AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

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LosingPatience
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by LosingPatience »

Andy92 wrote:
Jaded Rescue wrote:
Andy92 wrote:If this song came out in 2010, everyone would be going crazy about it. I like the song a lot, but I also feel like at 6 albums in we’ve all been spoiled by so much good songwriting since 2004. Compare this to what bands like Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin have done from 2004 to now, and AB’s level of songwriting has stayed up at a very high pace this decade compared to other bands like that who just hit a brick wall in quality.
Despite some of my frustrations with the band over the years, I do agree with you on this. I also think it illustrates why there's a divide on this board. Some fans wanted a lot more of what AB did back then, so this kind of stuff makes them happy. Others, like myself, would rather they explore in other ways. And there's no wrong or right on either side there, I'm not making a value judgment. But I think the fan base kind of "split" over time. At the risk of generalizing too much, I think there are those that are really into the "epic" and progressive side of AB, and there are others that prefer the more down-to-earth, organic kind of stuff they've done.
I’d agree there seem to be two main trains of thought in the fan base today, and there’s no right or wrong opinion about it. I tend to find myself pretty satisfied with recent AB material because I’ve been so let down by other bands I used to love 10 years ago with how far they’re drifted from their core sound. I can also see how some fans see the band as sticking too close to a familiar formula. I don’t think AB has really seen a large drop in quality in their past few albums, I just think it doesn’t sound new to our ears anymore. Walk The Sky right now largely reminds me of AB III, and I think if Walk The Sky was their 3rd album instead of their 6th, we would look at this material more like we looked at AB III back then.

I def agree with this idea Andy. I feel im mostly down on the released songs as i know they are capable of much better. It really does sound like 2 guys who dont spend as much time together and its becoming very noticeable in their music. As good as it is Mark and Myles have their side projects it was inevitable it was going to affect Alter Bridge and thats what this album sounds like to me. Leftovers from their side projects. Ive always been AB >>>>>Over the side projects but so far Myles solo stuff and Mark's album are much, much better than what they have released so far. You can tell effort went into both projects. Even the riffs were more apparent in both not a single riff has stood out so far neither a bridge or solo. I know people here dont like the jigsaw music of AB i bloody love it. It makes the songs fresh and unpredictable which gives the listener more of a musical journey. So far all 4 songs have been extremely predictable and borderline dull save for imo the best of the 4 Take The Crown which imo is far more epic than Dying Light

Andy92
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Andy92 »

^I do remember when they released that Making of Blackbird segment on YouTube years ago and Myles kept him closed up for hours trying to finish Watch Over You because it was missing something. I know the guys spend tons of time writing songs today, but they don’t spend as much time writing in a room together like they used to.

And Kev I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page when it comes to bands that have gotten way worse for us. :lol As far as AB III, I was pretty big on that album right when it released. I know it took some time to grow on the fan base as a whole, but I was pretty hooked on that one from the start.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by chtimixeur »

Buffon wrote:Takes precisely 45 seconds for the Myles clones to appear, and the bastards don't go away for the rest of the song.
:lol
Andy92 wrote:If this song came out in 2010, everyone would be going crazy about it.
I'm not so sure about that.
Words Darker Than Their Wings blew everyone away on the old board if I remember correctly.
Andy92 wrote:Compare this to what bands like Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin have done from 2004 to now, and AB’s level of songwriting has stayed up at a very high pace this decade compared to other bands like that who just hit a brick wall in quality.
Good point.
I guess we expect too much from these guys compared to casual fans and Youtube commenters.
Still, I think bands should be grateful to have fans who don't call everything they do "amazing". It shows that we care and hold them to a very high standard.

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Crumbso
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Crumbso »

A bit of a lyrical analysis for Dying Light.

I saw someone say the eternal life bit made them think of Christianity but I think this works more well with a Buddhist outlook, especially considering Myles said he was exploring Eastern philosophies.

In Buddhism, life is suffering and we work our way towards final nirvana through reincarnation and learning inner peace. So in a sense, we have ‘eternal life’ and in the ‘dying light’ we ‘learn to live again when we give in’ to the fact that life is suffering and when the light finally dies we ‘begin again’ or reincarnate. You begin to work your way up to nirvana or ‘into the light’ when you ‘resign’ or ‘concede’ to that fact.

Unless I view it that way, this song is actually exceedingly dark lyrically and basically is just wishing for death. So I choose to view it this way. It’s a very interesting song and actually has probably ascended to a 4.5/5 for me. Very much an AB classic in the making.

Also props again to Myles for rhyming 'begin' and 'again' :lol He's done that before in Writing on the Wall :P

P.S Edited for grammar issues.
Last edited by Crumbso on Fri Oct 04, 2019 8:50 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by UninvitedZero »

The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
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TheEndisHere
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by TheEndisHere »

Crumbso wrote:A bit of a lyrical analysis for Dying Light.

I saw someone say the eternal life bit made them think of Christianity but I think this works more well with a Buddhist outlook, especially considering Myles said he was exploring Eastern philosophies.

In Buddhism life is suffering and we work our way towards final nirvana through reincarnation and learning inner peace. So in a sense, we have ‘eternal life’ and in the ‘dying light’ we ‘learn to live again, when we give in’ to the fact that life is suffering and when the light finally dies we ‘begin again’. You begin to work your way up to nirvana or ‘into the light’ when you ‘resign’ or ‘concede’ to that fact.

Unless I view it that way this song is actually exceedingly dark lyrically and basically is just wishing for death. So I choose to view it this way. It’s a very interesting song and actually is probably ascended to a 4.5/5 for me. Very much an AB classic in the making.

Also props again to Myles for rhyming 'begin' and 'again' :lol He's done that before in Writing on the Wall :P
Great analysis. Given what has been said in interviews, the idea that Dying Light was Myles somehow coming back to a Christian idea of "eternal life" felt wrong. Your analysis makes more sense. The line about "When we give in/ To the silent waves that crash inside" definitely sounds more Buddhist about mindfulness and internal focus than it does Christian which would give greater focus to an external enlightment from god. The 2nd verse about "Let this be an exercise" definitely made me think of purposeful meditation.

Personally, the whole part first verse reminds me of having panic attacks. I've had quite a few in my life and those words along with the haunting instrumentation just seemed to perfectly describe a panic attack.
"Here we go again
It's coming on just like before
The same old sinking feeling
Pulls me down an endless hole"

As I said in an earlier post, I feel like "In the Deep" is about meditation.

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Crumbso
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Crumbso »

TheEndisHere wrote:Personally, the whole part first verse reminds me of having panic attacks. I've had quite a few in my life and those words along with the haunting instrumentation just seemed to perfectly describe a panic attack.
"Here we go again
It's coming on just like before
The same old sinking feeling
Pulls me down an endless hole"
Yeah. I can see that. I was actually going to send it to a relative who has had a tough time with panic attacks and clinical depression because I got a hopeful vibe to the song. I then listened to the lyrics and, on first glance, they seemed super negative. That made me have a think about what the flip Myles was getting at. I haven't sent it to my relative because it could seem counter-productive without some thought.
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Jaded Rescue »

Andy92 wrote:
Jaded Rescue wrote:
Andy92 wrote:If this song came out in 2010, everyone would be going crazy about it. I like the song a lot, but I also feel like at 6 albums in we’ve all been spoiled by so much good songwriting since 2004. Compare this to what bands like Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin have done from 2004 to now, and AB’s level of songwriting has stayed up at a very high pace this decade compared to other bands like that who just hit a brick wall in quality.
Despite some of my frustrations with the band over the years, I do agree with you on this. I also think it illustrates why there's a divide on this board. Some fans wanted a lot more of what AB did back then, so this kind of stuff makes them happy. Others, like myself, would rather they explore in other ways. And there's no wrong or right on either side there, I'm not making a value judgment. But I think the fan base kind of "split" over time. At the risk of generalizing too much, I think there are those that are really into the "epic" and progressive side of AB, and there are others that prefer the more down-to-earth, organic kind of stuff they've done.
I’d agree there seem to be two main trains of thought in the fan base today, and there’s no right or wrong opinion about it. I tend to find myself pretty satisfied with recent AB material because I’ve been so let down by other bands I used to love 10 years ago with how far they’re drifted from their core sound. I can also see how some fans see the band as sticking too close to a familiar formula. I don’t think AB has really seen a large drop in quality in their past few albums, I just think it doesn’t sound new to our ears anymore. Walk The Sky right now largely reminds me of AB III, and I think if Walk The Sky was their 3rd album instead of their 6th, we would look at this material more like we looked at AB III back then.
Yeah, these are all great points. And just to bring even more positivity back into the larger discourse, we're all here for the same reason. We love this band's music. Some of us like myself may sound like curmudgeons at times, but I know that I'm personally still really excited for Walk the Sky. I have my worries about it, but I'm sure there will still be a few songs on there that I really love.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Jaded Rescue »

Does the guitar tone in the pre-chorus of Dying Light remind anyone else of the guitar tone on Dust? Brought me right back.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Crumbso »

Jaded Rescue wrote:Does the guitar tone in the pre-chorus of Dying Light remind anyone else of the guitar tone on Dust? Brought me right back.
Yeah. It's the same starting note on a crunch setting more than a high-gain tone, so it's very similar.
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Jaded Rescue »

Crumbso wrote:
Jaded Rescue wrote:Does the guitar tone in the pre-chorus of Dying Light remind anyone else of the guitar tone on Dust? Brought me right back.
Yeah. It's the same starting note on a crunch setting more than a high-gain tone, so it's very similar.
Yeah that's it. I thought it might be the same starting note but I'm at work so I couldn't grab my guitar to make 100% sure, haha.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

UninvitedZero wrote:The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
I've mentioned it before, but seriously try listening in headphones with the volume a little lower than you would typically listen. I swear it makes a difference. I think most people just want to blast their music because it's AB, but I feel like the production really shines more at lower volumes. I've been doing that more recently with their releases, and I can hear every note in Dying Light. The arpeggios in the chorus, the bass lines, all the little intricacies. Being able to make out the bass really trips me out because I usually never know what the hell Brian is playing, unless it's like the breakdown for Cry of Achilles.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Crumbso »

ToNsOFuN88 wrote:
UninvitedZero wrote:The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
I've mentioned it before, but seriously try listening in headphones with the volume a little lower than you would typically listen. I swear it makes a difference. I think most people just want to blast their music because it's AB, but I feel like the production really shines more at lower volumes. I've been doing that more recently with their releases, and I can hear every note in Dying Light. The arpeggios in the chorus, the bass lines, all the little intricacies. Being able to make out the bass really trips me out because I usually never know what the hell Brian is playing, unless it's like the breakdown for Cry of Achilles.
You have better ears than me then. The whole thing is a mess to me. Brian's bass is nicely audible though. It's the guitars, cymbals and kick that are all jacked up.
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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by fix »

ToNsOFuN88 wrote:
UninvitedZero wrote:The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
I've mentioned it before, but seriously try listening in headphones with the volume a little lower than you would typically listen. I swear it makes a difference. I think most people just want to blast their music because it's AB, but I feel like the production really shines more at lower volumes. I've been doing that more recently with their releases, and I can hear every note in Dying Light. The arpeggios in the chorus, the bass lines, all the little intricacies. Being able to make out the bass really trips me out because I usually never know what the hell Brian is playing, unless it's like the breakdown for Cry of Achilles.
Out of curiosity - what source are you listening from?

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by ToNsOFuN88 »

fix wrote:
ToNsOFuN88 wrote:
UninvitedZero wrote:The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
I've mentioned it before, but seriously try listening in headphones with the volume a little lower than you would typically listen. I swear it makes a difference. I think most people just want to blast their music because it's AB, but I feel like the production really shines more at lower volumes. I've been doing that more recently with their releases, and I can hear every note in Dying Light. The arpeggios in the chorus, the bass lines, all the little intricacies. Being able to make out the bass really trips me out because I usually never know what the hell Brian is playing, unless it's like the breakdown for Cry of Achilles.
Out of curiosity - what source are you listening from?
The music video on YouTube. I'm listening on my Samsung s9 with the headphones that come with it.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by TheEndisHere »

ToNsOFuN88 wrote:
UninvitedZero wrote:The song is great. Oh how I wish I could hear what either guitar is doing... Can hardly distinguish one riff from another until the bridge. The intro is especially crowded... Can't wait to hear it live or someone on youtube to cover it so I can actually hear the music and not just "The Elvis Hiss"...
I've mentioned it before, but seriously try listening in headphones with the volume a little lower than you would typically listen. I swear it makes a difference. I think most people just want to blast their music because it's AB, but I feel like the production really shines more at lower volumes. I've been doing that more recently with their releases, and I can hear every note in Dying Light. The arpeggios in the chorus, the bass lines, all the little intricacies. Being able to make out the bass really trips me out because I usually never know what the hell Brian is playing, unless it's like the breakdown for Cry of Achilles.
I actually thought that I could hear Brian in all the new songs from WTS, especially Dying Light and In the Deep. I feel like the hardest of the new songs to hear Brian is WYR just because the guitars are tuned so low and there's a lot going on. I feel like Brian is very clear on this album for the most part for the first time since Achilles. If you really want to hear Brian well, go back to My Own Prison or Human Clay before the second guitar. I never noticed Brian back in the day but I also never developed my hearing until recently. Now I go back and realized how much Brian was a huge part of those early Creed records.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by TheEndisHere »

Jaded Rescue wrote:
Andy92 wrote:
Jaded Rescue wrote:
Andy92 wrote:If this song came out in 2010, everyone would be going crazy about it. I like the song a lot, but I also feel like at 6 albums in we’ve all been spoiled by so much good songwriting since 2004. Compare this to what bands like Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin have done from 2004 to now, and AB’s level of songwriting has stayed up at a very high pace this decade compared to other bands like that who just hit a brick wall in quality.
Despite some of my frustrations with the band over the years, I do agree with you on this. I also think it illustrates why there's a divide on this board. Some fans wanted a lot more of what AB did back then, so this kind of stuff makes them happy. Others, like myself, would rather they explore in other ways. And there's no wrong or right on either side there, I'm not making a value judgment. But I think the fan base kind of "split" over time. At the risk of generalizing too much, I think there are those that are really into the "epic" and progressive side of AB, and there are others that prefer the more down-to-earth, organic kind of stuff they've done.
I’d agree there seem to be two main trains of thought in the fan base today, and there’s no right or wrong opinion about it. I tend to find myself pretty satisfied with recent AB material because I’ve been so let down by other bands I used to love 10 years ago with how far they’re drifted from their core sound. I can also see how some fans see the band as sticking too close to a familiar formula. I don’t think AB has really seen a large drop in quality in their past few albums, I just think it doesn’t sound new to our ears anymore. Walk The Sky right now largely reminds me of AB III, and I think if Walk The Sky was their 3rd album instead of their 6th, we would look at this material more like we looked at AB III back then.
Yeah, these are all great points. And just to bring even more positivity back into the larger discourse, we're all here for the same reason. We love this band's music. Some of us like myself may sound like curmudgeons at times, but I know that I'm personally still really excited for Walk the Sky. I have my worries about it, but I'm sure there will still be a few songs on there that I really love.
As others have said, I think we hold AB to a higher standard given how much they have developed over the years and how they are light years above their contemporaries that they get lumped with (*Cough*Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Disturbed). Those other bands churn out the same record time and time again while every AB record is very distinctive.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

TheEndisHere wrote: As others have said, I think we hold AB to a higher standard given how much they have developed over the years and how they are light years above their contemporaries that they get lumped with (*Cough*Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Disturbed). Those other bands churn out the same record time and time again while every AB record is very distinctive.
I wouldn't say for the case of Shinedown that they churn out the same records time and time again. There's a clear difference between Leave A Whisper/Us And Them to Threat to Survival/ATTENTION ATTENTION. However, unlike AB where they adjust their sounds and approach in creating songs and still create compelling music, it feels like something is lost in Shinedown in their recent albums that they strive well in the first three albums where AB is still consistently creating good-to-great top to bottom albums that works in various degrees.

That stated, yeah, bands like Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace for their albums they are usually carbon copies of their prior works (that stated, those albums can be good carbon copies. Just really derivative and stale at times).

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by TheEndisHere »

anguyen92 wrote:
TheEndisHere wrote: As others have said, I think we hold AB to a higher standard given how much they have developed over the years and how they are light years above their contemporaries that they get lumped with (*Cough*Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Disturbed). Those other bands churn out the same record time and time again while every AB record is very distinctive.
I wouldn't say for the case of Shinedown that they churn out the same records time and time again. There's a clear difference between Leave A Whisper/Us And Them to Threat to Survival/ATTENTION ATTENTION. However, unlike AB where they adjust their sounds and approach in creating songs and still create compelling music, it feels like something is lost in Shinedown in their recent albums that they strive well in the first three albums where AB is still consistently creating good-to-great top to bottom albums that works in various degrees.

That stated, yeah, bands like Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace for their albums they are usually carbon copies of their prior works (that stated, those albums can be good carbon copies. Just really derivative and stale at times).

I agree. Shinedown is really a band of two eras: 1st two albums, and everything since. The difference in Shinedown eras is totally on the change from Jason Todd to Zach Myers. I much prefer Todd. Earlier Shinedown seemed much more raw and authentic while the newer albums seem a little by the numbers geared to make radio hits.

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Re: AB VI Studio/Recording Thread

Post by Mr. Slash »

Dying Light is permanently on top in my Youtube suggestions. But I won't give in, I won't listen to it before album release. It surely makes sense to release so many songs before the album drops, in order to generate some clicks and streams on YT and Spotify, but I'm not a fan of getting the new songs piece by piece.
Last edited by Mr. Slash on Fri Oct 04, 2019 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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