Here is the "making of" video for info:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLR4_GXF8H55qn3g3KQo7wPmHDk0UtFhD

My first pass through on this and first thoughts were -- I liked it. What I wanted to hear (to better fit in with the music) was a different vocal treatment. My ear wanted a vocal effect - to give it more ring and sparkle - I'm thinking a priest kind of vocal sound with either some doubling (or tripling) or some delay/reverb - or micro-pitch shifting --- something to give it a bit more of an otherworld riding on the wind kind of sound. It sounded too dissimilar and too plain compared to the music. Maybe the issue is how it seems to inhabit a different space than the band... others can probably give you a better idea of what that might be.

IMO I'd use some parallel compression on the vocals to give them a little more power and balance with the guitar tracks, making them a little more fuller and solid and getting them out front of the mix a little more.

IMHO of course...YMMV

Hi Sean,

I have never done parallel compression on vocals. Any tips and advice on this?

Here is a thread on parallel compression that DonnyThompson started that covers just about everything you need to know..

There are some helpful videos there as well. I hope this helps.

http://recording.org/threads/parallel-compression.59296/

And there is this that may be more vocal specific

Love this, I'd love to mix this again for you (just to give you another perspective). But I can't even if you let me and I had time. Love it though.

Being said...
I agree with the others. Other than doing something more on the vocals (doubling and a bit of timed delay... , I would also make the snare crack more. Give it some serious thwack (tighter tuning). The kick is nice but the snare is competing in the same freq range. I think a higher tuned snare for this would really help. But this is just minor.

When the chorus comes in, I feel you need something even more on the vocal to stand out different.

Nice work.

Very good, I would get a bit of hi end on the bass for it to stick out (strings hitting frets) for a little bit more aggression, but that's my taste. You've nailed this genre

This is the best mix I hear from you Jonathan. The presence is there and the mids as well.
I just despite the HF of soundcloud's convertion.. I wish you'd upload you own MP3 here. ;)

Hi all,

Thanks for the feedback. Here is the final mix of the first two songs:

[MEDIA=soundcloud]jonathan-linton-3/darker-side-demo-cd-v5
[MEDIA=soundcloud]jonathan-linton-3/evil-wind-demo-cd-v3

Feedback most welcome.

Good job on those mixes.. again, the HF are all screwed !! I can clearly hear it in the hihat. I suppose it's soundcloud's convertion doing this.
Would you care to post an MP3 of one song here to compare (same mix).
I'm about to say out loud to not use soundcloud but want to be sure before I do.. ;)

pcrecord, post: 442048, member: 46460 wrote: Good job on those mixes.. again, the HF are all screwed !! I can clearly hear it in the hihat. I suppose it's soundcloud's convertion doing this.
Would you care to post an MP3 of one song here to compare (same mix).
I'm about to say out loud to not use soundcloud but want to be sure before I do.. ;)

Here you go:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/axfz6ec93gab0bg/Darker%20Side%20-%20Demo%20CD%20v5.1.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8xb5rox319a6wtq/Evil Wind - Demo CD v3.mp3?dl=0