2. music
  3. 1227656263

AC/DC Black ice

Well, there been three important releases in recent weeks:
Metallica "Death Magnetic"; Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" and AC/DC "Black Ice".
I posted on the first two, and now just completed my first listen of the "Black Ice".
What a huge difference!!!
The best AC/DC in ages: unmistakable feeling of inspiration and spontaneity, all 15 tracks are done on a single breath, and not a single bad one.
Absolutely impeccable sense of rhytm and melody, if you will.
Music is stripped down to it's bare essentials, as truly great rock supposed to be like, IMHO.
There is nothing there, that detracts from the musical message, not a single slow down, no annoying moments whatsoever.
I have to give it to Angus and Malcolm, who wrote all the tracks- they are some of greatest R&R songwriters ever.
honest and inspired album.
What a stark difference with the other two- Metallica is pretty much unlistenable, very tiresome and calculated.
If I had to sum it up:
Metallica- FINISHED!
Axl is a pompous, pretentious ass
AC/DC- outstanding!
P.S. AC/DC recording quality- miles ahead of the other two
maril555
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,467 posts
 
P.S. AC/DC recording quality- miles ahead of the other two

AC/DC used ATC for years. Black Ice was done in Vancouver The Warehouse - and the main monitors use ATC midrange. You don't get overly compressed sound from artists like this - you can google The Warehouse Studio - I think they have tickets for AC/DC. The latest Nickelback was done there too - it will be interesting to see if this Nickelback is overcompressed like the last one - I am hoping it will be better.
Post removed 
zigonht
124 posts
 
Maril555,

Would mostly agree with your statement. I think new Metallica is just ok...It kind of makes you wonder what direction, if any, they will go next. They really haven't come out with anything great in 10 yrs...
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,467 posts
 
Couldn't possibly be the recording desk. Or the machines. Or the processing. Or the mics. Or the room design. Or the talent of the engineer. Or a dozen other variables

Sure there is a lot more to it - these studios cost millions. However you don't usually get overcompressed sound from artists that use ATC - the midrange clarity precludes this - distortion from overcompression becomes readily audible in the production stages. Think Pink Floyd, Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, INXS and many others - kind of the antithesis of the hypercompressed Metallica sound. ATC is like having a "lens" on the midrange - forward sounding and too harsh for some but it tends to result in better recordings. This may seem like a shameless ATC plug - but there are grains of truth in these statements!
Post removed 
More to discover