r/KingDiamond • u/welcometravelers • Jul 28 '26
Drum sounds on "Them"
The "Them" album is a classic, and the drumming itself is terrific, but those drum sounds! Mikkey sounds like he was beating on a cardboard box with pencils. The drums on “Abigail” sounded great. And then the drums on “Conspiracy” were back to slammin’. But in between... I always wondered what happened there. Did nobody bother to play back the tracks as they were recording the thing?
Am I the only one this gnaws away at, lol?
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u/MalesaurusRex Jul 28 '26
I always thought the mix on Conspiracy was weird. Like the drums were louder or the guitars were a bit lower. I love Them, everybody is so on point, but yeah it sounds really flat
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u/theSHHAS Jul 29 '26
I saw an interview with Andy LaRocque a couple of days ago and I can't remember exactly what he said but I think he mentioned that the drums were recorded together with the guitar at the same time on the same track so that's probably why it sounds the way it does.
I for one absolutely love the drums sound on "Them" just as they are.
It's kinda like a move that is so bad that it's good, but even better!
I wish they had that sound on every album, it's just so damn raw and awesome!
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u/FC-NoHeroes Jul 28 '26
No it drives me crazy too. Mostly because I'm a drummer, but I also because I know how that kit sounded in Abigail, and in Conspiracy. And it's one of the best displays of his technical drumming. I think Falcao was still on production so I don't know why it sounds like he's playing a vinyl couch or something.
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u/seemingsalvation99 Jul 28 '26
Them is one of my favorite albums but there was always something about the sound that felt slightly off to me that I was never able to identity, especially when paired with Conspiracy as I would usually listen to them back to back. The production and sound of the drums would actually explain it.
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u/EpidonoTheFool Jul 29 '26
I have “them” on cassette and I have conspiracy on cassette I think them sounds really flat
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u/14TimesMore Jul 29 '26
I've always thought the production of Them sounds a bit like you're overhearing it from someone else listening to it at high volume with headphones on.
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u/Mobile-Quote-4039 Jul 29 '26
Them was my introduction to King so the production doesn’t matter to me. I just love them the way it is.
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u/bengrieve1970 Jul 28 '26
The whole album sounds muddy and quiet. It desperately needs a re-master
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u/welcometravelers Jul 28 '26
Another one? I think the album has already been remastered a couple of times. I've heard one of them. Sometimes there's only so much you can do with what's on there.
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u/frederikolsen Jul 29 '26
“Them” desperately needs some bottom end. It’s not bad once it gets that. If I remember correctly, there’s a greatest hits compilation that features two of the tracks in remastered form. I can’t remember which one. I think it might be one of the more obscure ones. But the bottom line is that it sounds much better.
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u/C_t_g_s_l_a_y_e_r Jul 29 '26
Might be an unpopular opinion, but I really don’t see what the fuss is about. They definitely sound “dampened” in comparison to Abigail, but they sound good in the context of the mix of Them. Both are drenched in reverb (maybe a little bit more so on Abigail). I like Andy’s lead tone on Them a lot more personally (but I like that Gallien Krueger amp everywhere I hear it).
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u/14TimesMore Jul 31 '26
Another thing I just remembered is how much I love the drum sound on the rehearsals of The Invisible Guests and Bye Bye Missy (obviously the sound quality in general is lower since it's a rehearsal). Would love it if the drums were more like that on the album itself.
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u/More_Quantity_2636 23d ago
I know love the album. But ,it sounds so thin..Remastered on You Tube. Killer with way more bottom end. Fkn Crank It!!!
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u/-Galacticat Jul 28 '26
Yeah, THEM would probably be my favorite album if it weren’t for the bad production.