Favourite Production You've Heard

[hoorayjay]

So I'm currently mixing this song that I've done for my band, I really want it to be dense and full of little nuances and have an overall beautiful ambient quality, a lot like the Sound Awake album by Karnivool, produced by Forrester Savell which is also my favourite album in terms of production which got me thinking. What is your favourite album or song that has some absolutely fantastic engineering and mixing on it? Another one would be anything by Owl City, he is a genius. If you know the producer than post that as well!

[MetalRenard]

Most songs by Michael Jackson were exquisitely produced.

[LunyAlex]

Hah, funny. I thought of Karnivool before I got to that part of your post. Amazing band, amazing production.

Here's a few names that stand out
(Disclaimer: Production can indeed be a very subjective matter; These are just some subjective favorites)

Band: Heart of a Coward
Album: Severance
Producer: Justin Hill

This is the most crushing modern metal sound I've ever heard, ever. Their heavier moments sound like galaxies colliding. Okay, I'm overselling it, but man do they have a massive sound.

The song "Monstro" stands out the most. I can't listen to it and not imagine some sort of intimidating cosmic phenomenon, be it galactic battles or stars imploding.

-Funfact: They list Karnivool as one of their main influences (though they do have a preeeeetty different sound. But you can hear that progressive element in there.)
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Band: Lamb of God
Album: Ashes of the Wake
Producer: Machine

Features what is, in my opinion, the best kick drum in metal, as well as the best produced high tuned metal guitars (I believe most of the album is in Drop D).
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Okay, hope you're sitting down for this one. I might catch a lot of heat for it.

Band: Nickelback
Albums: Dark Horse/Here and Now
Producers: Nickelback, Joey Moi, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Brian Howes

Lots of people hate Nickelback, and I get why. Personally, I find some of their songs Fun to listen to. Especially on road trips, for some reason.

Their last two albums have some of my favorite "Radio Rock" production. The soundscape is very concert-like. Lots of tastefully used reverb, lots of color. It's an extremely rich sound.

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Band: Nightwish
Album: Dark Passion Play
Producers: Tuomas Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen & Mikko Karmila

This is a bloody masterpiece. There's lots of symphonic metal bands out there, and while I don't necessarily see Nightwish as an epitome of the genre, the way the orchestral and metal elements harmonize on this album is breathtaking.

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Band: Alter Bridge
Album: Fortress
Producer: Michael "Elvis" Baskette

The mixing on this is... imperfect. The snare is a bit harsh on some sound systems. But the soundscapes created in some songs are truly amazing, IMO. There's a certain reverb-y guitar in the prechorus to "Bleed It Dry" that blows my mind every single time.

[LunyAlex]

Oh yea, forgot to mention, in the case of Alter Bridge's Fortress. The breakdown to Waters Rising (2:40) is also superb.

[MetalRenard]

Oh another one... The label Nuclear Blast (Soilwork, Scar Symmetry, Blind Guardian and most of your favourite European metal bands...) has incredible production in general. I don't know who they use or how they work it out though.

[Calamaistr]

In my memory this type of discussion was not allowed on newgrounds.

[Chemiqals]

30 Seconds to Mars - Self titled debut album has such an awesome sound design. It's got a really spacey vibe and it's really consistent all the way through. I enjoy a lot of their new stuff but I would kill to have them create another album with this sound. All of their albums have good production though.

AFI - Decemberunderground has a fantastic production. All of the songs are really unique but they all have the same cold and distant feeling to them. Sing The Sorrow is another great album on the production front from AFI. One of the most consistent albums I've ever heard.

Circa Survive - Anything from these guys. My favorite would probably have to be On Letting Go. But they do some amazing stuff with production on their newer albums Blue Sky Noise and Violent Waves!

HIM - Again, I really enjoy anything these guys do. I know a lot of people don't like them but I love their sound. Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights is my favorite from them. A cool thing about these guys is that they manage to maintain a consistent sound while also making each album unique from each other. No doubt, thanks to some great production work.

Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals is one of my favorite albums ever. Incredible production and atmosphere. Holy Wood is also fantastic and is probably one of the heaviest sounding productions out there.

Tool - You're in for a treat with any of their albums. But 10,000 Days is something else. Few bands have a production that lets you hear each instrument so distinctly and so in unison at the same time.

Also, gotta mention Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Infected Mushroom, and VNV Nation. Though I'm not sure if that's the kind of production you meant.

ALSO... Gimme Shelter and Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones... just... so far ahead of their time. I wish we could get production like that these days. It feels like no one is trying that hard anymore. Just make it as loud as possible and put it on the radio! Ugh...

[LunyAlex]

At 7/11/14 01:31 PM, Calamaistr wrote: In my memory this type of discussion was not allowed on newgrounds.

Oh?