Thoughts on New Loomis?

[Genius Gone Insane]

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=180329

I'm digging. It's not Nevermore, but I'll take it.

Aaron, this sound is better than the cd. Good to see you improving.

 

[Keregioz]

The vocals ruin it for me.

 

[Jaymz]

Digging it....

Sounds like Metal Machine for the drums Aaron?

 

[Aaron Smith]

Yeah there wasn't a big window of time for this project, and not enough budget available to track real drums in a good acoustic space, so programming was the best option. Programmed drums don't excite me and I wouldn't normally work with a client who wanted to do programmed drums for an actual release, but all things considered, I think it turned out well. It's all Metal Machine, except for the lowest tom.

As for sounding better than the album...haha, well, okay. If you like the guitar tone better now, then that's fine, but the vibe I went for with Dirk behind the kit is something totally different than what can be done with programming, so it's hard to compare. I'm not unhappy with the overall sound of this new batch of songs, but that doesn't really feel like a compliment, even though you intended it to be.

 

[BrettT]

So the whole "recorded with my band" thing is false.

 

[blue_fAng]

snare and vox are too loud

 

[Aaron Smith]

Well, Anup contributed a lot to the drum programming. He may have played some of the MIDI on his electronic kit too, but I honestly don't know. Doesn't matter to me much if he did it one way or the other, but he was definitely involved creatively.

 

[Jaymz]

No shame in the programming man, gotta be done when its gotta be done!

I noticed the floor toms in MM are really lackluster in comparison to the rest of the toms in the sets.

Good stuff dude!

PS: I much prefer the album mix as intended.

 

[Lowberg]

Fuck yea this rules! So cool to hear Jeffs stuff with a screamer. Has a very melodic a death vibe to it. Reminds me a lot of The Absence.

Metal machine sounds pretty good too!

 

[Spectivum]

I was so interested to hear the death metal voice (as advertised) with his music. but we got a screamer. too bad, maybe next time...

 

[GeertSamuel]

Was this his mugshot or something? Haha...
On my speakers at work it sounds like the guitars might need a push to the front, but "them speakers are just ghetto", so that could be it!

 

[Mago]

I dig the song! The vocals are kinda "hmmm..." but I think one can get used to it. They'd need a bit more varitiey though.

Haven't heared the album in a while, but first thing I thought (before I read the text) " this doesnt sound like it belonged to the album", cause from the title I thought it was a track that was allready produced for the album and didn't get on there

I was pretty sure that the drums sounded like Metal Machine before reading the thread, but I don't really know why...I guess it's the snare.
A pitty that there wasn't budged for real drums, but as Jaymz said you gotta do what you gotta do.
fwiw, I also like the albummix more!

 

[guitarguru777]

I honestly thought the album sounded better. Not a fan of this guitar tone. Aaron not trying to talk shit just my honest opinion. Love the way the CD came out, but this is just thin by comparison to me. Its less dynamic, and is too machine like. Again not trying to be a dick, it sounds good but I think the CD was better overall in terms of vibe and being more polished.

 

[Aaron Smith]

That's fine, I actually like the album tone better too, I was just saying that the tones are far more comparable than the drums, and since the drums make up such a big part of any mix, it's hard for me to compare the album with this new batch. One was a full-on production process, and the other was much quicker. I didn't half-ass anything this time around, but it's obvious to my ears as well which project had a lot more time invested into it!

 

[RichS]

I think it's pretty cool you used Metal machine for the drums. I personally think they sound pretty damn good!

Not a big fan of the vocals, but I am not really into all that cookie monster stuff anyways.

 

[Aaron Smith]

Here's another thing... I almost don't want to admit this, but I mixed the drums entirely in the S2.0 mixer, haha. I was anticipating needing to print out each track individually into PT and mixing them down as I would when working with a real kit, but I actually felt quite good about how it was sounding using only S2.0's internal processing tools, so I just went with it.

 

[006]

I actually really dig the drums, all of it really sounds awesome to me. Interesting you went through the S2.0 mixer/plugs, but it came out great IMO. What snare/kick combo are you using on this if I may ask?

 

[RichS]

Here's another thing... I almost don't want to admit this, but I mixed the drums entirely in the S2.0 mixer, haha. I was anticipating needing to print out each track individually into PT and mixing them down as I would when working with a real kit, but I actually felt quite good about how it was sounding using only S2.0's internal processing tools, so I just went with it.

It just keeps getting better! Everything that people here say you shouldn't do, you did and the results are perfectly fine. Good job man!

 

[mva801]

I think it sounds great. It was only a matter of time before we started hearing metal machine used on some higher level stuff. Obviously I think the drums are better on the album, because lets face it, Dirk Verbeuren > anything midi hands down. The guy is his own metal machine.

I'm not super sold on the style of the vocalist, but I think with some more time it might grow.

 

[guitarguru777]

That's fine, I actually like the album tone better too, I was just saying that the tones are far more comparable than the drums, and since the drums make up such a big part of any mix, it's hard for me to compare the album with this new batch. One was a full-on production process, and the other was much quicker. I didn't half-ass anything this time around, but it's obvious to my ears as well which project had a lot more time invested into it!

100% in agreement here. Dont get me wrong Aaron I am not talking shit about your work at all. Its still a great job! I really do love your mixes. Would love to hear what you would do with a band like Nile or Arch Enemy!