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I think parallel compression works badly just as often as it works well. I think it's an easy trap to fall into to believe that a certain technique is generically "good" or "bad," in any aspect of the recording process. Having said that, lately I've been into the "less is more" approach in mastering. Great mixes don't really need very much work at all in mastering. When I add parallel compression to a mix that already sounds good, it tends to make it more congested sounding for me. When I do use parallel compression in mastering, I usually find myself filtering the parallel signal to work on a specific area of the spectrum. There have been lots of times when I've regretted doing this, however. Sometimes parallel compression provides a type of instant gratification that sounds good initially, but when listening to the mixes later on I realize that some of the "space" that used to exist in the mixes has been altered, not for the better. For me, the challenge is in identifying the circumstances in which parallel compression really is the best tool. While there certainly have been times when it has been beneficial, there have been just as many times when I've regretted doing it.
-Ben B
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