All the Godspeed You! Black Emperor pressings I have (manufactured since 2018) have been abysmal. From F#A# infinity to Luciferian Towers, each record has AT LEAST one of the following issues: loud surface noise, audible ticks caused by scratching, compressed mastering (in comparison to digital lossless), warping, and centering issues. I can understand the earlier albums being bad because Mircroforum is a bad pressing plant, but the newer records pressed at Optimal are unacceptable. For a pressing plant that has as good a reputation as that, there should be no reason for Allelujah to LT to sound THIS bad.
Just really disappointing results for what is an amazing band that makes amazing music.
Would like to start a conversation on Constellation's vinyl pressings. Please direct me to the appropriate forum if I am in the wrong spot here. It has been accepted for years that there are no different pressings and many of their titles remain in print. However, lately I have seen older albums pressed in newer/different packaging. They have started use of shrink wrapping versus their old style of just the poly outer sleeve and a hype sticker, sometimes with a small barcode sticker on the rear for retail shops (copies bought at shows never had these). I don't have the desire to buy new copies to compare but would love to compare notes to someone who has recently purchased some of the older Godspeed or Mt. Zion records. AFAIK there is differentiation between normal and 180 gram versions on several releases, but I am wondering if there aught to be new listings for these newer pressings of their back catalog?
Always great music on this label...too bad their mastering for vinyl is the worst...they always compress the dynamics to the maximum. But you won't need to believe me, just go on the dynamic range database and input any of their releases. So don't waste your cash and time, just get the mp3s... This brings me to my next point, and this goes directly to the label heads: Why waste precious energy, resourses and time to put out crappy, shitty sounding vinyl? You guys are supposed to be environmentally, socially conscious and responsible people...if you want to release vinyl, make it worthwhile and improve your mastering techniques... I have records from local Montreal punk bands from the 80's that sound waaaaay better than your vinyl, and they had NO budget!!! So wtf are you doing?!
not.adam
February 3, 2021Just really disappointing results for what is an amazing band that makes amazing music.