Thanks man, I wish I could improve the drums but I used a plugin on the left guitar for the cabinet sound that doesn't fucking work anymore because it was a "demo" and the fuckers are charging me 30$ so I can get it back and fuck that, I'm a goddamn pirate. Still though, I'm glad you took the time to listen and write the review, I really appreciate it!

Oh shit a response.

Well for starters I'm very glad you enjoyed the composition at least musically speaking, that's usually what I aim for with most of the shit I do. Now onto the points you mentioned, a couple of them are based off stylistic choices, mostly the guitar and reverb. I am huge on 80's underground metal and constantly strive to try and emulate the feel it had, even sound productionwise, which might be detrimental to dudes more accustomed to more modern production styles. Part of why the guitars kinda sound muffled I believe is because I don't really own an interface so I just basically found out you can plug the damn thing straight to the computer and basically went "fuck it" and decided to work with that. I usually aim for warmer midrange heavy sorta fuzzy tones because it's my preferred kind of tone, since I feel it punches you harder than serrated AxeFX style modern distortion, plus it gives it a mustier, crustier lo-fi feel which I adore, and also because yeah it's 80's as fuck. As for the reverb, I think I used a different plugin back then that was quite wetter than what I use nowadays, but I seem to recall something similar when Slayer was producing Reign in Blood, they said that once they took the reverb off everything cleared up. Reason for that was because before RiB in Hell Awaits and Show No Mercy they were basically trying to be like their heroes Mercyful Fate and Venom and they used reverb. However I like Hell Awaits and Show No Mercy better because of that lol, the reverb gives it an atmosphere. Still though, I understand whatcha mean, and rest assured most of the stuff I've recorded recently use another plugin which has a subtler kind of verb.

As for the drums, well yeah, I really have problems with drums because I'm pretty much a guitar player and for me drums are OK if I can just hear every individual percussive element, which is standard fare for maybe demo style productions but I guess not good for a mastered mix n shit. TBH I've been ruined by years of underground digging and having to put up with subpar production so much that I've developed an ear and a preference to it, and sometimes I forget that other dudes don't really dig the whole lo-fi, recorded in a catacomb kinda sound. I will definitely take your advice concerning drums though, I have the most trouble with them and it's usually the most sloppily mixed shit in my stuff. As for the guitars, I'll keep it in mind, for the most part the tones I get are preference and stylistically speaking I feel they work. But if I were to do something that isn't meant to sound like the amp cabinet was caked with mud and worms after recently rising from the dead then I would definitely take your advice concerning it.

Thank you very much for your review, I'm extremely grateful for it, as I guess it helps keep my head grounded onto what other people may or may not dig, especially considering since I'm so obsessed with the particular sound an era had I forget other things that make it sound ACTUALLY good, instead of kvlt good.