Which album has the best production?

[Fyhed]

For me the best production by far has to be Blackwater Park, the sound is just so dense and full, especially in the distorted guitar parts. Also the drums sound lovely, especially on Harvest.

The worst production on any of their albums has to be orchid. I mean the mix is just plain awful, from the rediculously annoying hi hats to the weak distorted guitars filled with too much hi end. But this was their first album so I guess they were still yet to find their feet with a sound.



I wasn't too impressed with Deliverence as the sound was almost too precise. Martin Lopez triggered his kicks in the heavey parts and it just didnt suit his sound. He is more loose, a latin kind of drummer and not Raymond Herrera (thank God). It was as if they were trying too hard to be heavy on this album. Getting Andy Sneap to do the mixing was probably a mistake, even though the guy is an amazing producer/engineer mixer. I just dont think his style suits Opeth.

Damnation is brilliant in terms of producion, but then Steven Wilson engineered/mixed and mastered!

What do othere people think?

 

[illbeleavinnow]

I'll say Deliverance, only because this is where you can really feel that Martin Lopez is a kick-ass drummer. I think that what he did on Deliverance WAS his style, and he never realized it until now. Everything on that album as far as production goes is perfect in my eyes.

Blackwater Park comes in close second. Orchid and Morningrise had pretty bad production, and MAYH and Still Life weren't anything spectacular (they were pretty average in terms of production) and Damnation is very clean, but doesn't compare to BWP or Deliverance.

 

[Demilich]

I love the drum sound on Deliverance. The triggered double bass used to annoy the hell out of me, as I thought it was taking a lazy way out of using actual talent to maintain a constant sound on double bass. Now I just find the sound of the double bass drums on Deliverance so enthralling...
So for me, as well, Deliverance is the best produced album.

 

[phon1c]

BWP without a doubt

 

[svenske kocken]

Deliverance and/or Blackwater Park.
Weakest production: Morningrise. Don't like the guitar sound on that one.

 

[Djm]

I'll have to go along with saying Deliverance. Some people may say that the production was done too well, but I think it was just right.

And I don't have to mention anything about the drums by Martin L. The Deliverance album put him ahead of just about all drummers in my personal favorites. Just some of the things he did, not counting the more metal stuff, were just really cool, unlike any drummer I can think of.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Blackwater Park.....just ahead of Deliverance....

 

[Space_Lord]

Deliverance. Martin's drumming really comes into it's own, not just because of his skill, but also because all they had to do was bring them more to the front of the mix. Aside from that, everything else if perfect, especially the experimental work done on 'By The Pain I See In Others'.

Blackwater Park and Damnation tie for second place.

 

[illbeleavinnow]

The track that really captured my attention was Master's Apprentices. It sounds as if he's pounding on the bass drum with his fists at 300 bpm!

 

[Risedfromthedead]

BWP... no doubt!

 

[Hondo]

BWP, because you can hear the bass the entire time yet it's a very heavy guitar sound.

Deliverance almost wins for the great levels for all the instruments, but the guitar sound is a little weak. I think that's the fault of them having a fuckoff for a studio guy though and having to do it themselves with the help of some guy they met in a bar. Or maybe it's exactly how they wanted it.

 

[Colonial Boy]

BWP for me aswell. The guitars sound so rich and you can hear the bass all the way through. The double bass seems to get a bit lost sometimes though. The guitar tone in Delieverence sounds a bit to tinny for me but the drums sound better than on BWP.

 

[Protected Witness]

Still Life and after are all sweet ass, especially Deliverance and Damnation.

Orchid was better than Morningrise at least, drum production wise. The drum sound on Morningrise irritates me. It should've been better!!!!

 

[Nugent Goes AOL]

Undoubtedly BWP.

 

[Katatonic]

did lopez use triggers on deliverance? i didnt think he did...

deliverance and damnation take it for me. i was listening to d2 the other night in the car on my mega chunky headphones (i wasnt driving ) and it was like they were playing in front of me. very nice

 

[RogueSpirit]

Blackwater Park by far. Andy Sneap's job on Damnation doesn't really fit Opeth's sound I think.

 

[Aborted Fetus]

Ditto.

Personally, I think Damnation is pretty bad because it seems to distort and clip in certain parts. The sound "quality" is better than the older stuff (i.e. Orchid and Morningrise), but the distortion really ruins it. Hopefully it's just my mp3's; if not, then that is mucho sucko.

 

[flawrence1]

Could you guys explain what you mean by the kicks being triggered? Literally, I thought it referred only to pickup triggers being used on the bass head to send a signal to a computer brain to produce a desired bass sound, but in metal recording terms, is this not the case? If it means separately going in and recording the bass drum sound after the fact by computer or drum machine or 'by hand,' how does this work?

This always interested me because some of the speeds, while possible to achieve consistently, sound too perfect. I've seen them do it on stage with even faster tempos than on the CDs, but never with such perfection. There's always the obvious human element, not to take anything away from M. Lopez

 

[Aborted Fetus]

Your assumption is exactly correct. The triggers are placed on the kick drum and trigger a sample everytime they are activated by a hit. It's essentially combining the best of the human element along with a good, tight sound for clarity.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Easily Blackwater Park, followed closely by Still Life.