** Edit  10/2/12 - Remixed!!  PLease check the new link in Post #10  - Thank you guys! **
Mix crits only please!   These guys have become friends and all but there are some performance issues (tempo flux & vocal pitchiness) that are driving me nuts here but it's not my song so....
I was asked to mix the guitars/bass heavy (fat) and they wanted the vocals a little set back with verb or other effects so they were not too dominant.  I believe I have done that!
Actually they recently lost their bassist and asked me if I would lay the bass track for the song, so I wrote and recorded the bass line myself for them.  They really gave me no guidance there.... they were like .... eh... do what you think would sound good.   I said ehhhh.... alright then! 
 
This is a pretty good rough mix up and a 5 minute (soft) mastering job with a few plugs that I did tonight.
 
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11633865&q=hi

Ah yes... I see what you mean. The chorus needs work. The lead needs to practice, and needs to breath and project more. He is not giving the same energy as the rest of the song. I would kick him to work a bit harder. . Cool tune tho, bass worked well, though its a bit metallica sounding. I might experiment with the tone somewhat, maybe try some wet compression and see how that shapes it.

Hi Chuck,
I thought the mix and production on this are quite good. I did find myself wondering if you couldn't bring the cutoff frequency on the hi-pass filters on guitar and vox down a bit to restore a bit of the low-mids and warm it up a bit, but without trying it it's tough to say and it may just make things muddy. Might be something to play with a bit...alternately some tape saturation (UADs Studer or FATSO, URS Saturation or whatever) might do the trick also.

Dean 

The mix sounds fine.  Bass could be a bit more up front, it is hard rock.   :-)  I like your friends' sound.  Hey, I think I just heard a screamer.  Hmmmm, kinda seemed out of place to me.  But, I'm an old guy!  Ha.  I think you did a good job, Chuck.

Foxwolfen- They called last night... Singer is going to retrack vocals as he is also unhappy with his performance.

Dean- I did slightly adjust the HP filters but much more and it gets muddy and loses separation fast. I am already pushing a fair amount of low end in each element of the mix.  Guitars start to roll off at about 80 hz, bass at about 70 hz and kick at around 42 hz.  This is going on a record with 5 other tunes done by a world class rock/metal producer that tends to have some heavy mixes so I am adopting some more of that sound for this mix.

Warren- Thanks man, I think the mix I have here was pretty close.  I have adjusted a few things here and there and will repost soon.  As for the bass... I keep wanting to do that too but haven't for fear they would think I was trying to highlight my performance in their song.  Thank you for reassuring me that it needs a little more.

We bass players need to stick together!  :-)  I think it will help the mix,  but the worst they can do is say no.  Mixer's privelege.  LOL!  

Chuck, as rough as it is, this song grabbed my attention fast.  There are a few issues, as were mentioned above, but this song has a lot of things going for it.  I look forward to hearing the final mix.

Thumbs up Chuck, you've got this headed in the right direction for sure. The song grabbed my attention right off the hope too.

Can't wait to hear the finished mix.

Hi chuck,
 
 
I like the the voice, very 2012. The intro can use something, it just didn't grab me. The song is a keeper with the tune and the lyric.
 
 

Vocals Re-tracked (twice actually and it took forever to get the singer to get in here and do it each time) remixed/mastered and here is the final version. I am pretty happy with it now. http://soundcloud.com/sto...ry-by-through-the-side