[Sonic Atrocity]

Quote:

Sideshow Symphonies
Arcturus
 
 
 
This is the best recorded metal I have ever heard.
 
Other power metal albums would be Seven Seals by Primal Fear. Also Devil's Ground by Primal Fear is recorded well. 

I'm not a fan of that album but I agree the production is fantastic. The Sham Mirrors is also well produced (from what I can remember). 

 

[Redcarmoose]

I need to find The Sham Mirrors, never heard it. I'm only a fan of sideshow due to it being very different. I don't even know if I could sit though the whole thing, but it has some amazing parts and the production is great. When Van Halen released their first record in 1978 it was well recorded metal. The recording was one of the things that made it special along with the guitar. Many of the Judas Priest albums sounded well recorded in their day. 
 
 
It may be that metal is hard to record. It is some of the loudest music. Getting the energy and detail together is maybe hard to do. British Steel and Hell Bent For Leather by Priest were really audiophile metal when they came out. Somehow by todays standards they are well recorded but they do not stand out anymore as great. I would say Angle of Retribution and Nostrodamus were both really well recorded and sound great now.

 

[Sonic Atrocity]

Quote:

I need to find The Sham Mirrors, never heard it. I'm only a fan of sideshow due to it being very different. I don't even know if I could sit though the whole thing, but it has some amazing parts and the production is great. When Van Halen released their first record in 1978 it was well recorded metal. The recording was one of the things that made it special along with the guitar. Many of the Judas Priest albums sounded well recorded in their day. 
 
 
It may be that metal is hard to record. It is some of the loudest music. Getting the energy and detail together is maybe hard to do. British Steel and Hell Bent For Leather by Priest were really audiophile metal when they came out. Somehow by todays standards they are well recorded but they do not stand out anymore as great. I would say Angle of Retribution and Nostrodamus were both really well recorded and sound great now.

Oh man I totally encourage you to check out The Sham Mirrors. Really competent stuff and definitely something I can sit through the entirety of.
 

 

[mibutenma]

Well in what way is it being considered well recorded.
Sounding good on the ears? Or not being overly loud/brickwalling ?
 
There is newer metal that is enjoyable but overly loud if it just had dynamic range it would be really slick sounding.
Some albums still sound good despite being overly loud.
 
 
 

 

[Redcarmoose]

Priest used, from what I understand, a lot of studio tricks which were cutting edge in the day. I guess you would call it ear-candy, just sounds which sounded new and fresh. Even in later recordings like Love Bites the sound was just really clear and had a new kind of echo for the mid-eighties. Today I guess the sounds they used seem everyday when you listen to their recordings from the past. The best part of  Priest for me is the great guitar. It is amazing to hear early Priest and see how they progressed with the guitar. In many ways Priest are responsible for the sound of metal. IMO Their new stuff seems to have that ear-candy to me also.
 
With Arcturus they seem to be doing the same thing with the recording tricks. The album is also without saying performed by some of the greats of the metal world. Most would agree Hellhammer is by far one of the greatest metal drummers to ever have lived. I would have to say the overall texture of the album. They use a lot of synths and reverb. When you really get down to it though and study metal recordings much of the sound quality comes from the ability of recording the drums well.IMO
 
Andy Sneep is one of the great producers of our era also. Just a quick list of his work on Wikipedia is enough to blow most metal heads away.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Sneap 
 
 
I would find some off the wall old CD at a used CD store by Skinlab, play it and say sht this album is recorded fantastic, then look to notice the Andy Sneep name on production. The greatest DVD I have ever heard was Andy recording Opeth for the Lamentations (Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2003) (DVD).
 
Then I see his name on Arch Enemy Doomsday Machine and I'm totally surprised. I should not be surprised but expect when I hear a world class metal recording that Andy is behind it.

 

[Sonic Atrocity]

Quote:

Priest used, from what I understand, a lot of studio tricks which were cutting edge in the day. I guess you would call it ear-candy, just sounds which sounded new and fresh. Even in later recordings like Love Bites the sound was just really clear and had a new kind of echo for the mid-eighties. Today I guess the sounds they used seem everyday when you listen to their recordings from the past. The best part of  Priest for me is the great guitar. It is amazing to hear early Priest and see how they progressed with the guitar. In many ways Priest are responsible for the sound of metal. IMO Their new stuff seems to have that ear-candy to me also.
 
With Arcturus they seem to be doing the same thing with the recording tricks. The album is also without saying performed by some of the greats of the metal world. Most would agree Hellhammer is by far one of the greatest metal drummers to ever have lived. I would have to say the overall texture of the album. They use a lot of synths and reverb. When you really get down to it though and study metal recordings much of the sound quality comes from the ability of recording the drums well.IMO
 
Andy Sneep is one of the great producers of our era also. Just a quick list of his work on Wikipedia is enough to blow most metal heads away.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Sneap 
 
 
I would find some off the wall old CD at a used CD store by Skinlab, play it and say sht this album is recorded fantastic, then look to notice the Andy Sneep name on production. The greatest DVD I have ever heard was Andy recording Opeth for the Lamentations (Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2003) (DVD).
 
Then I see his name on Arch Enemy Doomsday Machine and I'm totally surprised. I should not be surprised but expect when I hear a world class metal recording that Andy is behind it.

I'd have to agree with your statement about drums being the most important part of a metal recording. Listen to an album like City by Strapping Young Lad and the drum production is such an integral component and it sounds great. Yet, Litany by Vader (a boring album IMO) has some of the worst drum production I've ever heard.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Litany is the legend of an album that you always read so much about. It does not get played a lot here. I am into The Ultimate Incantation even though it is not recorded that well. 

 

[Sonic Atrocity]

Quote:

Litany is the legend of an album that you always read so much about. It does not get played a lot here. I am into The Ultimate Incantation even though it is not recorded that well. 

Man, it seems like there are so many "classic" metal albums that just suck. The metal scene is saturated with bands that utilize the same dynamics over and over again and call it innovation because they just applied some tacked on aesthetic (ie: symphonic keyboards, violins, a saxophone). Think of Nile. That entire Egyptian theme is so tacked on it's ridiculous. 

 

[Redcarmoose]

Not a big fan of Nile. I think they are OK. I listen to them sometimes as just something new. Saw them live once. They are amazing live. Their music is so detailed, it is cool to see it performed in a small venue. I would way rather only have Vader to listen to if I had to choose. Yes, I never thought about it but Niles music is like something totally contrived. Vader is the real deal! 

 

[Sonic Atrocity]

Quote:

Not a big fan of Nile. I think they are OK. I listen to them sometimes as just something new. Saw them live once. They are amazing live. Their music is so detailed, it is cool to see it performed in a small venue. I would way rather only have Vader to listen to if I had to choose. Yes, I never thought about it but Niles music is like something totally contrived. Vader is the real deal! 

So what do you think I should check out by Vader then? Should I re-visit? I don't see the harming in doing so regardless of the outcome. I think it's good to suspend my previous judgements of things.

 

[Redcarmoose]

     The Ultimate Incantation (1993) This is not the best recording but I seem to be liking it more and more. This is kind of like Orchid from Opeth. Sounds rough then you start to understand the          statement.
 
     De Profundis (1995) This is by far the most talked about older Vader 2nd to Litany. I love the sound of this record. A lower guitar than Ultimate, it could just be the recording though. I really like      this record and if you never heard this, this would be the one to look into. Many people's favorite Vader. A rollercoaster.

     Black to the Blind (1997).......... Never heard it.

     Litany (2000).......... Play it every couple of years. I think it is over rated. It may have been in fashion at one time?&nbsp;</p>


     Revelations (2002)..........I truly love this record too. Just Vader in perfect form. They are doing what they do here.  



     Welcome to the Morbid Reich (2011)..........Never heard it

     The Beast (2004)..........Never heard it.

     Impressions in Blood (2006)..........Actually I had a time in 08/09 when I played this all the time and it was one of my favorite albums. This as i remember may have better sound than what            came      before it

    Necropolis (2009)..........Didn't really care for this at first. I may have been looking for something new and we get Vader again just doing what they do. Peter is the only original member here but      they really do sound the same somehow. This album may be great and I have not warmed up to it yet. Some songs are killer</p>

    There is also a rerecorded song, 25th anniversary release 2 cd set, which has great sound but somehow does not move me? The original songs are better I think.
    There is also an ep called The Art Of War that was released in memory of Doc. This is a great album and has a well recorded sound. They have put out so much stuff and being underground it       is really hard to hear it all. This is the stuff I am close with.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The Ultimate Incantation (1993) This is not the best recording but I seem to be liking it more and more. This is kind of like Orchid from Opeth. Sounds rough, then you start to understand the statement.




De Profundis (1995) This is by far the most talked about older Vader 2nd to Litany. I love the sound of this record. A lower guitar than Ultimate, it could just be the recording though. If you never heard this, this would be the one to look into. Many people's favorite Vader. A rollercoaster. If you play The Ultimate Incantation then play this album you will be surprised at the improvement in sound quality.



Black to the Blind (1997).......... Never heard it.


 Litany (2000).......... Play it every couple of years. I think it is over rated. It may have been in fashion at one time?



Revelations (2002)..........I truly love this record too. Just Vader in perfect form. They are doing what they do here



The Beast (2004)..........Never heard it.


Impressions in Blood (2006)..........Actually I had a time in 08/09 when I played this all the time and it was one of my favorite albums. This as i remember may have better sound than what came before it


 Necropolis (2009)..........Didn't really care for this at first. I may have been looking for something new and we get Vader again just doing what they do. Peter is the only original member here but they really do sound the same somehow. This album may be great and I have not warmed up to it yet. Some songs are killer.


There is also a rerecorded song, 25th anniversary release 2 cd set, which has great sound but somehow does not move me? The original songs are better I think.

There is also an ep called The Art Of War that was released in memory of Doc. This is a great album and has a well recorded sound. They have put out so much stuff and being underground it is really hard to hear it all. This is the stuff I am close with.
 
I have not heard the latest Vader release. The thing that I think bugs some is Peter's guitar has never changed. His playing style has changed a little over the years but it almost sounds like he uses the same guitar, amp and effects from day one. His guitar is kind of a double edge sword. A sound that you get sick of and the best thing about the band too. 

 

[Redcarmoose]

 

[Sonic Atrocity]

Thanks man. Oh yes, Orchid by Opeth. That album isn't bad actually. I haven't been an Opeth fan for years. But I do remember liking Orchid.

 

[Wolham]

I'll have to disagree with you guys, saying that Nile is not a good band. While utilizing the same elements as many other bands, Nile brings on a completely different feeling, touch or even soul in their music. Just like I always thought Behemoth where one of few death metal bands bringing the black metal feeling of mystery, Nile manages to bring in a feeling in death metal few other bands succeeded in.
 
By the way, Redcarmoose, what's with the triple post? Oh, and call me mainstreamed now, but I can't stop digging Devilizer from vader's latest
 
To the one who recommended Evangelion by Behemoth; I don't really know about the recording quality, listened to it with mediocre headphones, but the band itself is a crap piece, with only one memorable song (which they possibly even ripped off from another band), and the rest being endless pieces of boring spam. I found every single release they've made up to the point of Evangelion to be better.