I’ve only really listened to 4 tracks so far but I did like “Closet Mirror”. Kinda reminds me of Jesu musically and I dig the beginning vocals (personal preference as I’m not a fan of the style towards the end). There’s also some other stuff that caught my interest but I’ll have to go back later and listen to them fully.
My main suggestion is to lay off the compression on the drums a bit. They are waaay too snappy and can be distracting at times (and kind of hurt too). That was the one thing that really stood out to me as something that needed to be changed immediately. I’d back off on the hi’s on the kick drum a bit too. It’s got a tad too much of that “click” sound where the beater is hitting the head that a lot of death metal bands use, but it doesn’t sit well with some of what I’d heard. I’d try lowering it a bit somewhere around the 3-6k area (sometimes 6-8k).
Then again, that could just be your preference vs. mine (in terms of the bass drum sound). I’m trying to give the sort of constructive criticism I’d want. And I hope I don’t sound rude or like I’m bashing any of it, because that’s not my intent. If I thought it was shit I wouldn’t say anything at all.
Getting the drums to fit into the mix when you’re going for a lush/“shoegazey” sound can be a pain a lot of times. Maybe EQ them so they stand out a bit more in the mix instead of relying on compression for it?
I do have some questions though. What DAW are you using? I’m assuming it’s on a computer because the drums are programmed/plug-in, yeah? If so what drum plug-in are you using? What sort of guitar and effects? Do you mic them or go direct?
EDIT: Also, what the compression settings on the drums if you remember or have access to them?
thanks for the in-depth opinions.
as for the drum compression, i actually set out to have that death metal sound with the drums, so that made me laugh to read. haha. im working on sketches and ideas for the follow up, as well as playing around with the 8 b-sides for this album, and i will have to keep in mind that some people here want less of that punch/click sound on the drums. so thanks for that.
one of the problems i have with so many shoegaze bands is that kinda passive softness in so much of the music. i have been raised in hardcore and death bands, so when i want drums to really weigh heavy and add a vicious dimension to music, that is the way i am just inclined towards. but, i should push my boundaries a little more, so i will have to play with that.
and no man, you dont sound rude or like you are bashing it. and even if you were, whatever, its the internet. i was expecting a few choice people here to be cruel and dismissive. haha. the fact that you gave it a spin is kind enough of ya. if you DO download it though (for free mind you) you will get a chance to look through the liner notes which i think are fitting for the textures in the music.
now, as for your tech questions,
i used simple midi drum sets, sampled some of my own sounds, used a simple M-Audio keyboard as a trigger, and sequenced it all in (believe it or not) Garageband.
as for the guitar/bass, i used a combination of pedals i have collected over the years and then direct fed them into my computer (via a pretty nice USB lossless mixer) and built some extra levels with some reverb/echo effects i got through a digital pre-amp.
i dont remember the compression settings exactly on the drums, and the computer i use for music isnt next to me at the moment, but i do know that i modeled a lot of the tone/compression settings off some stuff i had read that a few bands im into do with their kits. thus the deathy sounds.
