Nights of the Dead, Legacy of the Beast: Live in Mexico City (new live album)

Zare said:
You've answered your own question.

The drum sound on LAD is called "cardboard drums". Caused by the recording technology and crappy practices of the day. Noone wanted that sort of a drum sound, but they couldn't do better.

LAD is judged in the context of its time. Drums don't sound good but the playing is excellent and since that "not good" is the standard of the day, it gets a free pass. However it's 2020 and we have 30+ years of sound development.

What LAD does great, is the guitar sound that complements the drum sound. Guitars are thin too, but razor sharp, energetic, and full of clarity. It makes the whole recording very 'airy' which is not an usual feat of a live metal album (wall of sound ftw amirite). This is achievable cause one of the best bassists to ever grace the rock genre glues the drum and guitars together. All ads up to unique character of LAD and why it's considered as greatest of all time type album.

LAD drums weren't wanted, but they got them and needed to work around it - hence the other production choices.

None of this is present on the current live release, Harris's bass plays a different role in the last 20 years due to the 3 guitar setup, it's quite impossible to create a perfect clarity of 4 heavily distorted electric string instruments in a stereo space.
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Two words explain how good Live After Death sounds: Martin Birch. The guy was a genius making things sound heavy yet incredibly clear at the same time.
 
Big part of the "cardboard" drums on LAD is Nicko's use of concert toms - no resonant heads means a much boxier, attack-heavy tone with wayyyy less sustain.
 
Lego said:
Big part of the "cardboard" drums on LAD is Nicko's use of concert toms - no resonant heads means a much boxier, attack-heavy tone with wayyyy less sustain.
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As well as the bottom-leaning tonal balance of the drum mix. It's very close mic heavy, as it's live, while in the studio Birch used a lot of room and overheads. I think it sounds good though.

Beast over Hammersmith has more overheads (as well a different frequency balance)than LAD and is a lot more to my liking. But LAD as a spectral package sounds great and the drum sound leaves a lot of room for the presence in the guitars. The new live album doesn't sound great, not as a package, nor do I think the individual intruments sound that great either - especially when the levels are off. The drums are simply too loud and the guitars don't have much presence and are too damn compressed - This combination of things simply doesn't work that great.
 
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Lego said:
Big part of the "cardboard" drums on LAD is Nicko's use of concert toms - no resonant heads means a much boxier, attack-heavy tone with wayyyy less sustain.
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I disliked the over the top sustain on the toms (and other elements as well) immediately, when the latest soundman started. Drowns out lots of the music. Way too loud and dominant.
 
Forostar said:
LAD drums / production / mix sounds awesome.
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Agree with this post. LAD has a pretty banging drum sound (heh) along with every other instrument. The only thing slightly off about that album is Bruce's tired voice. And keep in mind, Bruce tired in '85 still sounded phenomenal.

I also think the mix on Nights of the Dead deserves to be heard from the official CD/LP before truly judging. I've heard some really well produced music turned to shit when put onto YouTube or a streaming service. It's very possible it doesn't sound any better...but it's worth waiting to judge. One thing that does hold true is, since we're comparing LAD now, Bruce sounds much better here than on LAD on the Aces High clip. His highs are crystal clear and don't have any of that thick "warble" that was found on the Book of Souls tour.
 
Sounds like Rock in Rio 2001 for me (part from the link, the whole song sounds more like a 2019 release). Still - i'm not convinced about quality but hey, this is new album so I'm happy.
 
Does anyone know what that little "chrk" sound is at around 8:00? You can hear it just before the solos start.
 
Is it available to buy on itunes?

I could buy Aces High but can't seem to be able to buy this.
 
I hate to say this, but it sounds much worse than I expected. Such a crappy sound production. I'm starting to worry about sound of the next IM album. Rhytm guitars almost don't have any power. Some bootleg versions of the songs from youtube sounds better that official live release. WTF?
 
The performance of SOTC is good (could have been better if it was a show from 2018).

The RIR version of it is better (especially the drum sound). The pyrotechnic sound before Dave's solo should have been removed and Adrian accompanying Janick during the melodic riff should have been louder in the mix imo. The part ''a fire in the sky'', sung by Bruce in a different way, is a interesting change. Nicko sounds/and play awesome during the whole LOTB tour.
 
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It seems that Steve has focused in bass and drums because the rhythm section parts of the guitars are inaudible. It's like there were one guitar player. The mix of the crowd is horrible,suddenly the people is there and one second later don't. Dave was drowned by his legato technique meanwhile Janick's solo is really horrible. I had to say it, but hey, it's just my opinion.
 
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