New song...please listen

[Kristina]

I just did a rough mix for my husband's band, First Death, on a song called Set My Soul On Fire. Let me know what you think. Of the song in genral as well as the recording techiques/ quality. thanks

First Death Music Page

PS it's thrash metal...don't you love the band name?

 

[scrubs]

I just did a rough mix for my husband's band, First Death, on a song called Set My Soul On Fire. Let me know what you think. Of the song in genral as well as the recording techiques/ quality. thanks

First Death Music Page

PS it's thrash metal...don't you love the band name?

Well, I must confess that I don't listen to much metal these days, so I'll refrain from a formal analysis of the playing/song. However, I will comment on the recording.

I was only able to access the streaming audio on the website (the hi-fi mp3 link was not working) and I only listened to about half of the clip, as it became redundant very quickly. It sounds like a single microphone recording of a live performance/rehearsal. Therefore, there is very little definition between the parts. The recording space is not very good. It sounds like it was recorded inside a box, and I'm guessing it was. There is very little bass to be heard here. The guitar tone, or the recording of it, is not very good. The cymbals sound like garbage can lids.

The song desperately needs a vocalist, as it is just too long and uninteresting as an instrumental piece. I am not sure what you are trying to capture here, or how you are going about it, but this could definitely use some work. An attempt to accurately capture each instrument and the complete frequency range of these performances would go a long way toward improving this.

If you are serious about recording, stick around here and read as much as you can. Learn about different recording techniques and how to get the most out of your equipment. Good luck.

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Don't take this personally because you asked for opinions. I am sorry if you will not like what I have to say, because it is hard and honest, but well-intentioned.

Can only comment on the mp3 on the website.

This sounds like a typical garage demo recorded off a cheap tape deck. In general, this is hopeless. It will *never* mix right and sound professional, there are some obvious and unforgivable errors committed, there is a ton of background noise.

I'm confused to exactly what entailed the mixing process because there is no definition, no low end, no high end... just muddy tinniness. To put it into perspective, if you made this a hundred times better sounding it would still take years to reach the sonic quality of St. Anger. The guitars sound like 12" Peavey Bandits, the bass is only audible when the bassist screws up, the drums have the tone of wet cardboard and the guitar leads get lost in the shuffle.

Releasing this in any way shape or form is a bad move. It's unprofessional sounding. Even with vocals this would be bad. Nothing can save this recording.

In today's world of easily accessible and cheap quality recording there is ZERO excuse to sound like this as a finished product.

Do yourself a favor. Delete it and burn any remaining copies and call your local studio or invest about 3-4 grand in recording equipment.

But before you do that get a singer and write songs. This is not a song, it is a bunch of guys trying to show off fancy playing. There is no real arrangement, the piece goes nowhere, absolutely zero MELODY, and there is not a solid structure whatsoever. There is a limited audience for this type of material--and that audience consists of the musicians that played it, their wives and *maybe* their mothers.

Write strong solid songs. It doesn't matter if it's thrash, punk, jazz or country. The *SONG* sells. Just ask Metallica, because they didn't sell nearly 100 million albums because of technical wizardy and songs that had 50 different riffs and no melody.

I swear if it starts and stops to head off in a totally different direction one more time I'm going to start praying for my final death.

This is bad on all levels.

I hear some solid musicianship going on, now it just needs to be refined and disciplined to performing songs and recorded in a decent recording space, with decent equipment by a skilled professional.