I had a project come in over the last week... No names -- But it's a relatively successful artist (with a cult-like international following and years of worldwide hardcore touring experience) on a legit indie label. Got a track and then a hold order -- "The label wants to use their guy so we're going to see how it works" -- Okie dokie. That happens.
Next, a series of e-mails from the mixing engineer and the artist saying that the label's guy didn't do such a hot job and to go ahead with the (pre-release promo) track.
In the e-mail was a link to what the label provided.
I don't think I have ever - EVER - heard such an absolutely horrific hack job on an otherwise decent sounding mix. I can only really say that, as I had the same source mix as the label. It was painful. It was harsh, boomy, strident, scooped, crushed, cold - everything the mix was not. I'm not even particularly sure what I would have done to make it sound that bad. Everything was skewed. The balance between the instruments was gone. The cohesiveness of the entire spectrum was shot. The stereo image was unnatural and distracting.
I have to assume a maul-the-band compressor at the very least -- I can't think of anything else that can do that sort of damage that easily. Ozone came to mind -- and no, I'm not bashing Ozone - I don't like it, I don't want it, but it's just a tool. That said, it's a tool that can destroy a mix with just a few clicks.
Long story short though -- I'd like to think that it was some sort of automated process that destroyed that mix. Because I have a hard time coming to terms with the thought that someone actually made it sound like that on purpose.
