Steven Wilson as opeth's producer

[FuneralPortrait]

Keep in mind that Opeth produced GR, not Jens. The prolific use of autotune was likely a conscious choice by Mike and the guys. Remember the first documentary, where Mike and Steve are adding those harmonies to the clean section of MA? 'It's good... it just needs a bit of tuning etc.'. They were obviously talking about pitch correction. Opeth were doing it before Jens came into the picture..

Yeah, I remember that... it's just that with pre-GR stuff the auto-tune wasn't nearly as obvious. Didn't Jens co-produce GR? I thought he did...

It's funny you mention overcompression and low end distortion on Damnation. I can't really say I've noticed.... any more so than any other modern release at least. The bass is actually quite modestly compressed compared to the hip-hop synthbass/808 kick stuff, as well as modern rock where the low-end gets slammed to living hell and back (Nickelback are a prime example).

It isn't so much that the bass has been overcompressed, it's more just a problem with low-end in general... theres a funny sort of rumbling sound in the lower freq's. Listen carefully, more noticable with a good pair of headphones.

If anything it's BWP that suffers from bad mastering. I've actually had that album clip a number of stereo systems, and the overcompression is so audible that it causes ear fatigue with prolonged listening

Yeah, BWP definitely suffers from bad mastering, but SW wasn't responsible, was he? I was more pointing out that SW probably shouldn't have done the mastering job on Damnation, particularly given that his involvement with the project was already very extensive.

I think GR had pretty crappy sounding individual elements that created a nice tapestry when summed. That basically satisfies the main criteria of mixing.

I disagree.. the individual instruments sound like they've been recorded better than on D/D.

 

[Stimuli]

I love BWP and D/D... Steven Wilson did a great job...PT owns blah blah blah...

that being said... I do not want to hear another Opeth record influenced by Steven Wilson in any way...

 

[lenin01]

As to the "fucked up" drums in Damnation: S.W. himself said, he wanted to create a vintage sound. And these drums sound absolutly vintage, just like much of Damnation's music.

GR has a good mix and mastering, but BWP is the best I have heard from Opeth so far. I dont know what was up with S.W. but the Deliverance mix and mastering is kind of uninspired and there are some strange elements, like for example the loud hissing noise in the background in the acoustic-guitar-part in A Fair Jugdement... I mean, of course it is intentional, but it is misplaced and abruptly ending... It always annoyed me when listening to the record with headphones. And that is only one example.

BWP isnt overcompressed, I think. Its a modern trend to compress and compress and limit and whatever. I dont like it at all, but compare BWP to modern Metalcore productions and you will see it is kind of moderate.

So S.W. did a great job on BWP and Damnation, whereas Deliverence wasnt so good.

But I have to say I love the production of Still Life. Sounds much more dirty and "true" (not meant in the sense of Black Metal posers ).

And whats the deal with Orchid and Morningrise? They sound so heavy and raw, it perfectly fits to the music!

 

[opeth_353]

Steven Wilson is one of the few producers i'd even let close to my music.. However, i'd make sure he doesn't get too carried away..

...Not that he'd ever even look at my work to be able to get carried away ><