Search - Starcastle :: Citadel (24bt) (Coll) (Spec)

Hack mastering job- RUN FOR THE HILLS!!

David | Earth | 05/18/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This review is for the audio quality of the 2009 Rock Candy Records reissue of Starcastle Citadel, or lack thereof, and not the music. The music on this album has been jacked up in volume to insane levels. The music distorts during ALL loud passages. I'm left to wonder if Jon Astley (Close to the Edge Mastering), who for some reason wasn't ashamed to take credit for mastering this piece of garbage, ever listened to the final result. It's as if he didn't even bother using a limiter to do his brickwalling, he just turned everything up to 11. And not that it matters, because it's unlistenable anyway, but he also went nuts on the noise reduction. I feel like I've been ripped off, I wouldn't unload this disc on my worst enemy, so I'm stuck with it.



If you like this album my suggestion is to get the Renaissance CD, which blows this "remaster" away. Or go to your local shop, pick up the oldest, most beat-up copy of this album on vinyl, tie it to your car's bumper, drive home through cornfields, slap it on your Radio Shack turntable and enjoy the sonic bliss that this hack mastering job can't come near."