the music sounds, which in most cases is almost as bad as rerecording the drums or bass. If an album was just terribly mixed by some incompetent recordist because a label insisted Numbnuts McDeafy do it w/o any input from the artist, it might not be too bad to remix something. But if you take a classic album that is mixed fine as it is and remix it, you're messing with the creative content.

Remastering however IS an issue of technology and most remaster CDs (except for when it's not necessary and it's a blatant label money-grab) are remastered because they were badly tranferred to CD to begin with, and yes mastering technology has improved in the digital age. Also, Enemies of Reality is being remixed fairly soon after it was released. That was more of a "Holy crap did that get fucked up and Kelly Gray sucks" thing, and not messing with something recorded and creatively mixed 20 years ago. Production has come a long way but there is still lots of BAD production going on and a lot of new music is WAY overcompressed and just plain fatiguing to listen to.

So to clarify, I have no problem with remastering if it's justified, it's a matter of improving the clarity and quality of how we hear something that is an otherwise finished product. It doesn't change the creative decisions of the mix, usually just makes them easier to hear and cleaner.

Remixing on the other hand can be almost as bad as changing notes in the music. In some ways the mix is modern recorded music's equivalent of a classical conductor. It detirmines some of the dynamics that can't really be achieved in as broad a spectrum with a massively distorted guitar.

As for Sanctuary, a remaster probably wouldn't hurt, but they seem fairly well mixed to me. And yes, it would be good to make it available to new people, like newer Nevermore fans. Also, if you're into any kind of obscure music (like um, a lot of metal) and you don't live next door to a specialty shop (as you don't seem to) you should really suck it up and get used to the "buying online thing" 'cause that's how I get 80-90% of my music and it's not that big a freakin' deal anymore. It's 2005, dude.

 

[rebirth]

emm..well said me matt lee, something to ponder about...!!
great whats for dinner tonight