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Dylstew · 03-14-2014, 11:21 AM

I've noticed that all of the modern albums I have sound a lot louder. Sometimes so much that it makes listening to the album annoying after a while, but some others seem to do it right.

For this reason listening to an old 80's hardcore punk or thrash metal song can actually sound..not all that ''heavy''(for lack of better word) You can turn it on in the background, and it's not all that distractig to me. But than I listen to a newer album, and it's not the case. It's a lot louder, or ''heavier''

Sometimes the modern louder production makes it better to me, like, I know a feel ska/reggae albums that I like more because of the modern sound.
hey give me a certian ''feeling'' that the older sound doesn't give me.

what is it that makes some of the modern ''loud'' albums so annoying to me after listening to them for too long(even if I like the album), while others I don't mind.
Take System of a Down, Alternative metal. I like the band, but after a while the sound of the album just gets on my nerves.
System Of A Down - Cigaro #04 - YouTube (2005)
Most Nu Metal and Alternative Metal bands are like this.

But this modern Thrash Metal album has distortion guitars that don't annoy me, yet it's still as ''loud'' with the modern sound:

Sacrifice-The Ones I Condemn - YouTube (2009)

Now let's make a comparison to an old thrash metal album and a newer one.
Testament's first album from 1987:

Testament - Over The Wall - YouTube

Testament's 2012 album:

Testament - Rise Up - YouTube

Same band, newer album. They're the same type of music(although the newer once are quite groovier, since they're ususally mid tempo instead of fast). Yet, the newer one ''feels'' heavier to me. I guess it's just a lot louder. I prefer the older one in this case.

So why are modern albums so much louder? What happened there? And why am I put off by this in some modern albums, but not with others?

03-14-2014, 11:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dylstew Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,366	Why is new/modern music so much louder? I've noticed that all of the modern albums I have sound a lot louder. Sometimes so much that it makes listening to the album annoying after a while, but some others seem to do it right. For this reason listening to an old 80's hardcore punk or thrash metal song can actually sound..not all that ''heavy''(for lack of better word) You can turn it on in the background, and it's not all that distractig to me. But than I listen to a newer album, and it's not the case. It's a lot louder, or ''heavier'' Sometimes the modern louder production makes it better to me, like, I know a feel ska/reggae albums that I like more because of the modern sound. hey give me a certian ''feeling'' that the older sound doesn't give me. what is it that makes some of the modern ''loud'' albums so annoying to me after listening to them for too long(even if I like the album), while others I don't mind. Take System of a Down, Alternative metal. I like the band, but after a while the sound of the album just gets on my nerves. System Of A Down - Cigaro #04 - YouTube (2005) Most Nu Metal and Alternative Metal bands are like this. But this modern Thrash Metal album has distortion guitars that don't annoy me, yet it's still as ''loud'' with the modern sound: Sacrifice-The Ones I Condemn - YouTube (2009) Now let's make a comparison to an old thrash metal album and a newer one. Testament's first album from 1987: Testament - Over The Wall - YouTube Testament's 2012 album: Testament - Rise Up - YouTube Same band, newer album. They're the same type of music(although the newer once are quite groovier, since they're ususally mid tempo instead of fast). Yet, the newer one ''feels'' heavier to me. I guess it's just a lot louder. I prefer the older one in this case. So why are modern albums so much louder? What happened there? And why am I put off by this in some modern albums, but not with others?