20-02-2013, 10:23 PM
I love this track, as a bit of fan of Muse-style apocalyptic pomp, and that build-up from 3:20 to 4:21 is epic! 
The vocal level feels much too low in the verse to me. Yes, it does mean the track as a whole feels big, but I think the listener needs to identify more with the vocal in a track like this. I'd also probably give both the verse and chorus vocals a touch more 450Hz, because they're feeling maybe a touch too 'slim', and there's a danger there that you're then expecting the vocal to compete too much in the upper reaches of the spectrum where there's masses of competition with the guitars and cymbals. Certainly I do find that I'm wanting to pull down the 3-5kHz region once you start hitting the biggest bits of the arrangement.
I like your drum sound a lot, and the bass is also nice -- could it have a touch more 1kHz string character, though, given its strong melodic function? I'd maybe also take a bit of the 300-700Hz mids from the bass and give them back to the guitars, so you get just a fraction more width out of the warmth frequencies -- I think that'd help make your climaxes even more powerful.
Speaking of climaxes, your long-term dynamics are handled very confidently and convincingly (good stuff there) and the effects contrasts are fantastic -- love the vocal entry at 4:42 in particular. I wish more people used those kind of arrangement dynamics, because they're so effective.
(PS. Also, thanks for your continuing detailed feedback and contributions to this resource -- I imagine that future students will find it invaluable!)
The vocal level feels much too low in the verse to me. Yes, it does mean the track as a whole feels big, but I think the listener needs to identify more with the vocal in a track like this. I'd also probably give both the verse and chorus vocals a touch more 450Hz, because they're feeling maybe a touch too 'slim', and there's a danger there that you're then expecting the vocal to compete too much in the upper reaches of the spectrum where there's masses of competition with the guitars and cymbals. Certainly I do find that I'm wanting to pull down the 3-5kHz region once you start hitting the biggest bits of the arrangement.
I like your drum sound a lot, and the bass is also nice -- could it have a touch more 1kHz string character, though, given its strong melodic function? I'd maybe also take a bit of the 300-700Hz mids from the bass and give them back to the guitars, so you get just a fraction more width out of the warmth frequencies -- I think that'd help make your climaxes even more powerful.
Speaking of climaxes, your long-term dynamics are handled very confidently and convincingly (good stuff there) and the effects contrasts are fantastic -- love the vocal entry at 4:42 in particular. I wish more people used those kind of arrangement dynamics, because they're so effective.
(PS. Also, thanks for your continuing detailed feedback and contributions to this resource -- I imagine that future students will find it invaluable!)