Criticize our recordings!

baalroo · #1 01-14-2009, 10:20 PM

Alright, we're in the process of getting an album recorded. It's hard rock with influences including but not limited to Valiant Thorr, MC5, Red Fang, Boris, Electric Wizard, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Pantera, etc etc. That list makes me laugh, but it's true... so be it.

*edit* final mixes now up *edit*

I'd love to hear some opinions on the technical aspects, my bass playing, and what you think of the material in general.

thanks for listening:

www.myspace.com/dempseymethod

xtorrak · #2 01-14-2009, 11:35 PM

I like it a lot. You need to add Clutch to your influences. You guys are like Clutch rev.2

Update, just heard Ministaur; I would pay to see this played live and I would buy your album off iTunes.

baalroo · #3 01-14-2009, 11:51 PM

Wow, I honestly didn't expect such a positive response straight off, thanks you very much. You seriously just made my night.

also, the Clutch remark made me very happy. They are definitely a huge influence, I just listed those bands off the top of my head and forgot all about them.

bassninja7 · #4 01-15-2009, 12:26 AM

pretty badass stuff josh.

PS: your drummer is hott!!

..im single...

baalroo · #5 01-15-2009, 12:35 AM

Good luck with that one bassninja.

thanks for the comment though.

f'nar f'nar · #6 01-15-2009, 12:39 AM

Wow, I really like it, but maybe it's jusy my speakers, but in a few of the songs the bass needs to be mixed a little better, it get's lost in the mix at some points, either that or it's just not there at those points.

But otherwise great stuff, I dig it!

baalroo · #7 01-15-2009, 12:51 AM

Thanks a lot!

Yeah, like I said in the OP the mix is still a bit funky. The bass levels will definitely come up on some of the songs.

Grizzly700 · #8 01-15-2009, 10:16 AM

Wow, that is exactly the stuff that I would like to see more of. It's kinda like heavy punk, I guess that's the best way to descirbe it. You guys are talented.

BTW - I added you.

xtorrak · #9 01-15-2009, 10:24 AM

The only thing I could suggest is don't bring the vocals up too high. The way he yells (screams?) and the distinctively low vocal volume separates the music from hardcore/screamo/metal. This sound is refreshing to hear, please don't ruin it!

What I'm trying to say is: stay as far away from the Atreyu "scream" as possible.

baalroo · #10 01-15-2009, 10:33 AM

Thanks for the kind words Grizzly! I have a hard time describing our sound or trying to figure out what genre we would be considered.

baalroo · #11 01-15-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtorrak

The only thing I could suggest is don't bring the vocals up too high. The way he yells (screams?) and the distinctively low vocal volume separates the music from hardcore/screamo/metal. This sound is refreshing to hear, please don't ruin it!

What I'm trying to say is: stay as far away from the Atreyu "scream" as possible.

Thank you so much for the constructive input, this is precisely what we've been wrestling with in our last few mixing sessions. You are dead on with your assessment of what we were going for with the levels. It's wild because with his vocal style the smallest little change in volume effects the entire mood of the songs. We're trying to find that balance where he's JUST loud enough to understand a good bit of the vocals without him overwhelming the mix in that bland standard "vocals up front" mixing style on most modern albums. The balance is soo delicate and we've been shifting it back and forth trying to get it just right.

I think on Ministaur we'll probably bring him up just the faintest little bit (actually, specifically we'll probably just coax the EQ a little to get a bit more definition). Writing School we're gonna probably bring him up maybe 5% louder because he gets buried pretty badly at times.

Also, on Candy*** for some reason the left guitar seems almost completely missing and my bass is buried pretty hard in the mix, those will both be corrected and the end result will be a slightly less prominent vocal.

Is there anything else obvious we're missing from being too far in the forest to see the trees? Anyone?

Thanks again to everyone for listening, helping, and encouraging. I've had a really s****y week and you guys have really turned my frown upside down.

Floridabwoy · #12 01-15-2009, 10:53 AM

I <3 Valient Thorr!

xtorrak · #13 01-15-2009, 11:06 AM

Another suggestion, on Ministaur don't do the intro hammer-ons. The three of you all doing the hammer-on makes the track sound less together; try sliding instead.

thombo · #14 01-15-2009, 11:34 AM

i dig the music, nice and stoner.
+1 on booting the bass in the mix. i can't really tell if you are using distortion, but that can be a low-end killer, esp. w/ 2 guitars
also, the overall mix is low when compared to other myspace pages. i don't know if that is due to the levels of the mix, just a myspace quirk, etc.

2x4strgkramers · #15 01-16-2009, 01:11 PM

Outside of some tempo adjustments this is some good stuff. Definately very Clutch and Fu ManChu ish

baalroo · #16 01-17-2009, 11:22 AM

Hey 2x4, thanks for the listen and the kind words.

Tempo adjustments? Hmmm, most of it was done to a click track except where we specifically wanted tempo changes.... care to elaborate?

Beyer160 · #17 01-17-2009, 11:32 AM

The guitars & bass sound great, but to me the drums & vocals (especially the vocals) sound a little dry. You don't want humongous '80s sounding verb, but a very slight amount of ambiance might make things gel a little better. Right now the vocals just sound like they're floating on top of the rest of the track- try a little (like if you notice it, it's too much) 50-100ms delay and see what you think.

Otherwise, you guys rock!

baalroo · #18 01-17-2009, 11:54 AM

Thanks Beyer! We've actually been playing back and forth with a small bit of delay/verb on the vocals, but haven't decided yea or nea yet. Also, the guy doing the mastering is fattening everything up (especially the drums) and making it all sit better together in the mix. Good observation though, any other thoughts?

Honk'n_down-low · #19 01-17-2009, 12:04 PM

Like the music have never been fond of the screaming vocal approach - although it works for you guys - just saying rock vocals can be hard - and more melodic. I think once you get it professionally recorded and mixed it will be slamming!

2x4strgkramers · #20 01-17-2009, 12:07 PM

The intros seem a bit to slow paced some of the main riff timming is to slow in the song Minitisuar 10-15bpm in the opening would really bring it to the same intensity " even if its two seprate signatures" that the primary riffs are.Would bring a nice rounded eveness to the intro and the union it has into the vs and bridge areas.

Candyass has a very good potential hook but it is being played a bit to straight by the guitarist in the Verse. Maybe some aticipatory type of notes like a dotted quarter instead of a straight 1.4 would give it a bit more of a hooky feel. .

Writing school has what I think is a counter productive time change post intro. I would bump the tempo on the song something like 20bpm in the verse to match more closely the introduction feel. Sort of exitied when it starts then goes sort of flat. . That and the use of anticipactory sort of dotted notes could add alot of dynamic to that song. Sometimes with music like this a bit of space really adds wieght.

Antithesis is pretty good as is. Maybe put a bit more emphasis on the bass during the primary riff and let the gutarist play the bluesy lick. Let the bass carry the primary rif and the uniformity of the band through the bridge and chorous is excelent.

Just some input.

Quote:

Originally Posted by baalroo

Hey 2x4, thanks for the listen and the kind words.

Tempo adjustments? Hmmm, most of it was done to a click track except where we specifically wanted tempo changes.... care to elaborate?