New Demo Out - feedback please!

[harsh]

www.myspace.com/karybdisband

OK, my new band's demo tracks are finally ready. All you metalheads should check out the tracks on myspace! :twisted:

We couldn't get a great guitar sound. It's decent for a rough demo, but not entirely what I want - recorded this on a laptop. Hopefully, the next one should capture the brutal guitar sound that we have live. Let me know what you guys think.

PS: Check out "War For Land" - that's my favourite track! 8)

 

[srrdude]

i dont think the guitars sound terrible. I am a huge metalhead but i gotta say i dont like the vocals. He does like this....rap bullshit while screaming. I'm used to not being able to understand to vocals because its sounds like the cookie monster. Not being able to understand because it sounds like hes motorboating a pair of aged titties while crying out for mercy is a new thing for me.


Hes not terrible, im jokin around. Vocals are pretty standard metal fair except for when it sounds like jibberish. The guitars are good, i kinda get an at the gates vibe. I think your pretty good, keep it up.

Was that a UXL in there?

 

[harsh]

Lol..thanks Srrdude. Fair comment - the vocals are actually doubled and I get the feeling they are not entirely in time with each other. Also, the vocalist is French, which makes the pronunciations a bit odd if you're not used to the accent. :wink:

The guitars were a mix of a Randall Modern and a Mesa Triaxis. I'm glad you think the guitars came out fine, I feel they sound quite buzzy here.

 

[srrdude]

Lol..thanks Srrdude. Fair comment - the vocals are actually doubled and I get the feeling they are not entirely in time with each other. Also, the vocalist is French, which makes the pronunciations a bit odd if you're not used to the accent. :wink:

The guitars were a mix of a Randall Modern and a Mesa Triaxis. I'm glad you think the guitars came out fine, I feel they sound quite buzzy here.

ah french, that explains it i thought i heard a french accent but your page says you were from london.

I know what you mean about buzzy, but you could pass it off as intentional and i wouldve bought it. Thats why i was reminded of at the gates actually.

If you find them too buzzy tho im sure youll try other things. Maybe its how you mic them, i dunno i dont have substantial recording experience.

 

[insightibanez]

The music is good, I think its cool how your vocalist sings in french, but your right the guitars seem abit buzzy (for my tatste) But if you like them thats what really matters. Great jog keep up the great work!!!!! :wink:

 

[nixerx]

I think the overall tracks sound good.

War for Land The vocals sound to far behind the guitars and the doubling has to GO. its weakening in the brutality!

The right channel guitar is too loud and the tone could be less crisp.

ON Kick in the back, the guitars are thin sounding.

Don't get me wrong these are great songs..with a good amount of potential.

These are only my opinion and that is all they are. If this is the sound you guys were looking for and are pleased than that is all that really matters!

BTW. Great my space layout.

 

[harsh]

Thanks Insightibanez and Nixerx!

Live, our guitars sound so good I can't begin to describe it. Last night we played a gig and there were these 5 other bands that were just drooling in front of my rig and asking what I was running. I was also wetting myself listening to my tone. My Egnater E-Rect really put ALL the other amps to shame.

Shame that Randall's presence isn't that huge here in the UK (but also great because it makes my rack quite unique :wink

So - Naah, this is not the guitar sound we were going for. This was just an inexpensive demo that was supposed to get us some gigs, and it does the job very well. Nixerx - Agreed, the doubling on the vocals has to go. Insight - Just to clarify, the vocalist is actually singing in English but the French accent and doubling makes it a bit difficult to understand.

All said and done, I love listening to this coz no matter how dissatisfied I am with the quality...because no matter how many times you play in the studio or live, there's nothing like sitting back and listening to yourself thinking "wow, we are *?$& good!" :twisted: You guys know the feeling right?

 

[nixerx]

Thanks Insightibanez and Nixerx!

Live, our guitars sound so good I can't begin to describe it. Last night we played a gig and there were these 5 other bands that were just drooling in front of my rig and asking what I was running. I was also wetting myself listening to my tone. My Egnater E-Rect really put ALL the other amps to shame.

Shame that Randall's presence isn't that huge here in the UK (but also great because it makes my rack quite unique :wink

So - Naah, this is not the guitar sound we were going for. This was just an inexpensive demo that was supposed to get us some gigs, and it does the job very well. Nixerx - Agreed, the doubling on the vocals has to go. Insight - Just to clarify, the vocalist is actually singing in English but the French accent and doubling makes it a bit difficult to understand.

All said and done, I love listening to this coz no matter how dissatisfied I am with the quality...because no matter how many times you play in the studio or live, there's nothing like sitting back and listening to yourself thinking "wow, we are *?$& good!" :twisted: You guys know the feeling right?

How did you guys record the tracks? Direct? Did you pay a studio or do it at home? If they are raw direct tones I can make a couple of recommendations...of course your studio knowledge could blow me a way so forgive me for being forward..I mean no disrespect.

I think the vox would sound huge on their own and super cool with an accent! I cant even imagine speaking in a second language never mind singing in on then doubling it ... holy ****!! :shock:

I agree with you. Ive got many recordings of my bands that sound like refried *** and I love listening to them.

 

[harsh]

How did you guys record the tracks? Direct? Did you pay a studio or do it at home? If they are raw direct tones I can make a couple of recommendations...of course your studio knowledge could blow me a way so forgive me for being forward..I mean no disrespect.

I think the vox would sound huge on their own and super cool with an accent! I cant even imagine speaking in a second language never mind singing in on then doubling it ... holy s*&t!! :shock:

I agree with you. Ive got many recordings of my bands that sound like refried *** and I love listening to them.

Hey...I don't know the nitty-gritties of the settings but an give you an overview. So, everything was miked up into a 24 channel mixer in our rehearsal room, which was then fed into an Apple Mac running Pro Tools. The drums went on first, then the bass, followed by the guitars and then the vox.

Everything sounded great live, but think the mix was wrong. He changed the guitar EQ to "make sure the bottom end didnt clash with the bass" which is probably why they lack balls.

I'm pretty sure we'll have the next one spot on...learnt from this one.

What ideas do you have?

 

[nixerx]

That would explain it. IMO the bass is weak on the tracks...could be my speakers too.

Changing things depends on how much work you wanna do. The drums sound good so the hardest part is over ( as you well know I bet). If the EQing was done on the board then to protools re-tracking the guitars is the only way.

if not you might be able to beef up the tones and drop some of the highs. Im thinking starting with freq's above 3k.

personally, I like to go mic'd and line out into a separate track running a cab sim and impulses on the line out track. if I pick the right impulse the guitar track is WAY full when blended. ill do this for each track and pan them left right. I get consistently good results especially with my Randall.

here is an example of direct out only: http://www.netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=3559

its a little crisp in some parts but I think the tones are pretty good.

 

[CarlVanDam]

dude kick in the back sounds like old *** sepultura!! i dig it

what randall module did you use while recording?

 

[harsh]

dude kick in the back sounds like old *** sepultura!! i dig it

what randall module did you use while recording?

Lol, thats awesome! I alternated between a Randall Modern and a Mesa Triaxis.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

..not my cup of tea either, but still I thought it was representative of the genre.
And I would agree the guitars need thier low end..hey, even the bass needs some low end.
Even my crap computer speakers I can tell the person doing the mixing didnt get the bass end of the spectrum right.
And to honest: low end is very hard to get right.
Im sure if he gives it another mix..with these comments in mind he will give that little extra beef that helps things to sound chunky.
But hey its already 90percent there.
Keep going.
GtrGeorge (who doesnt sound at all like you guys!)

 

[ultim8dude]

Not exactly my style of music, but the guitar is pretty awesome. Good job.

 

[harsh]

Thanks for the comments, guys. We're working on new tracks rigt now, and we should be recording things better next time

 

[harsh]

OK, got some videos up on you tube of our last gig. The monitors crapped out and we couldnt really hear each other, but still sounds good enough out there. The tone is a better representation of how we sound. Here's a link, there are 5 other vids in the "related videos" section on the right:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo7FJPvY5IA&feature=related

Let me know what you guys think. Feel free to leave comments (only if they are nice, of course) :wink:

 

[JKD]

Marked for checking out later! 8)

 

[nixerx]

Sounds Awesome! :twisted: