AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

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Crumbso
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Crumbso »

Yeah it's cool.



Pros:
- Interesting chords in the chorus
- Great singing by Myles, it uses his range very nicely
- Nice sentiment
- Love the bridge loud-quiet-loud-quiet thing

Cons:
- Too damn rushed and crowded. This song needed to breathe
- Can't hear a damn thing the guitars are doing (all treble and no mids, too loud in the extreme)
- The solo at the end feels out-of-place for me, despite it's nice eastern scale use.

I'm sure it'll bed in nicely but I have preferred all the others to this one so far. Just my initial reactions. Still I have some good aspirations for this album and I look forward to it.
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WaywardOne
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by WaywardOne »

Again, so torn... Great song, feels so similar to This Side Of Fate though. The bridge starts off sounding amazing and then the synths/beeps/whatever sound like 8-bit nonsense. Both solos also start amazing and then are a let down. Still going to listen and enjoy this one because I'm just loving the lyrics and themes so much (myself from 10 years ago would never believe I just said that :lol).

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Sugar Blade
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Sugar Blade »

This song I can refer to as «vintage Alter Bridge» and this song I immediately started again after first listen. First four singles are so generic to me that I honestly can't differentiate between them, this one brought me goosebumps twice during the first listen which happens almost never when I listen to music. It has some new stuff and definetely a lot of Alter Bridge elements that we all know and love.

This song has it's own distinctive face/sound/whatever. I clearly hear some of the old Opeth influences (crazy and sinister chord progressions a few times, distinctive valsing pulse which AB made their own during their journey). Detuned guitar at the beginning honestly caught me off guard - AB never sounded like this. They should definetely experiment more with sound design. I don't have anything against their post-grunge roots, some sonic surprises here and there are always welcome.

While reading this forum, I read a few times that The Last Hero and it's infamous mixing reminded some people of humming of the bees. I'm happy to say that the primary hook of the song sounds exactly like swarm of aggressive humming bees penetrating through... Something. It's quite interesting and reminded me of very distinctive sounding Bleed it Dry and The Other Side riffs. New interesting sounds is something that previous singles totally lacked of.

But I must agree that this song should be longer. I would be happiest person in the world if they would make it 10-minutes piece with longer instrumental parts and longer quiet parts for juicier build-ups. And mixing... Whoever responsible for this, seriously - stop. This can't continue. Next time hire some absurdly perfectionistic audiophile who would kick anyone at the studio who would say "but we need to sound like 192 kbit/s recording ripped from the radio broadcast so we can be marketed as generic nu-metal band!" - this song works as is, but it would work even better with some well-deserved air and dynamics. Also, I'm still not buying synth stuff, it doesn't add much to the songs. I'm not saying that they need mellotron or overdriven hammond C3 organ, but... They absolutely need mellotron and overdriven hammond c3 organ. Or something retro, but not synth-wave retro.

For those who will be waiting for the album release, this song sounds like This Side of Fate + All Hope is Gone + Water Rising + As The Silence Becomes Me from A Dying Machine to me. There is absolutely zero cringy stadium rock that they are still trying to do for some reason and it's a showcase that AB still got it.

Honestly, this song gives me cautious hope for the rest of the album.

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AB23
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by AB23 »

I don't understand what is preventing this band from having a 24-hour long album
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gregslobos
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by gregslobos »

Good song for sure. Definitely a lot more of a religious song than I would expect from them though.

LosingPatience
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by LosingPatience »

So my concerns from this album. Everything feels super safe including the supposed epic. The bridges if you can call them that are half baked more a tease than a bridge. The solo's also half baked Mark's solo in this doesnt even seem to fit, like at all. Myles sounds bored no passion in these songs whatsoever.

What i like, Myles using a lower register more often. They have nailed all the intro's imo .

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

LosingPatience wrote:So my concerns from this album. Everything feels super safe including the supposed epic. The bridges if you can call them that are half baked more a tease than a bridge. The solo's also half baked Mark's solo in this doesnt even seem to fit, like at all. Myles sounds bored no passion in these songs whatsoever.

What i like, Myles using a lower register more often. They have nailed all the intro's imo .
Man if you don't even like this one very much, I just don't think you're going to like this album man. Crazy how differently people see things. I thought this was Mark's best solo since Fortress (the album) came out. Yeah it takes a couple listens to feel it out, but I think it absolutely fits, and I love how it has a middle eastern vibe, when the rest of the song doesn't. That would be safe in Show Me A Sign, but I think it's daring in this track.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by DCooper727 »

So, I love the solo at the end, but I have to agree with LosingPatience. It does feel super safe. In no way does this compare to previous epics, and ffs, where are the bridges on this album? Also, Myles' solo was like 6 bends and that was it. It really does feel like they just played everything real safe on the album since they said they had no time to write together. This was a better effort than the other 4 singles, but they really could have done more with it than they did. Was just standard song structure for them and that was it.

Edit: Was thinking about this on my drive home having heard the song. So far these 5 tracks have felt very...phoned in. Like their creativity just isn't there so far, and I don't get it. I saw this criticism with the new Tool, and I feel like it applies here: These tracks sound like Alter Bridge covering Alter Bridge.

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AB4Lyfe
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by AB4Lyfe »

I loved it. There is a part I think was rushed (like damn, Myles could have made that solo longer). Otherwise; fantastic melody, interesting musicality, and I love the dark/moody vibe to it.
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riemslag1
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by riemslag1 »

I like this last track far better than the previous 4.
So a little relieved about that.
Finally a song I'm sure about not skipping while playing the album.
Still not anywhere near the quality they made before and can make.
Hope the rest of the album will be sounding more like Dying Light though.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by LosingPatience »

DCooper727 wrote:So, I love the solo at the end, but I have to agree with LosingPatience. It does feel super safe. In no way does this compare to previous epics, and ffs, where are the bridges on this album? Also, Myles' solo was like 6 bends and that was it. It really does feel like they just played everything real safe on the album since they said they had no time to write together. This was a better effort than the other 4 singles, but they really could have done more with it than they did. Was just standard song structure for them and that was it.

Edit: Was thinking about this on my drive home having heard the song. So far these 5 tracks have felt very...phoned in. Like their creativity just isn't there so far, and I don't get it. I saw this criticism with the new Tool, and I feel like it applies here: These tracks sound like Alter Bridge covering Alter Bridge.


Worst part is when the bridge started i was thinking ok this is cool and then its over.....similar to Take The Crown. Myles solo if you can call it that is like the In The Deep one a 10 second noodle. Im only hard on these guys coz they're talented af but im not hearing it on this album. As for Mark solo's his one on Cradle was way better jmo of course. Compare these solo's to Myles solo on TSOF its night and day. If this is the result of Elvis pushing them to be better id hate to see it if they werent pushed. Im guessing im feeling the way many of you were about The Last Hero. I personally loved it, but i know many here didnt. Thats how im feeling with this so far. In fact the best song ive heard from this album so far in One Life.....the intro. As far as this album goes for me All Hope Is Gone

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Blackbirddd
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Blackbirddd »

Well, for me I'm LOVING 3 of the 6 songs we already know, One Life, Pay No Mind and now Dying Light, so my hopes are alive

riemslag1
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by riemslag1 »

I think you described that spot-on, the part of how you are experiencing these songs the same way of how some of us felt about TLH.
For me personally the new tracks are a little better than how I felt about TLH, but I fear both albums for me are at the bottom of their catalogue.
Still far superior to a lot of music coming out today, but this could have been so much better.......................

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anguyen92
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

All right, the track is out on Spotify in the West Coast. When I heard the track at the Listening Party, I thought it was a good song, but I liked stuff like Native Son, Forever Falling, Clear Horizon, and Walking on the Sky over this. Then again, after standing for like 5 hours straight and getting through the hour listening to the album, at that point when Dying Light is played, I was more focused on trying to get my feet moving so it doesn't get sore from standing still than really paying attention to the song. Now I have the luxury of listening to it on my earbuds rather than house speakers so I can pay a little more attention to various details, so I can properly lay out my thoughts on the song.

One. I do like that classical influence in the instrumentals in the verses. I just don't know what the composition or the composer that it reminds me of. It's a really familiar sounding tune. The name just escapes me.

Two. I do agree that they have rushed this 5:30+ minute track (I can't believe this can be something that did happen for a track this length). I would have liked if they would have played more with the twists and turns in the instrumental parts of the bridge rather than go outright to the verse immediately (and I know that they did not do that much in the album).

Also, I think in the pre-chorus reminds me of Dust (the song). The loud-quiet-loud-quiet part in the bridge was good as well.

Overall, this is a good track and I don't think it's really a carbon copy AB song and I know it doesn't really matches the more well-known epics of the band. I think if the structure doesn't feel as disjointed when we got to the bridge onwards, it might have gotten there. The ending of the song really felt like it was closing the album so that's another good sign.

I'm happy with the songs we got here so far in the pre-album release. I can't wait to rehear the album again so that my confirmations of the songs I really liked at the album listening party was indeed the case.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by riemslag1 »

Since I liked the last prereleased track the most and in the previous post I read some other tracks were received as better at the LP, I'm getting my hopes up for the new album.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by DCooper727 »

LosingPatience wrote: Worst part is when the bridge started i was thinking ok this is cool and then its over.....similar to Take The Crown. Myles solo if you can call it that is like the In The Deep one a 10 second noodle. Im only hard on these guys coz they're talented af but im not hearing it on this album. As for Mark solo's his one on Cradle was way better jmo of course. Compare these solo's to Myles solo on TSOF its night and day. If this is the result of Elvis pushing them to be better id hate to see it if they werent pushed. Im guessing im feeling the way many of you were about The Last Hero. I personally loved it, but i know many here didnt. Thats how im feeling with this so far. In fact the best song ive heard from this album so far in One Life.....the intro. As far as this album goes for me All Hope Is Gone

Yeah this is exactly what I'm talking about. Everything is so... "eh" compared to their prior work. If anyone here can honestly say these 5 tracks are on par with the other albums, I'd be dumbfounded. I'm really, really hoping the other 8 tracks impress (I say 8 cause One Life is like a minute long), otherwise this will be under TLH as worst AB album for me.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by DarkKnight12 »

For me Wouldn’t you rather is not worst than some other similar type songs on other their other album. And Pay no Mind is one of my favorite “banger” song of theirs. I would rank it as high as Island of fools.

I haven’t listened to dying light but the general opinion is that it’s great sooo... I believe this album will be great :)
Last edited by DarkKnight12 on Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

So I've only heard this through my phone speaker and car speakers, and I just got a chance to listen in head phones and idc what anyone says, this song is incredible. All those intricacies you have to listen for that really add to the mood and melody. If you really listen to the patterns in Mark's solo. That's one of the best solos he has done in a couple projects imo. I love it.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

Well, people have that opinion to say that these 5 tracks can be on par with their other albums, and it's ok to say that. If people don't feel that, then that's all right. 6 albums deep and this band is at that point where they just want to churn out songs and see where it goes and that's just going to be the reality of the band moving forward as they get older.
Last edited by anguyen92 on Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

DCooper727
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by DCooper727 »

DarkKnight12 wrote:For me Wouldn’t you rather is not worst than some other similar type songs on other their other album. And Pay no Mind is one of my favorite “banger” song of theirs. I would rank it as high as Island of fools.
Hard disagree on WYR, but I do absolutely love Pay No Mind. I don't know why I included it in my post. Since you bring up Island of Fools, as that's a very good example of the instrumentation I love from them, I don't feel any one of these songs are at that level. I love when they get very complex on their instruments and so far none of them really have been, at least to me. I'm hoping Indoctrination is as insane as people are saying it is so that I'll at least have one ripping track.
anguyen92 wrote:Well, people have that opinion to say that these 5 tracks can be on par with their other albums, and it's ok to say that. If people don't feel that, then that's all right. 6 albums deep and this band is at that point where they just want to churn out songs and see where it goes and that's just going to be the reality of the band moving forward as they get older.
Yeah I don't like this mentality. You might be okay with them churning out tracks and being pleased with okay-ish songs, but I'm not. They've written a lot of my favorite music ever, influenced my own music to an insane degree and in general changed my life. That is why I'm not okay with just meh songs. The band means so much to me, so seeing them just phone it in hurts. I know that in a way, you're right. I know they can't do this forever, but you want them to give it their best as long as they can.

Final edit: I actually think Dying Light is closer to the AB that I know and love than any other track released from Walk the Sky so far.

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