Bostjan Zupancic: MicroMetal Vol II

[bostjan]

So, another new EP is out today.

It's up on bandcamp, google play, amazon music, iTunes, etc.


I tried to go a little bit more eclectic on this one. Please let me know what you think about this one...feedback is pretty difficult to come by these days.

Thanks so much!

 

[Microtonalist]

I'm probably not the best person to offer any critical analysis as it's not in a style I go for

Seems solid to me though, I listened through it twice


The 19tet is working well here too

 

[inaudio]

I have to say that I enjoyed it but in an incredibly strange way. I feel like your vocals, the artwork, the riffing, the blending of styles, the microtonality, the lyrics and even the name of the project create a combination that's incredibly peculiar. I hope that you don't take this as an insult, but I felt like I was able to derive a similar pleasure from this as I do from certain B movies, mainly due to the strange magnetic personality of the work. I can't say that I loved it, but out of most of the stuff I've checked out this really stands out.

In terms of feedback I'm not sure if I can offer much. I feel like the drums are well written and the guitar playing is good. I really enjoyed the Judas Priest style vocal moments because they were so unexpected but somehow managed to work in the song. There were a few clean vocal moments where I felt like the delivery wasn't terribly convincing and the melodies were perhaps a bit too bland.

All in all, I feel like this is a really peculiar jewel in the rough. I genuinely liked it and I feel like if you just improved the vocals and perhaps threw in a few catchy hooks to persuade the listener to go along for the ride, you could be onto something here. Your style rides the line, where it still works and that's something that's really cool about it. I hope that my feedback doesn't sound like the ramblings of a crazy person, then again I did say that I like B movies.

 

[schwiz]

Oh man... this is not my style at all, but I will say your guitar playing is pretty solid!

The individual vocal lines need more attention, especially when you go from almost talking to a high pitched short scream. Needs more compression, an overall lower volume, and maybe a little saturation (on the layered parts) to glue it to the mix better. The vocal lines jump out and almost scare me (lol, I dunno if that's what you were going for). What makes this tough is that your more "talking" or low pitched signing will require different amounts of compression than your high pitched screams. You could separate them to different tracks, or use automation to change compression settings. You did a good job on some of those layered vocals. Also, I know you're probably not going for that clicky modern metal kick drum, but through most of the songs its pretty hard to hear in general. Snare drum sounds good. Just wanted to provide some feedback, as that's what you asked for.

I think your bandcamp banner is pretty awesome.

 

[bostjan]

Thanks so much for checking it out!

Haha, I don't really think of this style as a style anyone would really have much opportunity to go for or know about... My last release before this received similar comments about the style of it, so I tried to branch out here more and incorporate some different styles whilst still holding true to the patterns I hold most dear of changing up tempos and time signatures and using some unorthodox musical scales. Maybe those two elements are the things that most listeners feel weird about, or maybe it's just me, in general. IDK exactly.

 

[schwiz]

Thanks so much for checking it out!

Haha, I don't really think of this style as a style anyone would really have much opportunity to go for or know about... My last release before this received similar comments about the style of it, so I tried to branch out here more and incorporate some different styles whilst still holding true to the patterns I hold most dear of changing up tempos and time signatures and using some unorthodox musical scales. Maybe those two elements are the things that most listeners feel weird about, or maybe it's just me, in general. IDK exactly.

It's eclectic for sure.

I will say that a style like this would be pretty fun to mix because it is so different. That opens up a whole mix of different creative options when choosing EQ's, compression and saturation, which I personally would find enjoyable!

Hopefully you continue to refine this sound and put out more tunes!

 

[CapnForsaggio]

I really like the contrast present.

On one hand, you have this inaccessible "microtonal" aspect of the music,

but then you have this very "accessible" home-production vibe in the vocals (I'm not trying to be offensive) ....

Together, they make for music that surprises you in its complexity but that is constantly regrounding itself.

Here in the Portland OR music scene, this would be hotter than hipster pizza. Unfortunately, they don't pay well, but offer unlimited street cred.

 

[bostjan]

Thanks again for the feedback. I hope I can use this constructively. I did struggle quite a bit with getting the vocals just right (whereas, last time, the vocals came together in 2-3 sessions), but I thought I had finally got a handle on it. It'd be easier for me, if I had a dedicated singer, but I've had a hard time finding people with a flexible schedule.

My response to live performances thus far have been mostly "WTF is that?" and when I requested to 12 different blogs to get some reviews, I came up completely empty this time, so I'm guessing that the audience for this sort of thing is darn near nil. My supporting tour is already at its end and I don't see anyone interested in booking now.

I got a better response to my first release with this project, so I'll ponder why that was and go back to the drawing board for now.

 

[tedtan]

Just saw this.

Do you have a reference song/album you used for the mix (so we can hear something similar to what you were going for) or are you just looking for feedback/constructive criticism?

 

[bostjan]

Just saw this.

Do you have a reference song/album you used for the mix (so we can hear something similar to what you were going for) or are you just looking for feedback/constructive criticism?

Good question.

I was hoping for some general criticism.

Should I be using one particular song as a reference mix?

 

[tedtan]

I wouldn't say that you should be using a reference track, but using a reference to rack can be helpful, especially if:

- you're new to mixing (it can help provide a known reference to "good" relative volume levels and EQ for various instruments);

- you work on audio for hours at a time (it can help give your ears a refresher on how a familiar mix sounds, especiallly important in the high frequencies as our ears tend to stop hearing the highs accurately after exposure for more than a few hours); or

- you're working in an unfamiliar room or on unfamiliar monitors (it can give you a familiar point of reference to help minimize your lack of familiarity with the room/monitors).

Having said that, I wouldn't try to get an exact match to the reference, but rather use it as a yardstick against which to measure your own mix.

 

[prlgmnr]

woah, woah, woah.


Bostjan Zupancic ISN'T your real name?

Anyhow, I'm going to remember this every time I have that lazy thought "why does no one do anything original anymore?"

 

[bostjan]

woah, woah, woah.


Bostjan Zupancic ISN'T your real name?

Anyhow, I'm going to remember this every time I have that lazy thought "why does no one do anything original anymore?"

Well, not really...only sort of.

Haha, thanks! If nothing else, this was a lot of fun to put together...mostly. One of the songs came together in about two minutes. One of them became so agonizing, I scrapped it, then started it over, then re-started it over. I'm beginning to think that the songs that didn't come together by the second redo session should have probably been tucked away someplace no one would ever find them.

 

[bostjan]

My first major review came in. It wasn't too kind, not that I expected it to be. But man, I knew my vocals weren't the best, but this really has opened my eyes to the embarrassment that can happen when you're clueless about how bad you are at something, yet people are too nice to tell you that you need to give it up.

I think I'll go back to doing instrumental stuff unless I come across a singer who wants to work with me.

 

[tedtan]

Sorry for the late reply. I've been traveling and am just now getting back around to commenting.

Based on listening to this and your previous EP on Bandcamp, I was going to suggest that the vocals were the biggest hurdle you'll face in promoting your albums. Not that the vocals suck, but they sound like you were self conscious while singing the vocal tracks. In comparison, listen to any vocal track that you admire and you'll hear that the singer not only wasn't self conscious, but really stepped up to the mic and made a statement that people (including you if you admire it) can identify with.

And that is what separates the backing singers from the lead singers: the performance. The backing singers are often more competent, technically, at singing than the lead singer, but the lead singer gets into the lyrics/story/role and is able to deliver the performance that grabs your attention.

If I were producing you, I'd primarily focus on coaching you on the vocals. How to relax, loose the inhibitions and deliver a performance congruent with the lyrics. To confidently put your stamp on your performance and make it your own. To confidently make a statement that the listener can identify with.

When self producing, we lack that objective perspective that can help pull the performance out of us. But you don't need a coach, you just need to be cognizant of the issue and work on overcoming it (like anything else in life). Try re-tracking the vocals to one of your songs, but this time loose the inhibitions, get into character (think like an actor getting into character if it helps), over enunciate the words, add loads of dynamics into your performance (not just volume, but different vocal timbers) to help emphasize the specific lyrics being sung, etc. Afterwards, apply your vocal effects and listen to it in the context of the mix. I suspect you'll be surprised that even if its a bit overdone, it will be much closer to what you're shooting for.

 

[inaudio]

My first major review came in. It wasn't too kind, not that I expected it to be. But man, I knew my vocals weren't the best, but this really has opened my eyes to the embarrassment that can happen when you're clueless about how bad you are at something, yet people are too nice to tell you that you need to give it up.

Are you referring to the review that was on "The Metal Observer"? I feel like the reviewer was touching on some of the points I made earlier although his remarks were far more mean spirited in the way they were worded. However, if you can see past the harshness you'll actually notice that he's complimenting your work for being unique and actually making an impression.

I’m sure you’ve heard bad albums before – they’re two-a-penny – but albums that are so bad they’re good? Now that’s rare.

I feel like the word "bad" is incredibly misleading here. I wouldn't say that your music is bad. I think that it has a unique and strange quality to it that is actually compelling. A lot of people have incredibly averse initial reactions to the music of Primus and Mr. Bungle. Does that mean that their music is bad? Heck no. The strange character of the music is actually something that makes you come back to the music a lot of the time.

Another thing that's good to consider is what you're actually trying to accomplish with your music and this project. If you want to go for a more generic style, then perhaps going down the instrumental route and finding a vocalist is a good choice. However, I honestly think that because you did everything yourself you were able to create something incredibly unique that encompasses the entirety of the project. Generic music with good production doesn't really interest me but this did.

I'd tell you to keep pursuing what you're doing. It's not going to win you a Grammy or help you achieve God status in the metal community, but if your main interest is pursuing your own unique style of music then keep at it and keep building on it. Tedtan makes a great point about the performance in your vocals on the EP. I feel like just working on something like that could significantly improve the reaction people have to your work. Call me crazy, but I genuinely think that you have an interesting voice.

I hope that it doesn't sound like I'm trying to be nice or like I'm trying to encourage you to make a fool of yourself. You made something that has an undeniable quirky comedic aspect to it. To me that adds charm to the music and I don't mean that in a condescending way. You created something, put yourself out there and somebody didn't like it, that just comes with the territory I'd say. More power to you.

 

[bostjan]

Well, darn. I really just want to make it to a point where I can play fairly regularly with this project, whether that's having a couple of people who would be willing to go through the trouble of leaving their home to see the spectacle and check out the other bands I'm supporting, or gain the respect of other bands enough that they might want to extend a hand to me to share a stage with them to warm them up. Or hell, being able to hand out CD's to people and have them actually bother to listen to them, since I went through the trouble to have them printed (in that case, I'm a little flattered that the Metal Observer listened to my CD all the way through).

I left behind my aspirations for a record contract or whatever sort of monetary semi-success over ten years ago when Khereb split up.

I guess listening to a lot of Estradasphere, Primus, Mr. Bungle, and Buckethead can lead to writing some weird-ass music. Of course, out of those, Primus is the only band John Q. Public has probably heard of. But, then again, I can't remember a time when I aspired to be in a band that was played on syndicated FM pop radio.

 

[DeKay]

I think this is cool m8!

 

[Drew]

Ok, so the P&CE discussion we're having made me realize I've been meaning to check out your music for ages, and I don't believe I ever have. So, I cracked a good Waterbury, VT area IPA, and hit play.

One, this is weird as #!@#@, and I mean that as a compliment. You have a very defined, unique sound, which is incredibly rare around here. Stylistically I can't critique this at all since you and I do so radically different things, but I'm getting a kick out of listening to this, so right the .... on.

As far as mix/production critique, I actually like your clean vocals - given the oddness of the music, your surprisingly normal, full-sounding, conventional clean vocals are actually oddly effective - I get the Mr. Bungle influence, for sure (this started off on Give In, and your clean vocals here are especially good). I think the moments where the vocals sound the weakest are some of the layered parts, particularly the screamed ones, but that's as much a sync issue as it is anything else. I'd suggest one of two things - either just cut the layering and go with a single track of vocals, which I think you have the voice to pull off, or do what I used to do (for different reasons) and tack a sign saying "What would Devin Townsend Do" to your recording computer and just stick at it while tracking until the vocals sound absolutely inhumanly perfectly in time and in pitch.

From a mix standpoint, could be bandcamp compression, could be the master, but I'm hearing audible pumping in the master and getting a bit of listening fatigue too - sounds like you or bandcamp are absolutely smashing this. Backing off on the compression and letting the mix breathe a little more would help. Also, there's some masking going on in the low end - afrementioned compression is making it topugh to say for sure, but it sounds like there's a lot of low end you could scoop out of the guitars that would make the whole low end tighter (and give you some more headroom to get away with compressing the mix a bit more before it really began to pump). It's something I struggle with too because, hey, we're al guitarists, we want big huge guitar tones, but getting the guitar out of the way of the bass would probably make the whole thing sound tighter.

Overall, though, this stuff is pretty out there - I'd be hard pressed to tell you what your influences are here, especially on some of the poppier stuff. And, IMO, that's a good thing.

Also, how the .... did you get people to review your music? I never really got the hang of that.

 

[bostjan]

Thanks Drew!

Your encouraging words mean a lot to me!

As far as reviews, I just send things out cold most of the time, which, I guess is the best way to get a brutally honest review, although I received a positive-ish review last week from a small independent newspaper.

My most recent band's most recent record...I sent out maybe 15 copies, and got one review in a Russian magazine that gave it a 9/10, but got all of the facts of the band wrong, unless they reviewed a different band but used a photo of us by mistake, although the couple of tracks mentioned were the same titles as our songs.

This latest solo record, I sent out maybe 30-35 copies, which is over $100 in postage - and, so far, I've received 4 reviews, and only one was from an address I specifically mailed to. Two publications were kind enough to let me know that I was not going to be considered for a review.

I'm sure if you have better contacts, you can get somewhere, although I've had a heck of a low batting average (.125 on this last one, .083 on the previous).

Back in my 20's, I was surprised at how many publications would be willing to write a review if you just sent your stuff in, but back then there were a lot more small local publications that did that sort of thing.

I would recommend to anyone, on your next release, whip up a press release, and mail some physical copies out or set up a private streaming link and send some emails, then hit up everyone in the industry you can find who has anything to do with reviewing music. Just make your messages short and to the point, and if you don't hear anything back, call it a day. Maybe they'll remember your name and do a little more for you for the next release, and so on.