Skull Kollektor - "Dead Shaker" (Lyric video on Youtube) - Thrash from Milan

[Skull_Kollektor]

Hi everyone,

As a thrash metal project from Milan, Skull Kollektor is looking for advice by fellow fans of the genre.

This is the very first song we have come up with since forming late in novembre 2016.

The lyrics tell the tale of someone who brings the dead back to life, then abuses them, then kills them again in an eternal (and infernal) loop.
It's like three Slayer tunes put together: "Post-mortem", "Necrophiliac" and "Kill Again"!

Big influences (lyrically) were certainly Alice Cooper, Mercyful Fate and Italy's very own Death SS.

We are very dedicated fans of traditional thrash metal and would truly appreciate some feedback on this song. 

Negative feedback is very welcome too, because if we are doing terribly wrong, we might just stop right away!

 

 

[Will]

I really like riffs and the song writing.

It could be my headphones but I would suggest making the drums a tad louder. Also, I might suggest tweaking the rhythm guitar tone a little as it feels a little muddy and low-heavy for my taste in thrash (are you using a fuzz pedal?).

Overall though, I liked it quite a lot (you're definitely not doing "terribly wrong"). Looking forward to more stuff.

[Skull_Kollektor]

Thank you very much for finding the time to listen and to comment! I deeply appreciate your words!

I did not use any actual pedal, I plugged straight into my FocusRite and then messed with the digital tools. No "fuzz" digital effect was specifically involved, but I might have accidentally induced some fuzz by messing with the "brightness" knob of the master!

You are absolutely right about the mix! I will try to fix these aspects with my limited ability.

I already have another song ready, it's called "Thermonuclear Summertime". I will soon make a lyric video for that as well.

[Skull_Kollektor]

I put that shitawful "Dead Shaker" track on iTunes, Amazon and, most of all, SPOTIFY!

It's all in the name of fun. Please, do throw some negative feedback on the track! I'd love to be bashed eheh

[ChainsawAkimbo]

Haha..  James kicked Lars out and mixed it all by himself? Can´t really hear anything apart from vocals and guitar, and guitar tone definitely needs work, but it´s a really promising start i must say, just keep at it and aim to learn something new about mixing with every single song and it will be great eventually.  

[FatherAlabaster]

Agreed with everyone about the mix. The elements aren't integrated well. Drums are too low, and at the same time too sharp. They have too much attack without enough body, which makes them sound thin. Roll off some of the treble on the kick and snare, raise the volume a bit (or better yet, cut everything else). The drum patterns could use some work too, some more variation. The guitar fuzz/mud problem could be mitigated with EQ, by sweeping around the midrange and cutting frequencies that are getting in the way, but you're better off finding a different tone since it's all in the box. I can't even hear the bass. The vocals, again, aren't integrated; they sit on top in an awkward way, probably forced to do so by the guitars. They're too loud, and at the same time not quite aggressive enough; they need a bit more conviction, as well as the right compression/EQ/reverb settings.

The guitar playing is pretty good, but the song doesn't really hold my interest; for my taste, I'd say either develop and change the parts a bit more, or make it shorter. It's a start, though! And since it's up on Spotify, I guess it's a finish, too; try for some more balance, separation and impact next time around.

[Skull_Kollektor]

Cool! Thank you very much about all this detailed explanation! Thing is, I don't know shit about music! I know trivia and gossip, but music shouldn't be about that!

Once I got a MacBook it opened a world to me, cuz I'm entirely self thaught (more like self period, because I haven't learnt much by myself)!

I'll try to do my best to fix it all.

Also... the main problem is.... that I've played everything with a fuckin' keyboard ahahah 

Everything! Even the goddamn double bass pattern (which cannot really be heard) was not programmed! It was two fingers of mine

It's gonna be tough, but I will try to fix the mix and change stuff.

 

Check this out! This was on an acoustic piano.. Once again, nothing serious, just for fun, but this was me some 9 years ago! It got to 28k views, which is unreal...