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The guitars are bright and harsh, something I would call over-eq'ed. Question: What was your reason to change the guitar sound at all? Was there really something wrong with them, was it personal taste or did you just feel the need to use the eq to change something? Because there must be something wrong with them because there always is? Please remember you don't have to use an EQ just because you have it in your toolbox. When I started mixing, I was using the eq because people on the internet told me to cut frequencies because they said they were annoying. That's dumb, and it's definitely not how it works. After watching tons of videos of well-known mixer using almost no EQ at all I realized that mixing is more about energy and emotion than cutting every annoying frequency out of a guitar track. Overcomplicating the mixing process and using more EQ and compression than necessary often results in lifeless tracks.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching from the mountain of wisdom. I spent the first 2-3 years overanalyzing everything because I just lacked the experience and the nonchalance to NOT put every track and every sound under general suspicion, constantly searching for something that sounds "wrong". But the only thing that was "wrong" was my mindset. I know today that it's not my job to totally change the sound of a band, but to make it all work and sound awesome with the least amount of change possible. This song is perfect for not having to worry about 1.000 completely unimportant things. The individual tracks sound good on their own, and usually, you only have to set the faders and panning correctly and you have a very, very good rough mix that only needs some small adjustments. Forget all the crap about "cutting guitars at X kHz, boosting at X kHz". Concentrate on "mixing" the song, not fixing things that don't need to be fixed in the first place.

That means first and foremost moving the faders and playing back the individual elements of the song at the right volume at all times.

Let that last sentence sink in.

"Move the faders so all the individual elements of the song are at the right volume".

And if you haven't worked with automation so far, now is the time to do it. Because honestly, this song will sound awesome with just volume automation, basic compression and some high and low cuts. Also, pick the right effects in the right places. Don't overuse reverb or delay. Rule of thumb: If you clearly hear reverb/delay in a mix and IT IS NOT some sort of special FX to catch the listener's attention, it's too much. E.g. if the effect is so much upfront that the listener is focussing on it and not on the original vocal/guitar/piano or whatever you use it on, it's too much. Happens way too often.

The second most important thing most people forget about: Try to give the individual parts of a song different volumes and dynamics. Try to set the last chorus at 100% energy/volume, the second one at 95%, the first one at 90%. Reduce the dynamics of the chorus and drive it harder into the bus compressor than the verse or bridge. Make the first and second verse noticeably "smaller" by turning down the guitars 1-2 db and setting them to 50/50% instead of 100% right and left. As a mixer, you can very well make sure that the chorus knocks a listener out of his shoes and carry him away by making it louder, bigger and more powerful than the rest of the song.

And the last thing: Always LISTEN TO EVERY TRACK while mixing. Here are some examples:

1. There is a cool little figure on the hihat in the second verse? Awesome, bring that small moment up by 1-3db with volume automation, leaving the rest of the hihat in the verse untouched. Voilà, you just created a small exciting moment that a listener might look forward to while hearing your mix a second time.
2. There is a cool guitar melody but it rivals the vocals? Why not move the vocals out of the centre and a bit to the left, and the melody to the right? Or move the melody to the right and significantly reduce the volume of the rhythm guitar on the right side which is playing the same riff for the last 15 seconds anyway, therefore adding something new and exciting.
3. There is a very powerful riff in the bridge? This is a FUCKING GREAT opportunity to raise the volume of the rhythm guitar by 1-3db, REALLY emphasizing the energy and raw power of the guitars in this part. After it's over, bring the guitars down again.

All those little moments stick with the listener and create goosebumps when heard a second or third time.

Nobody, I repeat nobody, cares about the fact that you made a 12db cut a 4 KHz because the guys at URM or even CLA told you so. The only thing that matters is the energy of your mix, and how well you managed to capture and preserve all the small little musical details of a song and generate emotional moments for the listener.

First of all, damn ! Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this and sharing your experience, I really apreciate it. This probably saved me months of figuring stuff out.
With your feedback i've been thinking about the way I've mixed this (by the way, awesome) song and you're absolutely right. I was so eager to use every things and "tricks" I learned about that I simply forgot about actually bringing out the life of the song. Completly guilty of EQ-ing and compressing tracks to death. 


Again, thank you. This actually relieved some pressure. I will shift my focus more on the feel of the track and simple processing, keeping in mind your advices. 


You're awesome man !