The Enemy Inside Discussion Thread

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I usually don't like when DT goes too heavy but this was pretty bad-ass! Heavy but yet with alot of prog elements, just what I like in a good prog metal tune.

Sounds like Symphony X in a few places (2:30) and wait did I just hear a power metal groove from MM (2:46).

I don't know why people care about the production so much, as long as the song is good I usually don't care about stuff like that , unless it's something completly fucked up of course. If JLB is a little low or MMs snare sounds muffy or what ever I could not care less because in the end that's all about taste and preference and a million other reasons that I don't know about.

Overall i'm very happy with the song which I didn't think I would when I heard it was a heavy one.

I give this:  out of 5.

Great points man. Thanks for the Symphony X observation...definitely reminds me of the snare/guitar chug riff from Set The World On Fire (in a good way).

As for your view on production, I totally agree. I think, with mixes, a lot of people hone in to one element too much and forget about the big picture. Like you said, unless the mix is just totally messed up, as would be the case with many amateur engineers, I think people seem to nitpick mixes too much sometimes.

With a band like DT, where there are SO many elements fighting one another (insanely large drum kit, constant piano/pad/synth/midi orchestral sounds, sometimes live orchestra, thick rhythm guitar sections, lead guitar, vocals, midi percussive elements/live percussive elements, etc.), I think they have been doing a great job lately. I mean I still prefer their older mixes (I&W, Awake) to their newer ones, but times have changed and they have adapted well.

Thanks man and yes there's so many things to balance that it's a nightmare to mix for everyone's taste.

[MarkFitDT]

So many mixed reactions...

So many mixed preferences and so many mixed expectations. It's just what happens.

you are spot on there mate - some many people wanting different things there was never going to be any doubt some people wouldnt like it. Im like you, love metal and prog and I love this and like you I love the verses and chorus! 

[Nearmyth]

I really like it. It's a good opening track for the album (not counting FAS). Hopefully it is meant to be the "commercially accessible" song of the album, because that's what this song is. I guess that's why it's the single though.
Damn does it start with a punch, this will be a nice follow up to FAS. The intro reminds me of Panic Attack and Bridges In The Sky a bit. Not quite sure about the main riff yet (after the intro) but it'll grow on me. Catchy chorus, post-chorus is nice too (Jordan shines here). The instrumental section is the highlight of the song for me.
I was hoping it wouldn't be structured like V/C/V/C/B/C, but for this song it's good enough that I don't care. Also glad it isn't another Forsaken or Wither.
Also on the mix, the mix isn't bad, but I see why some people are disliking it. I don't mind the drum sound, though it does sound a little triggered. But like most of the songs on ADTOE, I feel like this will absolutely kill when played live.
Only going to listen to it once or twice until the album release, but I like it. Looking forward to the rest of the album

[Dimitrius]

Not bad, but I hope the sound of this song isn't indicative of the production for the whole album, sonically speaking.

[goo-goo]

Is the single going up for download soon (Itunes, Amazon, Roadrunner free download?)?

[Viking of the Sagas]

I didn't enjoy the melody that much, and I don't have enough knowledge to appreciate the finer rhythmical stuff Mangini put in there. So average/good.

[MarkFitDT]

Is the single going up for download soon (Itunes, Amazon, Roadrunner free download?)?

Amazon UK has it for sale from tomorrow so I presume it will be the same elsewhere.

[Ħ]

@H: He got an early copy of the album.

I sure hope not, based on his complaints about the mix.

noxon has been on the main thread talking about his review for weeks now.  Yes, he has an advance copy. 

Well crap, hopefully the mix isn't actually as bad as he makes it out to be.

You have the link to the song. Judge the mix for yourself.

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

[Jaffa]

I don't have enough knowledge to appreciate the finer rhythmical stuff Mangini put in there.

This is true for me as well, but I still feel like Mangini's pretty nuts on this song. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

Well, if it sounds good to you, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

[goo-goo]

Is the single going up for download soon (Itunes, Amazon, Roadrunner free download?)?

Amazon UK has it for sale from tomorrow so I presume it will be the same elsewhere.

Excellent. Thanks for the reply!

[farsight]

This track was a difficult one for me. I think the mix is too compressed, too loud, and there's generally too much going on the audio that often overshadowed -the music- for me.

Geez, so the song really is  that compressed? So the stream is decent then? Encoding music to 128 kbps can produce compression and high frequency artifacts, but it won't turn a sufficiently dynamic track into Death Magnetic either.

[LCArenas]

So many mixed reactions...

So many mixed preferences and so many mixed expectations. It's just what happens.

The reactions of OTBOA were similar, albeit a little bit better: maybe it's because ADToE had a much bigger set of expectations by everyone since MP and his influence on the band's sound leaving and the fact that people started to get tired of DT after BC&SL. We wanted it to be good.

[BlobVanDam]

@H: He got an early copy of the album.

I sure hope not, based on his complaints about the mix.

noxon has been on the main thread talking about his review for weeks now.  Yes, he has an advance copy. 

Well crap, hopefully the mix isn't actually as bad as he makes it out to be.

You have the link to the song. Judge the mix for yourself.

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

If you're not good at judging a mix, does it matter so much whether it's considered bad or good? All that matters is whether it sounds fine to you.

Ninja'd by the Ninja

[Ħ]

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

Well, if it sounds good to you, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

It sounds weird, but I'd not sure how to describe it. I lack the finesse for detail. I don't know how to tell if it's the mix or the compression that is causing problems.

[Super Dude]

Wow, Genie. He really is an animal. I'm...I can't believe it - I'm fangirling all over this song.

[tofee35]

Me likey

[FracturedMirror]

Quick first impressions:

Lyrically the theme seems very similar to Panic Attack.  Anxiety/panic attacks as the topic of the song.

Vocals sound very Megadethy at the start to me, like a Cryptic Writings era Mustaine. 

Guitar and keyboard bit around the 5:00 mark doesn't fit well, in my opinion.

Decent enough song, but it leaves me somewhat underwhelmed initially.

[adamack]

Anyone know if DT plans to make a video for this song?

As it usually goes, a percentage of the people who either do not like this song or think it is average will probably like it more if a solid video is made to paint a visual picture.

I've also seemed to notice that I like the singles more once the album comes out, and I put precedent on the other songs. Then, I will revisit the first song and grow a further appreciation for it.

Good example...I listened to OtBoA yesterday, after having left it alone for a longgg time...and it sounded more magical than ever.

TEI Rating:

7/10 for a DT song
8.6/10 rated against all other music aside from DT

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Ninja'd by the Ninja

FINALLY

[MarkFitDT]

@H: He got an early copy of the album.

I sure hope not, based on his complaints about the mix.

noxon has been on the main thread talking about his review for weeks now.  Yes, he has an advance copy. 

Well crap, hopefully the mix isn't actually as bad as he makes it out to be.

You have the link to the song. Judge the mix for yourself.

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

If you're not good at judging a mix, does it matter so much whether it's considered bad or good? All that matters is whether it sounds fine to you.

Ninja'd by the Ninja

agreed, all this techno stuff goes over my head too - and sometimes I am glad it does when it gets analysed so much - its whether it sounds good to you or not that is important. Same with the music itself!

[noxon]

Are you able to say how this track ranks on the album? And how heavy it is in relation to the rest.

Pretty sure I won't be killed if I say that it's my least fav track on the album. As to it's heaviness - can't reveal that yet.

[glaurung]

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

Well, if it sounds good to you, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

It sounds weird, but I'd not sure how to describe it. I lack the finesse for detail. I don't know how to tell if it's the mix or the compression that is causing problems.

Compression is a part of the production. So if it's causing you problems then maybe that's a bad sign.

[BFRedrocks]

I need to stop listening. I don't want to be fed up with the song when the album finally drops. I almost did that to OTBOA.

Exactly!  3 listens and it still kicks ass, but I don't want to fall into the OTBOA and RoP syndrome where I listened to the single so much that I had to skip it when the album came out.

[BlobVanDam]

Ninja'd by the Ninja

FINALLY

You should be honoured. I even had to deviate from my signature "Myung'd".

[Jaffa]

Pretty sure I won't be killed if I say that it's my least fav track on the album.

...

I didn't think one person's opinion could generate as much hype for me as this just did.

[Ħ]

I'm not a good mix-judger. Plus the compression makes it hard to tell.

Well, if it sounds good to you, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

It sounds weird, but I'd not sure how to describe it. I lack the finesse for detail. I don't know how to tell if it's the mix or the compression that is causing problems.

Compression is a part of the production. So if it's causing you problems then maybe that's a bad sign.

What about compression caused by the bad stream? On the CD, I take it the mix is the same but the compression might be better.

[GasparXR]

Although I enjoy the song so far (2 listens), Haken's new song Pareidolia may be the winner. That being said, I did expect a more accessible song, being the single of the album, and that's what I got! Some cool seven-string riffage, and the chorus is pretty powerful. The instrumental section was a bit unexpected I must add. In terms of vocals, I didn't think they were exceptionally great, but JLB sounds better on this so far than he did on ADTOE in terms of his tooone. His final note was superb though.

[adamack]

Are you able to say how this track ranks on the album? And how heavy it is in relation to the rest.

Pretty sure I won't be killed if I say that it's my least fav track on the album. As to it's heaviness - can't reveal that yet.

Best thing I've heard since I woke up. If that is the general consensus, then we have a potential classic on hand. 

[adastra]

reminded me of Symphony X a little bit :3   

[MarkFitDT]

I love that big fat guitar riff just before 1.00 in 

[theanalogkid7]

Regarding how the tune sounds, I hope everyone realizes that we are listening to an internet stream via soundcloud.  I'm sure they just put up a 128kbps to keep the servers from being overloaded.

That said, this song freakin rocks. 

[Kotowboy]

The Soundcloud has gone offline for me. . .

I should be able to purchase the single at midnight though from Amazon.


Anyway - The best thing about The Enemy Inside : Massive fucking drums.

We spoke. They listened.

[Freko]

only complaint. at 3.41 they are doing the same old melody from .... (can´t remember now  )

edit: well more like 3.36

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Are you able to say how this track ranks on the album? And how heavy it is in relation to the rest.

Pretty sure I won't be killed if I say that it's my least fav track on the album. As to it's heaviness - can't reveal that yet.

You sure know how to tickle DTF on the right spot! Excellent!