[ex0du5]

So I was going through the few rock and metal CDs I have (switched to legal music this year). Anyways, I noticed how many of the recordings are just terribly compressed, and don't do too well with a decent set of cans.

I was dissapointed that In Flames recordings were so bad, Man Made God would sound awesome if it didn't sound so compressed! You can clearly hear symbals distorting pretty badly.

Blue Oyster Cult seems to be terrible all around. I have a best-of CD, and the only track which seems to be recorded cleanly is Black Blade...the rest seem to be badly compressed (Don't Fear The Reaper, Burning For You, Godzilla...the good tracks ).

Metallica's S&M is fantastic though. I think that's one of the best live rock recordings ever made.

The few Joe Satriani tracks I tried seem to be very clean also.

So anyways, I was just wondering if you could post Artists or CDs which have exceptional recording values, so I can better enjoy my higher end gear in the future

. I find myself downloading MP3s just so I can check if a CD is complete crap before I buy. I have checked out Unearth's newer CD, and while the CD is fantastic metalcore, the symbals are also badly compressed...that might just be the MP3 though. My tastes range from classic rock, to progressive metal, to melodic death metal, to metalcore.

And feel free to trash talk badly recorded CDs all you want

.

 

[Cousin Patty]

Like I said in another thread, I'm actually quite fond of Jester Race\Black Ash Inheritance's sound quality. Dont know if it has to do with different versions or what.

Anyway, I think it's hard to record a metal cd without using a decent amount of compression. It just kina comes with the territory I think. Seems like in order to get a big wall of sound and still have everything cut through (double bass, cymbals, snare, leads, vocals, rhythm guitars, possible synths, bass), a lot of compression is necessary.

Some metal recordings that really stand out in my mind as having great sound quality ( at least out of my rig) are:

Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Opeth - Morningrise
Metallica - Black Album
In Flames - Jester Race/Black Ash Inheritance (like i said, as far as metal goes, I really like this recording. at least the version I have)
Ensiferum - Iron
The Gathering - Mandylion
Alice In Chains - Unplugged (not really metal, but they rock and this is definitely a reference quality recording)

Cant really think of others off the top of my head. (at work)

We have different opinions on what is a good metal recording I think. I am not really a fan of the S&M cd when it comes to sound quality. Not one bit...

All in all I dont think you're going to find many audiophile level recordings in the metal genre. The style of music is just not that conducive to that level of quality IMO. With that being said, there are definitely some metal recordings which are definitely pieces of crap and that dont have an excuse. It is possible to record a great sounding metal cd.

 

[MetalManCPA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty /img/forum/go_quote.gif Opeth - Ghost Reveries Opeth - Morningrise

I think Blackwater Park is Opeth's best produced/best sounding album.

 

[Redo]

Santana III

 

[Cousin Patty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalManCPA /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think Blackwater Park is Opeth's best produced/best sounding album.

See I have to disagree here also. IMO, in terms of sheer sound quality alone, I much prefer the quality on Deliverance, Damnation, Morningrise, and Ghost Reveries. It's night and day to these ears out of my setup.

 

[Masonjar]

Iron Maiden - PIECE OF MIND.

Very natural sounding recording, crunchy electric guitars, forceful, authentic drums that aren't processed to death like all the other metal recordings of the time (Def Leppard, Scorpions, Priest, etc..).. and great, deep bass. Listen to this album on a good rig, off vinyl if you can. I have the same thick piece of Capitol vinyl that I bought back in 1983.. still sounds great to this day. Of all the albums that Martin Birch did for Maiden, I think PIECE OF MIND was his best job. POWERSLAVE is close, but it's just a tad bit "slicker" if you know what I mean.

-jar

 

[braker218]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty /img/forum/go_quote.gif In Flames - Jester Race

Agree, the music is just okay IMO, but the mastering is very well done.

 

[lmilhan]

Metal:

Abydos - Abydos
Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish
Angra - Aurora Consurgens
Beyond Twilight - Section X and
Beyond Twilight - For The Art Of Love And The Making
Circus Maximus - The First Chapter
Dionysus - Fairytale And Reality
Dreamtale - Ocean's Heart
Dungeon - One Step Beyond
Falconer - Grime Vs Granduer
Galloglass - Heavenseeker
Genius - Episode 3 the Final Surprise
Into Eternity - Scattering Of Ashes
Lost Horizon - Awakening The World
Luca Turilli - Prophet Of The Last Eclipse
Mago De Oz - Gaia II
Pagan's Mind - Infinity Devine
Pain Of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
Redemption - The Fullness Of Time
RIchard Andersson - The Ultimate Andersson Collection
Shadow Gallery - Room V
Sun Caged - Sun Caged
Symphony X - *.*
Vanden Placs - Christ O
Winds - The Imaginary Direction Of Time

Hard Rock:
Cry Of Love - Diamonds And Debris
Hydrogyn - Bombshell
Joe Lynn Turner - The Usual Suspects
Pink Cream '69 - Thunderdome
Raging Slab - Raging Slab
Skunk Anansie - Post Orgasmic Chill
Thunder - Shooting At The Sun


Worst of the Worst:
Dreamtide - Dreams For The Daring
By far the worst recorded, hotest, most distorted CD I have ever heard in my entire music listening career, which has spanned many, many years now. 'Dreams For The Daring' Makes Californication sound like a Steve Hoffman masterpiece. Seriously.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty /img/forum/go_quote.gif See I have to disagree here also. IMO, in terms of sheer sound quality alone, I much prefer the quality on Deliverance, Damnation, Morningrise, and Ghost Reveries. It's night and day to these ears out of my setup.

I'll agree with that. BWP was a great album, but some of the details are lost, especially with the guitars. Too much of that "wall of sound": no separation of instruments. With Morningrise, you could hear all instruments at all times. I kind of miss that dueling guitar sound they had.

Let me add a few more to the mix (My opinion of course

:

The Gathering - How to Measure a Planet? (All of their albums have good sound quality)
Arcturus - Sideshow Symphonies
Virgin Black - Elegant... and Dying
Callisto - Nior
Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain

I would also say Virgin Black - Requiem Mezzo Forte, but the compression created rice crispies during some loud parts of the album. In my opinion, this is a tragedy. Such a good album...

 

[YamiTenshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish ...

IIRC there are two versions of this album, one with a temporary singer and one with their permanent/current singer. Which version should I be looking for?

 

[ex0du5]

Well I've been living off my MP3 version of Jester Race / Black Ash for a while...I'll go ahead and have another listen with the CD. I might have badly compressed it.But anyways, have a listen to Colony - Man Made God (bonus track). It's an awesome instrumental song, but just not very well recorded. Oh, and for the record....Jester Race, Whoracle, and Clayman are some of the best metal CDs out there

.

I think I'll pick up Opeth - Ghost Reveries this summer.

And if any of you don't have Metallica - S&M...GO OUT AND GET IT NOW!

And I can see it being hard to attain a good quality with metal, since it's pretty complex music, with an absurdly wide range of frequencies.

 

[fordgtlover]

S&M sounds pretty clean, but the waveforms in Audacity tell a different story. Clip, clip and clip - think Californication.

I quite like the recording, but the clipping prevents it from being a reference recording in my collection.

 

[ex0du5]

Never thought it being nearly as bad as Californication. Even the vocals are distorted in Californication. I guess I haven't paid attention enough to notice clipping. Still I think one of the best live metal recordings.

A particularly great live recording springs to mind right now:

Eagles - Hell Freezes Over - Hotel California

That song is just eargasm on a great system.

 

[lmilhan]

I wasn't aware there are two verions.

If it is any help, this is the version I am referring to:

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamiTenshi /img/forum/go_quote.gif IIRC there are two versions of this album, one with a temporary singer and one with their permanent/current singer. Which version should I be looking for?

 

[wovenhand]

Almost everything by Steve Albini.
Personal favorites: Neurosis - A Sun That Never Sets & Given To The Rising