Where to master Metal tracks? best metal mastering studio

[grimlet]

Hey Guys!
We are a death/trash metal band from Portugal and we are recording our 2nd album. We want to do our mastering outside our country. We have some references (cutting room) but we would like your opinions and suggestions concerning metal music mastering, and the best options concerning engineers.
Thanks.


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our website:

MySpace.com - GRIMLET - Fig. Foz - Death Metal / Thrash / Metal - www.myspace.com/grimlethorde

[Thor]

If you go to the Cutting Room you might want to make sure you get Bjørn Engelmann to take the job. Everything I've heard that he's done has sounded good.

As far as metal goes, Death Metal was invented here (Norway), so I wouldn't be surprised if someone here could help you. I know Audun Strype (Strype audio) works with a lot of rock bands. Most of us here work with most all types of music.

In the US Dave Collins has done some great work with Soundgarden, among others, and Brad Blackwood specializes in rock.

Regardless, I think it's important that you find someone who you can establish a good dialogue with and who can work with you to realize your vision for your album.

Best of luck.

Cheers,
Thor

[Finstad]

Masterhuset in Norway. Use Morten Lund! He have mastred a lot of my metal albums. Done in two hours! Always satisfied.

Børge Finstad, Toproom Studio

[el cochino]

Originally Posted by Thor

As far as metal goes, Death Metal was invented here (Norway)

That's news to me.

[mcsnare]

Thor, I didn't know that Grimlet had composed a song for you. I checked it out on their Myspace page.
Dave

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by grimlet

Hey Guys!
We are a death/trash metal band from Portugal and we are recording our 2nd album. We want to do our mastering outside our country. We have some references (cutting room) but we would like your opinions and suggestions concerning metal music mastering, and the best options concerning engineers.
Thanks.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
our website:

MySpace.com - GRIMLET - Fig. Foz - Death Metal / Thrash / Metal - www.myspace.com/grimlethorde

Whats your favorite album and who Mixed/Mastered it. I have had studio Demos by Colin Richardson that sound better than most other peoples masters.
Thinking good sounding Nordic metal wise what does Andy Sneeps think you should do. Nilesh Patel from The Exchange camden is a good bet in my opinion.

[Thor]

Dude,

they're big fans of my work, you know .

How's things over at Scotts? He keeping you busy?

Thor

Originally Posted by mcsnare

Thor, I didn't know that Grimlet had composed a song for you. I checked it out on their Myspace page.
Dave

[Thor]

Dude, "done in 2 hours"?!?!?!

While I like what I've heard of your work (some stuff on your refs list), *2 hours*? Does the man even listen to the material?

Thor

Originally Posted by Finstad

Masterhuset in Norway. Use Morten Lund! He have mastred a lot of my metal albums. Done in two hours! Always satisfied.

Børge Finstad, Toproom Studio

[Thor]

Or was that Black metal...?

or Dark Metal? Or doom metal? Melancholy metal? or wait...

ya know, it's getting harder and harder to keep track

Cheers,
Thor

Originally Posted by el cochino

That's news to me.

[el cochino]

Originally Posted by Thor

Or was that Black metal...?

or Dark Metal? Or doom metal? Melancholy metal? or wait...

ya know, it's getting harder and harder to keep track

Cheers,
Thor

I know what you mean. Anyway, while death metal was probably invented in the USA around 1984, Norway established black metal as we know it nowadays and it is still the leading nation in this genre. Although the term 'black metal' was invented by UK's Venom, their music was more punk than metal and has almost nothing to do with bands like Emperor or Mayhem.

Now back on topic and sorry for interrupting this thread.

[Finstad]

Most of my mixes are done in one session.....2-10 days, 90% of the time, I dont tuch the BD and bass levels (in metal). I adjust the BD in spped parts etc.....bla..bla

So, then I go to the masteringstudio, the levels are equal, the bassfrequenzy is almost the same etc. Then it is easy for the mastering engineer. We start at 10 0`clock, and the soundadjustment is finished 2 hours later. Editing etc in 2-4 hour.
Funny...if Masterhuset was a bad masteringstudio, why do the biggest artists in norway use them?

Finstad

[jordanstoner]

Originally Posted by Thor

Or was that Black metal...?

or Dark Metal? Or doom metal? Melancholy metal? or wait...

ya know, it's getting harder and harder to keep track

Cheers,
Thor

I think you forgot Troll metal.
Viking metal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look at all those Norwegian flags...

[Thor]

Hi Børge,

No diss was implied or intended, I was simply surprised to hear that someone completed an album in 2 hours, regarless of how good the mixes were. Now I see you meant 2 hours for processing, plus several additional hours for other things. That's something different (and more understandable).

There's no doubt that they do good work, although I don't know that being used by the biggest artists in Norway means much. I doubt that the artists at that level have any say in mastering at all, the label decides (been there, done that).

Peace ,
Thor

Originally Posted by Finstad

Most of my mixes are done in one session.....2-10 days, 90% of the time, I dont tuch the BD and bass levels (in metal). I adjust the BD in spped parts etc.....bla..bla

So, then I go to the masteringstudio, the levels are equal, the bassfrequenzy is almost the same etc. Then it is easy for the mastering engineer. We start at 10 0`clock, and the soundadjustment is finished 2 hours later. Editing etc in 2-4 hour.
Funny...if Masterhuset was a bad masteringstudio, why do the biggest artists in norway use them?

Finstad

[lucey]

Originally Posted by Thor

In the US Dave Collins has done some great work with Soundgarden, among others, and Brad Blackwood specializes in rock.

Regardless, I think it's important that you find someone who you can establish a good dialogue with and who can work with you to realize your vision for your album.

Soundgarden is hardly "metal" Thor. And who doesn't "specialize in rock"? (Which includes many things that are not metal.) Although I 100% agree with your second paragraph!

Don't go on what other people tell you dude, mastering is as much of a cult of personality as politics. Establish a working relationship with any ME that feels right for you. Why not work with Thor for example? He's right there.

Too many people want to go far away thinking that gives them something more exotic. Unless you're going far away to work with me, of course , why not work close to home ?

[Thor]

There's them darned pigeonholes again.

Soundgarden was what (in their day), "grunge"? Let's see, hmmm, Nirvana, ok, Stone Temple Pilots, check, Soundgarden, right, Alice in Chains, got it.

Nope, not a metal band to be seen. I guess you're right Brian.

It was probably a poor example, my point being that Dave puts out consistently good work in pretty much everything I've heard that he's done. However, I don't know that I've heard any metal he's done.

As you point out (and as I should have started, instead of ended), finding someone you can work with is key. You might find someone that gives you exactly what you want the very first time, every time, but IMHO that's pretty rare. I'm trying to translate the band/producers ideas into concrete settings and results. It's not uncommon that some things are perfect, while there are other aspects that will need adjustment. Rarely (luckily!) is the first ref a complete miss.

Getting someone who you can work with, delivers quality material on time and understands your needs is IMHO important. There are a lot of good ears out there, take your pick and take the time to build up a good dialogue. That will make every session go easier (and faster) and the results as good as they can be.

As for me, I'm not right there, I'm in Norway, the original poster is in Portugal. On the other hand, I'm in the same time zone, I have a telephone (and rates are cheap) and ftp, and I even speak passable (brazilian) portuguese.

Naaah....

Thor

Originally Posted by lucey

Soundgarden is hardly "metal" Thor. And who doesn't "specialize in rock"? (Which includes many things that are not metal.) Although I 100% agree with your second paragraph!

Don't go on what other people tell you dude, mastering is as much of a cult of personality as politics. Establish a working relationship with any ME that feels right for you. Why not work with Thor for example? He's right there.

Too many people want to go far away thinking that gives them something more exotic. Unless you're going far away to work with me, of course , why not work close to home ?

[lucey]

Nice one ...

Originally Posted by Thor

You might find someone that gives you exactly what you want the very first time, every time, but IMHO that's pretty rare. I'm trying to translate the band/producers ideas into concrete settings and results. It's not uncommon that some things are perfect, while there are other aspects that will need adjustment. Rarely (luckily!) is the first ref a complete miss.

Getting someone who you can work with, delivers quality material on time and understands your needs is IMHO important. There are a lot of good ears out there, take your pick and take the time to build up a good dialogue. That will make every session go easier (and faster) and the results as good as they can be.

[Mark D.]

Suggestion to moderators. Threads in this "where to" area that are more
than a year old without any activity (maybe even 6 months or 3 months
old) should be locked so they aren't replied to by well-meaning newbies.

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by Mark D.

Suggestion to moderators. Threads in this "where to" area that are more
than a year old without any activity (maybe even 6 months or 3 months
old) should be locked so they aren't replied to by well-meaning newbies.

Good suggestion, however it would be great if people who should in theory be picky about details had the attention span and grey matter to notice that:

a) threads that are four or five years old probably means the job has been done already .....

b) it is against rules to fish (badly in this case) for busness without contributing to the mastering forum and will result in infraction and bans ....

c) don't come back whining about infractions and bans (has happened many times before) You are an ME, you won't miss a glitch or a pop I am sure you have read the sticky before even thinking of posting... haven't you?

[Mark D.]

You'd read my mind actually. Those posting on years-old threads, offering
mastering to the OP which had the work done years ago, are missing that
important detail (the thread is ancient, the work was long done). That's a
failure to notice detail, which mastering engineers are supposed to do.