Re: Re: how about 'OVERCOMPRESSION' Crimes?
chessrock said:
Probably two of the most disasterously-produced albums I've heard take me way, way back to my youth (and my heavy metal days) . . . when I barely knew what production meant. And they both came out around the same time, come to think of it. 
. . . "Bark at the Moon," by Ozzy Osbourne, and "Born Again," by Black Sabbath.
In line with what sjoko and BrettB said, the abrasiveness of "Born Again" is either hated or loved. I love it because it just sounds so nasty. It's another perspective on metal as a genre that no one but grossly evil people are really supposed to love.. It's like a turd that felt great going out, and no matter how much you try, you can't flush it. It's sounds like the word "trash", and the cover art alone can be an indicator of whether you'll like the album or not.
However, that mix sound doesn't work with everyone. I love the stuff from the NWOBHM era, but no matter how good the songwriting was of Savage, the ebony mix of "Let it Loose" is horrid on anything but headphones. I tried to eq it in line with all the tapes I make for the car, but it's just impossible to get to the meat of the cd..
I really hate how Randy was recorded on "Blizzard of Oz", and only minor improvements were made on "Diary of a Madman". I realize it again has to do with the mixing trends at the time. But hell, the lead guitar is either way too far out in front, or it's honking like an obnoxious duck.
I suspect the guy who mixed AIC's "Jar of Flies" had never heard Led Zeppelin III or had any clue how to handle making a soft rock album from a loud, heavy group. The guy was gun shy about loud instruments, keeping the drums far too back, and the guitars too homey and mellow.
I once read an article in Guitar FPM about "And Justice" that said the problem with that mix was the complete lack of kick. Dumbass should stick to articles about whammy bars. "And Justice" has assloads of kick. It's everything else that sucks. Too dry, stinky bass sound, with the latter half of the album an assortment of badly written (or overwritten) songs that are quickly forgotten because no one can sit through an entire album of that sound. I'm sure to get flack for this, because that's the same mix style used by Pantera and Down who have sold tons of albums.
Cy