This is most certainly NOT a disbalanced surround mix. Might be time recalibrate your system!
Probably I had to calibrate my system exactly to this mix. But my system worked well with other albums that I have. So I thought I shouldn’t make any exceptions. Here comes explanation and a way how I usually test all mixes in my reviews for my Russian MCH Blog.
(English is not my native, so get it just the way it is….)
1. Balance (equal loudness on front and rear sound fields). To my ears here is just one pure balanced track, and it is #4 "Pure Narcotic". Several tracks I would call as "dynamic-almost-balanced": 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10. This means that the balance arises for the period when the instruments turn on, take place in short periods of choruses and improvisations, as well in the beginning or the end of the compositions. It is kind of swing: sound force goes back and forth, a sound wave that fills rear field during tutti. I don’t like this method of mixing… I’d agree, but not when it appear in that numbers of songs. As you remember, there are 12 tracks on the album. So still left 6 tracks that are totally disbalanced (a helluva 50%), where front sounded louder than rear… if you understand what I mean.
2. Static. In most of tracks static was used correctly: rhythm guitars, vocals-backup singers, synthesizers-organs, percussion-cymbals are put into the rear panorama… In general, everything is as Steven Wilson knows how to do. However, there is one annoyance that spoils the impression: the front rhythm section /big drum and the lead vocals push down the rear sound volume. Therefore, it seems that the rear panorama is weaker, created to serve the front. This strains the listener's hearing in an attempt to grasp all the instruments that located behind him. By the way, there could be more instruments than are now. It’s easy to understand when you take # 6 ("Don't Hate Me") for example: there is too much empty atmosphere in the rear. And look how much of rear sound in the 2016 album (4 ½) version! Just compare them! Only once, the mix of the composition "Pure Narcotic" get quite a top ten: the static nature of the instruments, well exposed in the corners of the system.
3. Dynamics. The mixer paid attention to this criterion, but I would like more flying objects to hear. Well done tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 11. Flying sound effects placed both circular and limited by the rear field.
So all in all I gave the 8 stars for the mix of Mr. Wilson.
