A little metal music for the afternoon tea, prehaps?

[HowlingUlf]

Hi ppl!

I've recorded a few short songs, about two minutes each, and I need more ears than I have here and now.
The music maybe is what it is haha but the mix might be too loud or too much ... weight?
I commited the cardinal sin of mixing too long without references so I'm maybe a little over the top?
Am I in the famous ballpark stylistically?
Any and all comments are welcome and it's not a politeness competition!

Ultra Violent Light
Metal Hospitality
A fist of steel and a heart of gold

Oh, amd It's for this one:

"HARDCORE, HEAVY METAL INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed for multiple $1,500, Direct-to-Music Supervisor, NON-Exclusive placements in a new Science Fiction TV Series done by the same producers as the hit TV show, Mr. Robot. They’re looking for driving, Mid-to-Up-Tempo Cues in the general style of bands like (but not limited to) Metallica, Immortal, Pantera, etc., etc., etc. Please listen to the following references to get an idea of the style and vibe they need:

“Hardwired” by Metallica:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhBHL3v4d3I

“All Shall Fall” by Immortal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOOebk_dKFo

“I’m Broken” by Pantera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1fUgpYSdpo

Although the references have vocals, please submit Instrumentals only for this pitch. Please submit well-crafted Instrumental Cues with heavy guitar riffs, roaring bass lines, and big, hard-hitting drums. Your music production should have the typical Rock Band instrumentation and deliver an authentic Heavy Metal sound. This Music Supervisor has great ears, so give him tracks with great guitar tones that don’t sound like they came out of a box!

Build your Cue around a central melodic theme, while adding and subtracting layers of Instrumentation as your Cue progresses to add dynamics and keep it from sounding too repetitive. Please avoid using any Instruments that sound stiff or obviously MIDI-driven.

TAXI Tip: If you’re using amp modeling software or devices, you might try running the signal back into a real guitar amp, using a mic on the amp to give it some “air” and realism.

Your submissions should be at least 2 minutes long. Easy edit points and Non-Faded/Buttoned/Stinger endings will work best for this pitch. Do NOT copy or rip off the referenced songs in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, and overall vibe. TAXI #Y170130HI"

[jnmorrison]

Here's just my really quick 2¢.
Just listening through - and I'm just typing things as I hear them.
Please don't take this for anything other than first impressions. I feel like that is most important type of feedback because that's really all you're going to get from a screener; which is to say their gut reaction and "yay/nay" on a track.

Ultra Violet -
very samey throughout...not enough change. A part/B part...no real change throughout...
The drums sound very stiff/looped and just constant hitting me over the head and there is a "clicktrack" feel to the highhat.
The feel/mood is right on the money for the thrash-metal style, but this one might be a bit too frenetic (pace wise) for what they are actually calling for.
Where's the bass? Can't hear it in the mix. I can tell the bass string thumping is there - but no tone is making it through the mix.
Lead guitar tone sound very "boxed" like it was straight into a I/O and put through POD farm or other guitar software.
Good work overall!

Metal Hospitality -
Much better mix wise, I can hear your bass...
I think this pacing is maybe closer to what they are after.
Lead tone is pretty artifical sounding here again.
Drums have that weird clicktrack feel again.
There is a strange paperbag popping sound on your bassdrum? or tomtom? it's very distracting.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the harmony guitars.

Fist of Steel, Heart of Gold -
Nice rhythm tone.
there's that clicktrack highhat again.
Great groove on this one.
Programmed/looped drums are really taking away from the authenticity of this track.
Iron Maiden fan are you? (sounds like in this one for sure!!!) That's a great thing for me - but might not be actually heavy enough for this particular listing.
Nice lead lines for sure! The leads in this one sound less "boxed" and a little more natural!
Love the panning back and forth...might make for difficult mixing/usage in film/tv...but who knows?!
Your playing here reminds me of Ron Jarzombek! Great work!
Kind of stops VERY suddenly...

Keep up the great work!
Good luck to you on these! And to us all!

Keep it metal!
Nick

[HowlingUlf]

Here's just my really quick 2¢.

2¢ ??? It's more like $20 if you ask me, thank you very much!
$20 ... remind me of ... oh, yeah, my favorite lines in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37v-6Zs5T10

seems you've found a little heap of Achilles heels there hehe.
That's the point of this forum ... after looking and listening too close for too long you're blind to the flaws.

Just listening through - and I'm just typing things as I hear them.
Please don't take this for anything other than first impressions. I feel like that is most important type of feedback because that's really all you're going to get from a screener; which is to say their gut reaction and "yay/nay" on a track.

You've got a point there!

Ultra Violet -
very samey throughout...not enough change. A part/B part...no real change throughout...
The drums sound very stiff/looped and just constant hitting me over the head and there is a "clicktrack" feel to the highhat.
The feel/mood is right on the money for the thrash-metal style, but this one might be a bit too frenetic (pace wise) for what they are actually calling for.
Where's the bass? Can't hear it in the mix. I can tell the bass string thumping is there - but no tone is making it through the mix.
Lead guitar tone sound very "boxed" like it was straight into a I/O and put through POD farm or other guitar software.
Good work overall!

Lack of bass tone I'm aware of kind of.
Lead guitar got a little pointy and spiky after a while ...
I think I pretty much left the drums and forgot them from the sketch
I think this is the first one I started and I had no idea what to add or change so it is what it is ... at the moment.

Metal Hospitality -
Much better mix wise, I can hear your bass...
I think this pacing is maybe closer to what they are after.
Lead tone is pretty artifical sounding here again.
Drums have that weird clicktrack feel again.
There is a strange paperbag popping sound on your bassdrum? or tomtom? it's very distracting.

me fix!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the harmony guitars.

thanx!

Fist of Steel, Heart of Gold -
Nice rhythm tone.
there's that clicktrack highhat again.
Great groove on this one.
Programmed/looped drums are really taking away from the authenticity of this track.
Iron Maiden fan are you? (sounds like in this one for sure!!!) That's a great thing for me - but might not be actually heavy enough for this particular listing.
Nice lead lines for sure! The leads in this one sound less "boxed" and a little more natural!
Love the panning back and forth...might make for difficult mixing/usage in film/tv...but who knows?!
Your playing here reminds me of Ron Jarzombek! Great work!
Kind of stops VERY suddenly...

I usually like Iron Maiden when I stumble over them but I'm not really a fan. But they're kinda likable. How can you not like them?
Had to google Ron Jarzombek and hey!!! Thanks! The whole song is kind of diminished overkill haha so I see where you're coming from.
I don't need to hard pan the leads so much and it will still have the same effect probably.
And something went wrong there at the end, but I've probably have heard those songs enough to not want to listen all the way to the very end hehe.
I heard it when I was done uploading to SoundCloud and my mind was wandering elsewher ... but at that point I though "Screw it! I can upload a proper one tomorrow" but that never happened.

I'll try to fix the drums and the rest and I probably should go through all the percussive stuff again in all three songs.
They didn't get the attention, love and care they deserved ... I felt the hands of the clock where spinning like a fan and I wanted to finish all of it in time.
But now it's weekend so thank you very much for destroying my sunday hahaha!

Keep up the great work!
Good luck to you on these! And to us all!

Yeah! Thanks and good luck to you too and to anyone with this listing who needs it!

Keep it metal!

Are you implying there are other ways?

Nick

Thanks for your time!

[HowlingUlf]

okie dokie ...
new versions of all three if anyone wants to take a stab

TIA