I also improved the mix a bit, the thing is, it sounds good on my 100$ seinheiser headphones but levels sound off on my computer. anyways, what do you thing of the musicianship, vocals, drum programming, composition, production, mix etc? constructive criticism? I'd appreciate it, thanks
http://soundcloud.com/holdingtheinfinit ... pdated-mix

Re: the programming, I'd turn the hats down. They're pretty overbearing compared to the rest of the kit. Overall I don't think I'd compress the drums nearly that much; it sort of flattens them and they wind up sounding very much like a background element, especially with all the 'verb on them and the guitars way out front.

The bombastic drums are an interesting contrast- not what I'd normally expect in the style at all, especially all the double kicks. The vocals have the floaty 'verb'd-out thing going on and the guitars and bass are appropriately fuzzy.

Conceptually I think the drums work, and I hear where I think you're trying to go with them, but I'd take off the 'verb and the compression and maybe give the velocities a second look? Especially the part at the end with the snare rolls and the ride. Subtle things make a big difference, especially if you're going for a drum sound that's more natural than modern metal.

A little trick with hats and ride, if they're keeping patterns of four is to go LOUD Soft Loud soft with the velocities, and change it up a bit from there so it doesn't sound looped either. Yeah, it takes some time, but you can copy/paste good chunks at random and it doesn't sound like it's repeating. A similar thing applies to kick patterns, fills on the snare and toms, etc. Vary the velocities for softer and louder hits within a pattern. Try to think like a drummer here and how you'd emphasize the groove. I'd expect the quarter notes are gonna be harder hits, but anything in between can be lighter- sometimes significantly- and it gives things a totally different feel. But I digress.

Also, parallel compression is your friend on drums for getting more body/ring/shell while still letting the initial attack cut through. Send your drums out on a... Well, send, slap a big ugly compressor on it and bring the squashed drum bus up under the un-squarsh'd drums. This avoids the obvious compressor/limiter squash sound. And if you're using Toontrack stuff, you kinda already have that built in on max velocity (or close to it) hits anyhow.

But I digress again. Were it me, I'd tamper with the drums a bit to get them sounding less off in the distance, especially with the guitars being much drier, and pull the levels on everything else down vs. bringing the drums up, then turn up the level on the master. Headroom is your friend for clarity and punch.

What did you use for the guitars?

Less comp on the drums. I'm down with lots of reverb but it needs less.

Definitely could use a bit less of everything. I don't actually dislike the heavy handedness of the reverb on the vocals. But there is definitely too much for the other elements of the thing.

And actually, in general, because of the reverb and everything else, there are lots pf parts where there is just too much going on to sound very cohesive. For instance, i might drop the solo lead type guitars wayyyyy down when the vocals are going, and possibly, i might simplify some of the drumparts, fewer fills-that sort of thing, when other stuff is going on that the song focus would be better placed on than the busy stuff going on behind.

The way it closes out is much better, drums not trying to do too much, effects utilized in ways that don't detract from the mix, etc.

could potentially have some epic stuff if you sang/hummed in tune.

Finally found your escape from uppermiddle class suburbia san diego huh?