Great Records with $#@% Production

I was listening to Bruce Dickinson's "Chemical Wedding" earlier today and I was struck both by how AWESOME a record it is and also how much it sounds like a high end demo rather than a finished record by a professional musician. The drums are thin and barely there, the guitars are mush and somehow even Bruce ends up feeling low in the mix because of the audio mush.

Are there any other records (metal or otherwise) that have amazing material in them but could have used someone awake at the mixing desk during recording? I know I've seen a lot of people on here singling out King Diamond's "Them" album for its thin production, so I'm thinking along those lines - good material with garbage presentation.

This kind of thing never used to bother me, I think I'm turning into one of those gross audiophiles.

Early Destruction
Early Razor
Cryptic Slaughter- Stream of Consciousness
Defiance- Void Terra Firma
Nevermore- Enemies of Reality
Metallica- Death Magnetic
Testament- The New Order
Devastation- Violent Termination

I was tempted to list a bunch of black metal bands, but god-awful production is usually mandatory in that genre.

Trouble - Manic Frustration. One of the worst-sounding albums of the entire decade of the 90s, a shame too, cause it has some killer material on it.

Run To The Light is pretty bad too...though part of the blame there is the terrible f**king drummer.

Born Again
Forbidden

The only two Sabbath album I can think of that have production values that make the albums almost unlistenable. Granted Never Say Die sounds a little thin - but I find this adds to the atmosphere of the album.

The Eternal Idol is way too polished and 80s "sizzly" in the high end. I bought it on LP because that tones down the highs and makes it a little warmer sounding. Compare to the pre-final-mix version with Ray Gillen which is much punchier and rawer.

I've never been a fan of Sabbath's production to begin with. The guitars sound kind of thin and weedy and they just layered them a few (too few) times to compensate. There's not really any low end to speak of on those records. Even Geezer's bass on the early records is pretty trebly.

Just my sense of it. I still dig the songs and some of those records are great, but the early Sabbath stuff in particular never did it for me sonically.

Contrast their version of War Pigs vs. the Faith No More version that didn't really play with the arrangement any. Yes, I know - 20 years, Mike Patton sucks, etc.

I disagree on Sabbath.  The debut album thru Sabbath Bloody Sabbath are just phenomenal records sonically.  There is no thicker, heavier guitar tone than Iommi on the planet during this era.  Rhythm sections beautifully recorded as well.  I would still take the guitar sound on Master Of Reality or Volume 4 over ANYTHING from the 1980s.  

The thinner guitar sounds start working in during the run from Sabotage thru Never Say Die and the overall recording quality of those last 3 records of the 70s aren't nearly as good as the earlier records.

Recording quality and instrumental sounds were much improved on the Heaven And Hell album.

Well I do not think that Sabbath are that well known for their production values except on albums like Sabotage and Heaven and Hell were the sound of the album s were greatly improved IMHO.Master of Reality and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath also are well produced especially the latter. I do think the less than stellar production of the debut and Paranoid adds to the charm. I tend to like some treble with my bass so maybe I am biased.

S.D. wrote:

There is no thicker, heavier guitar tone than Iommi on the planet during this era.  Rhythm sections beautifully recorded as well.  I would still take the guitar sound on Master Of Reality or Volume 4 over ANYTHING from the 1980s.

Totally agree with this especially the comment on the 80s guitar.

The debut Sabbath album is actually one of my favorite sounding records of all-time. Why? Because it was basically recorded live-in-the-studio, with only a few basic overdubs. The entire recording completed in 8 hours. The instrumental sounds on that record are fantastic and because it was so bare bones it doesn't date at all. It just sounds 100% authentic and really shows off the interplay between the band.

The debut Sabbath album is my favorite first from any artist. If we are talking Metal it is definitely the top of the scrap heap of debuts - even better than Appetite For Destruction.

I have this issue with every Blue Oyster Cult album except "Mirrors".  For some reason they all sound muddy and murky to me.  I love the "Imaginos" album but I rarely listen to it because A) the whole thing sounds like it was recorded live in a barn and B) I have to crank the volume up at least 2 notches higher than normal because of the poor mix.  Then if I forget to turn the volume back down when I'm done, I blow my ear drums up when I start listening to something else.

tohostudios wrote:

I have this issue with every Blue Oyster Cult album except "Mirrors".  For some reason they all sound muddy and murky to me.  I love the "Imaginos" album but I rarely listen to it because A) the whole thing sounds like it was recorded live in a barn and B) I have to crank the volume up at least 2 notches higher than normal because of the poor mix.  Then if I forget to turn the volume back down when I'm done, I blow my ear drums up when I start listening to something else.

That volume issue has more to do with the mastering than the mix in that case...though everything about that album is shabby.

I like the sound of their first 3 albums the best (also I prefer them stylistically).

The first three BOC and the live album On Your Feet Or On Your Knees are the best stuff they have done.

I love Megadeth's Killing Is My Business but the production sucks - although, that might actually add to the overall mystique and charm of the album.

Savatage's "Hall of the Mountain King"
Dokken's "Tooth & Nail"
Kix's "Blow My Fuse"
Twisted Sister's  "Stay Hungry"

...all have the same thin, dry-as-dust production.. Back in the day, I chalked their sub par sound quality up to my well worn cassette copies, which I'd played hundreds of times over the years. When I finally upgraded them to CD though, I was like, "Wait a minute, you mean they were actually supposed to sound like that?"

Witchfinder wrote:

I love Megadeth's Killing Is My Business but the production sucks - although, that might actually add to the overall mystique and charm of the album.

Legend has it that Megadeth only had a $5000 budget for that record, and half of that went up the band members' noses, so with that in mind its amazing that the album came out as well as it did.

First that comes to mind:



I'm used to it now, but it was so disappointing when it came out. According to John Perez, when they were finished recording and left the studio, it crushed! Super-heavy sound, you know. Then someone f*cked it all up. Sadly, Pavement wants a ridiculous amount of money to release the masters. Worse, the 2008 remaster sounds even shittier.

Kick-ass album, though.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Savatage's "Hall of the Mountain King"
Dokken's "Tooth & Nail"
Kix's "Blow My Fuse"
Twisted Sister's  "Stay Hungry"

...all have the same thin, dry-as-dust production.. Back in the day, I chalked their sub par sound quality up to my well worn cassette copies, which I'd played hundreds of times over the years. When I finally upgraded them to CD though, I was like, "Wait a minute, you mean they were actually supposed to sound like that?"

Yes, those all suck. Hall Of The Mountain King sounds like you've got cotton balls stuffed in your ears.

Witchfinder wrote:

I love Megadeth's Killing Is My Business but the production sucks - although, that might actually add to the overall mystique and charm of the album.

Nah it just sucks! That's what happens when you spend your recording budget on heroin kids.

I think this is the one Megadeth album that sounded better with the CD remaster.

DakotaRogers wrote:

Nevermore- Enemies of Reality

All the drama following this one really annoyed me. Kelly Gray got screwed. I think the original, dirtier mix sounds great and suits the songs very well. I don't mind the remixed reissue, but it was totally unnecessary and it's a shame the band buckled to lame fans and reviewers who whined about the different production style.

Here's another.



And it's my favorite Helstar album. =(

Classic USPM and underground thrash have a knack for poor production values, yet still kicked ass regardless.

I know I always mention this one, but Cyclone's Inferior to None makes AM radio sound beautiful. But it just happens to be one of the strongest thrash releases out there.

Eyesore wrote:

Here's another.



And it's my favorite Helstar album. =(

You're the first person I've ever heard say that.

Required Fields wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Here's another.



And it's my favorite Helstar album. =(

You're the first person I've ever heard say that.

Which part, that the production is poopy or that it's my favorite? Haha.