(Anthem) Even though Rush fans were delighted to see Rush emerge from the recording studios with their first new studio recording since 1996 (Test For Echoes), even the most discerning fan would have felt something was wrong with their new 2002 opus `Vapour Trails’. There was something not right with the mix, the record had a loud sound quality. Rush themselves knew something was wrong and producer Richard Chycki proved a point when he remixed two tracks `One Little Victory’ and `Earthshine’ for the band’s Retrospective 3 record.
This triggered a desire for the band to remix the entire record. This they have done, allowing David Botrill to remix the entire record. “Vapour Trails was an album made under difficult circumstances (following drummer Neil Peart’s personal tragedies),” noted bassist Geddy Lee. “It was like Rush learning to be Rush again and as a result, mistakes were made. We have longed to correct these mistakes and David Botrill’s remixes have finally brought clarity to this deserved body of our work.”
Apparently, when Vapour Trails was mastered, it was mastered so loudly that additional digital distortion was caused by overly clipped audio levels which were generated during the production of the CD.
Even with these faults, tracks like `One Little Victory’, `Ghost Rider and `Century Unlimited’ signalled a return to the spotlight and now an improved recording of this important record has been released. The remixed version of Vapour Trails will also be included in a special seven-record compilation
