ATTERION does a Metal Ballad ?!?!? (New LINK!!!)

[Atterion]

http://www.mixposure.com/mp3/7456.4439.mp3

Hope this new link works. If it doesn't, it is probably a sign, I should never release this song, and should permanentally delete this song from hard drive.

OK first off, ballads ain't my thing, I'm a freakin METAL HEAD!!!

But anyways, I decided to write a song about an ex-girlfriend who dumped me because a Ouija Board told her I'm evil. And she believed in all that crazy shit, and I...

Well OK, I'm evil.

Anyways have a listen and let me know what you think.
The song structure is ultra simple (I don't want to waste to much time on a gushy suck-song). Instead I approached the song with taking a simple repetitive part, and constantly keeping it evolving via playing each part differently and panning moves for the vox. Much like the ocean, it's always the ocean, and the waves repeat over and over, but it's always changing, and you can watch for hours (If your into that type of gayness). Before I hear a ton of "The Guitar needs to be way louder" type comments, know that even though I am a metal head, I intentionally left the guitar in the back. I really didn't want to have any instruments other than the bass, drums, and vox, having dominant parts (Although various parts move in and out of the mix to help it evolve).

The song was written originally with the guitars tuned DGCACD (Standard tuning with each string detuned a whole step), and in this version uses BEADF#AB (Celebrating my renewed love of all things evil )

The tracks are as follows:

Lead Guitar (Ibanez through a Mesa Dual Rectifier and Marshall cab)
Gibson Les Paul (Clean through a Tone Lab)
Gibson Acoustic (Clean through the mixing desk)
Lead Vox (Through a Rode NT1, through Focusrite Twin Track Pro)
Backing Vox (Through an Oktavia Model??? Can't remember, also through TwinTrack)
Bass (Custom built 5 string, with progressive wounds)
Piano (Edirol Super Quartet)
Choir (x 2 Via Korg N264 and EXS sampler)
Drums (Pearl World Series mic'ed individually, 3 different mics on the snare SM 57, NT1, and "Cough" Samson C03)
Cymbals (Paiste Signatures...Ride mic'ed seperately with Oktavia, the rest through the overheads, which were set fairly close).

In all 18 tracks. Mixed in Cubase SX2, and Mastered in wavelab.

Most tracks were left with the EQ's flat except the 2 electric guitars, and 2 vocal parts. The vocals have mild multiband comression/limiting. The Multiband, Reverb, and Delay FX are all Sonitus FX.
At mastering I gave it a mild push at 8Khz (Which after listening to it a couple of times, I'm not sure it was needed). Finally a hint of PSP Vintage Warmer, just a hint, maybe enough to bring the signal up .02dB or so.

This mp3 is at 128kbps, and I did notice a dramatic change in quality from the original wav (Mostly typical mp3 flutter), but aside from that it this sounds pretty damn close to what I'm hearing through my studio monitors (Event TR-8XL's).

Please give me honest feedback. Thanks. Hope you enjoy (Just don't expect anymore crappy ballads from me though).

Here are the lyrics to help you along. Feel free to copy and paste or print them as you see fit.

()=Background Vox
"..."=Delayed parts (3 repeats at 888ms)

"HILLARY" (By:ATTERION and DARKENED, Lyrics By:ATTERION)


Oh Hillary ("Hillary..." )
Oh can't you see
I'm lost without you babe

I live in fear that
We will never meet again

You let the love we had, grow "cold..."
(Like my darkened "Soul..." )
And may the years divide
But my pain it never died (died)

Oh Misery ("Misery..." )
It had to be
To live without you babe

I live in hope that
We will some day meet again

You tore the love we had "apart..."
(Ripped out my blackened "heart..." )
Bleed deceit, under moonlit skies
Spirits came forewarning, left you denied (denied)

It seems to me
We should have seen
We were once in love
With no angels above

Now I'm "drowning..."
Slipping towards "death..."
I'll speak your name
With my last breath ("Hillary..." )

Spoken:
I won't forget you
Nor I, will you
And on your last day
I'll be there, waiting for "you..." ("Hillary..." )

[scrubs]

Overall, I think you've gone a little overboard with the reverb. I know ballads want big verbs, but this one just seems washed out in all of it. If you didn't post the lyrics, I would have no idea what you were singing because the vocal is too soft and bathed in reverb.

The cymbals sound really bright and are mixed too loud. Turn them down and bring up the snare & kick some.

The guitars could also use more definition.

Good performances. Sounds like you have some interesting stuff in there. I just wish I could make it out.

[Atterion]

Thanks. Those are all valid points, which I am addressing. I think I'll keep the reverb the same on the vox (i.e. tail length and EQ, etc), I'll probably just use a little less send. Thanks again.

[W.I.S.C.]

Go back to metal. Don't sell your evil for a chick. Too much reverb on whole mix making the drums have that "coffee can" quality. Weak guitar sound.

[Atterion]

My evil will NEVER be sold for some chick!!! Yeah now that I've listened to it for a couple of days, I think the whole thing sucks. The song, the mix, all of it. But that is how I wanted the guitars at the time I played it. Anyways, Fuck Ballads!!!

[Atterion]

This song has been removed from the web, and I'm destroying all remaining copies I have. It Sucked!!!