The Enemy Inside Discussion Thread

[TL]

I'd like to see LaBrie higher in the mix. I've always compared DT in some extent to Rush. Obviously it's different in a three person trio, but I think both the vocals and the bass are too low in modern DT.

[wolven74]

I'm just happy to hear new energetic music from the band.

This

I don't care about all the technical jargon relating to production/mixing/mastering. It's a great song. I hear everything just fine. So it's louder than anything they've put out before. That's the way it should be. It's also heavier. I like the song a lot. It gets me pumped and in a good mood whenever I hear it. That's what I need music to do. This is great for that.

[theanalogkid7]

I've listend to the tune countless times now, in many different environments on many different sources.  While the song itself is killer, it kills me that they just bricked it like they did.  Sure, older stuff of theirs has been smashed, but at least there were times for the music to breath a bit, but this just kills me.

They keep calling this their best work to date, and that may be the case for the music as it was written.  Right now, though, it sounds like it's the Mona Lisa in a horribly gaudy frame.... if that analogy makes sense.  I'm excited to hear the rest of the album, and to hear/have a physical, non-compressed version of the music.  Here's hoping good things come of it.

EDIT:
Now THIS is beautiful, both visually and sonically.

Peter Gabriel's Red Rain.

I realize this isn't the forum to discuss essentially what's wrong with recorded music on the whole right now, so I'll leave it at that.

[Syzzle]

I'm so glad none of this Mixing/Production crap bothers me at all when listening to music.

[The Boomr]

I'm so glad none of this Mixing/Production crap bothers me at all when listening to music.

Jelly. Jelly I am.

[YtseCullen]

I'm so glad none of this Mixing/Production crap bothers me at all when listening to music.

Pretty much this

[energythief]

I'm so glad none of this Mixing/Production crap bothers me at all when listening to music.

Pretty much this

Agreed. I hear nothing, thank god.

[TheGreatPretender]

I'm so glad none of this Mixing/Production crap bothers me at all when listening to music.

Pretty much this

Agreed. I hear nothing, thank god.

Same here. I do hear it, but it doesn't bother me one bit.

[Kotowboy]

Same. It would bother me if the album sounded as bad as Death Magnetic - but that's not going to happen.

I like good quality audio as much as the next person - and more-so than the average joe - but unless something is clipped to all buggery -

it doesn't really bother me.

[TheGreatPretender]

I mainly just care about how polished it is. As long as it doesn't sound like wet fart demo quality, I'll enjoy it.

[?]

It would bother me if the album sounded as bad as Death Magnetic - but that's not going to happen.

I like good quality audio as much as the next person - and more-so than the average joe - but unless something is clipped to all buggery -

it doesn't really bother me.

This.

[wasteland]

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

[Kotowboy]

I mainly just care about how polished it is. As long as it doesn't sound like wet fart demo quality, I'll enjoy it.

I've found that albums these days don't sound as "wide" as they used to and sound a lot more boxy overall.

Someone may be able to explain it better than me but - due to everything being compressed to be as loud as possible and every instrument

fighting for headroom?

[Kotowboy]

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

I don't want to get into a pointless " Herpdy Derp Metallica died with Cliff Burton - the best bassist who ever lived  " debate

[TheGreatPretender]

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

Lol?

[aprilethereal]

So it's louder than anything they've put out before. That's the way it should be.

Why?

Same. It would bother me if the album sounded as bad as Death Magnetic - but that's not going to happen.

I like good quality audio as much as the next person - and more-so than the average joe - but unless something is clipped to all buggery -

it doesn't really bother me.

Agreed.

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

It's the most horribly loud, compressed and clipping album I have ever heard, to the point where I can't even listen to it. And I'm far from being an audiophile.

[TheGreatPretender]

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

It's the most horribly loud, compressed and clipping album I have ever heard, to the point where I can't even listen to it. And I'm far from being an audiophile.

Yeah, but I wouldn't be bothered by an album's sound, if I listened to it 0 times. 

[?]

What's so bad about Death Magnetic? I listened to it 0 times and was never bothered by its sound. 

I don't want to get into a pointless " Herpdy Derp Metallica died with Cliff Burton - the best bassist who ever lived  " debate

He isn't a Metallica fan at all

[PixelDream]

I've listend to the tune countless times now, in many different environments on many different sources.  While the song itself is killer, it kills me that they just bricked it like they did.  Sure, older stuff of theirs has been smashed, but at least there were times for the music to breath a bit, but this just kills me.

They keep calling this their best work to date, and that may be the case for the music as it was written.  Right now, though, it sounds like it's the Mona Lisa in a horribly gaudy frame.... if that analogy makes sense.  I'm excited to hear the rest of the album, and to hear/have a physical, non-compressed version of the music.  Here's hoping good things come of it.

EDIT:
Now THIS is beautiful, both visually and sonically.

Peter Gabriel's Red Rain.

I realize this isn't the forum to discuss essentially what's wrong with recorded music on the whole right now, so I'll leave it at that.

I thought the waveform would look something like that when I first heard the song. I've listened to TEI maybe three times now, not because I don't like the song that much, but because of ear fatigue after listening. It's not attractive to listen to and it sounds like shit. And that has NOTHING to do with the music contained, but EVERYTHING to do with how it's been mastered. What a shame. 

[aurorablind]

What i don´t understand is this little snippet from a review of the listening-party:
"The mixing and mastering are worth nothing, as well, for their superiority and for not succumbing much to the modish "loudness war""

From: https://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/07/dream_theater_listening_party.php?page=2

Did this woman listen to the same CD as noxon got? It sounds strange.. 

[hefdaddy42]

I would just like to say that Red Rain is a fantastic, and fantastic-sounding, song.

[MoraWintersoul]

It would bother me if the album sounded as bad as Death Magnetic - but that's not going to happen.

I like good quality audio as much as the next person - and more-so than the average joe - but unless something is clipped to all buggery -

it doesn't really bother me.

[aprilethereal]

I would just like to say that Red Rain is a fantastic, and fantastic-sounding, song.

yep

[Metabog]

What i don´t understand is this little snippet from a review of the listening-party:
"The mixing and mastering are worth nothing, as well, for their superiority and for not succumbing much to the modish "loudness war""

From: https://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/07/dream_theater_listening_party.php?page=2

Did this woman listen to the same CD as noxon got? It sounds strange.. 

I get the feeling some people don't really understand what compression sounds like and they only shout 'loudness war!' when they hear other people shouting it, to sound smart.

[MoraWintersoul]

Or maybe it sounded good to her.

I mean, just a thought

[snapple]

I would just like to say that Red Rain is a fantastic, and fantastic-sounding, song.

The whole album, man.

[snapple]

This song is aggressive. I think the mix is just fine for that.

[hefdaddy42]

I would just like to say that Red Rain is a fantastic, and fantastic-sounding, song.

The whole album, man.

Oh, I agree with that.  Just commenting on the referenced song.

[noxon]

What i don´t understand is this little snippet from a review of the listening-party:
"The mixing and mastering are worth nothing, as well, for their superiority and for not succumbing much to the modish "loudness war""

From: https://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/07/dream_theater_listening_party.php?page=2

Did this woman listen to the same CD as noxon got? It sounds strange.. 

I think the fact that people in here have noticed the dynamic range compression on The Enemy Inside speaks for itself with regards to the loudness of the album (they're not going to master one song louder than the rest, so you can very well assume that the rest are mastered just as loud).

You also have to consider that the listening party was a very strictly controlled environment constructed to make the cd sound as good as possible.

[ariich]

You also have to consider that the listening party was a very strictly controlled environment constructed to make the cd sound as good as possible.

What this says to me is: it can sound good depending on the systems and settings that are being used.

Just like anything else. As I've said, I can hear everything perfectly clearly on TEI. I haven't done anything to change my settings, so maybe by chance it so happens that the way my sound system is set up suits the way the song is produced. Likewise, plenty of system set ups won't suit other production styles.

[j]

Listened to it a second time.  Liked it better than on first listen, although I still find it very formulaic.  Drums sound like crap (not the playing, but the actual sound).  Pretty catchy song though, not bad.

-J

[Kotowboy]

I was blown away that we've finally got Mangini playing on a DT record and the drums sound like MP era drums.

And the actual audio sounds fine to me. Yes its loud but it's not painful or horribly distorted so i can live with it.

[theanalogkid7]

I was blown away that we've finally got Mangini playing on a DT record and the drums sound like MP era drums.

And the actual audio sounds fine to me. Yes its loud but it's not painful or horribly distorted so i can live with it.

Hearing MM play, and play parts he's written, is an absolute treat. I think that might be the highlight of this song for me - perhaps even the album.

As far as the sound is concerned, I just wish the instruments/vocals all had room to breathe. I can't hear the individual parts as much as I'd like. Perhaps that's a personal preference. All that to say, though, the song is still majorly awesome and I think this might be one of DT's best albums.

[dongringo]

I agree it's 'loud', but it sounds like a pristine piece of sonic paradise compared to the new Queensryche.

[Kotowboy]

I agree it's 'loud', but it sounds like a pristine piece of sonic paradise compared to the new Queensryche.

And also to albums like Death Magnetic, The Blackening and 13