49 replies to this topic

[Zalman]

I don't know. I rarely listen to the studio album because of the lack of bass. Well, I listened to Live/Die earlier, but still... It sounds so weak and empty without any bass.

[yep-sure]

I don't know. I rarely listen to the studio album because of the lack of bass. Well, I listened to Live/Die earlier, but still... It sounds so weak and empty without any bass.

Firstly, the production on Justice is far from weak and empty. The guitars are huge and full. DM sounds "weak and empty".

Secondly, To Live Is To Die is practically the only track on the album where the bass is clear.

[Breadfan Yeah]

The guitars are far from huge on any of their first 4 albums, I'd say.
I think he's referring to the bass frequencies though. Yeah you can hear Jason hitting the strings more on Live Die than the other tracks, but you still don't really feel the bass' presence.

[cman69]

Id say Lightning had the hugest guitars out of their first 4

[Breadfan Yeah]

Depends how you look at it. Kill, as with most debut albums, compared to their followups, had more clear and less constricted guitars, but Ride's had better tone and more body to em.

[cman69]

I think its cuz Ride sounds like it was recorded in a large space and the other instruments sorta support the huge sound. If the bass drums were louder and the bass a tad more clear id say it couldve been one of their best sounding albums.

[Breadfan Yeah]

If they were just audible I'd settle for that, like in FFWF. For some reason that's the only song where you can properly hear them when the rest of the instruments are playing.

[Banned101]

I can hear the bass when I listen to it in the car. It's more of a thumping sound, but it's there. Just not that present.

[Hate is A Table]

Bass drums sound fine... But that fucking snare irritates the hell outa me even more than St. Anger

[TheNewLarsUlrich]

Bass drum sound on AJFA made me want to become a better drummer after hearing it...shit is smokin!

[ksio.amaral89]

I can hear the bass when I listen to it in the car. It's more of a thumping sound, but it's there. Just not that present.

Damn, you're really skilled to hear any traces of bass in AJFA.I know most of Jason's bass lines used to just follow the guitar riffs(the mix volume didn't help either), and thus I can't distinguish absolutely anything of bass.I suggest you playing the And Justice For Jason "remaster" in your car,stereo whatever,it's really great to hear the bass lines,even if it was just a fan-made overdub.Better than not hearing at all!

[lightning master]

Damn, you're really skilled to hear any traces of bass in AJFA.I know most of Jason's bass lines used to just follow the guitar riffs(the mix volume didn't help either), and thus I can't distinguish absolutely anything of bass.I suggest you playing the And Justice For Jason "remaster" in your car,stereo whatever,it's really great to hear the bass lines,even if it was just a fan-made overdub.Better than not hearing at all!

There are edits out there for five of the songs with their original bass line takes audible though.

Edited by lightning master, Jun 26 12 - 05:19 PM.

[PhantomLordNYC]

The lack of bass (not just Jason's) is the problem with the sound on Justice. I mean the drums sound fine, but they could have used a little something something in the mix to give them the same kind of sound Ride and Master had. I mean they were produced by the same person. Maybe it's because they recorded it in a different place rather then in Sweeden like the last two.

It's all about ambiance and Justice just didn't have it.

On a side note, I remember someone somewhere saying about Load/Reload that Lars bass drums sounded like they were under water.

[Hate is A Table]

I listened to the master bass track for Justice, and his bass playing sounds pretty sloppy at parts, ESPECIALLY on Blackened.

[Breadfan Yeah]

All bass tracks sound sloppy by themselves. I used to think they actually were, but usually they'll mesh just fine when placed in context. If you listen to Cliff's tracks on Master, they sound messy as all hell by themselves, but don't stray off time or anything when with the other instruments.

Edited by Breadfan Yeah, Jun 27 12 - 07:06 AM.

[BMus1]

Or worse, Cliff's tracks from Kill Em All.

[Justiceharvester]

I read a interview with i think flemming where he said that cliff was never tight playing in the studio, he was a live player

Edited by Justiceharvester, Jun 27 12 - 10:08 PM.

[Wolfish]

^ I agree, context is eveything; that's why I tend to defend Metallica most of the time when they get shit based on their Livemetallica recordings, especially those form 2004 -- the voice and the instruments sometimes sort of felt isolated, one being more prominent than the rest; or others (kick drums) being inaudible.

[ksio.amaral89]

There are edits out there for five of the songs with their original bass line takes audible though.

What about the 1989-2004 music videos DVD?The songs(including) One were remixed in 5.1 surround mode,so I suppose the bass is more audible having 6 channels available?

[ksio.amaral89]

Or worse, Cliff's tracks from Kill Em All.

You'll burn in HELLFIRE for saying clive is not the BASS GOD!

Kidding,of course!

[-AndJusticeForAll-]

Part of the problem is also the lack of ambience. Apparently, James, Lars, and the guy who mixed it (apparently it wasn't Rassmussen) took out nearly all of the room mics, leaving only the close mics of the shells. This removes about all of the ambience and sustain to any of the drums. As for the kick itself, they used a trigger pad on the kick, along with what I'm assuming was a lot of high-end processing as well. This made the really clicky kick that became popular among a lot of drummers. The drums were supposed to sound more like MoP and RtL, but the guy who mixed it had a different idea than Rassmussen did.

[cman69]

Anyone think the way Mike Clink engineered the drums on Harvie and Straw sounds better than the rest of the album?

[majako73]

^
I can't tell any difference at all in the drum sound on those two songs.

[metallicavanbc]

What do you want them to sound like? Cowbells?

it's tha only cuah... fer my fevah

[Sebcore]

This will raise some eyebrows (I know because I've said it before) but ...And Justice For All is one of the best sounding albums of all time. (notice:IMO)

i agreee specially the drums!