when you define music styles and sound styles you define the vibe that the listener gets - some bands that are very well known and sell alot have drums that are way in the back of the mix becuase thats there sound . and some have it loud in the front - basicly when you create the sound - you want it to enhance the bands musical creation - if its overproduced then it will sound bigger then the band - and it will feel like the band has a good production but the songs dont work as much - if its underproduced you will feel that something is lost and doesnt bring the best out of it - thats why you got to aim for something that brings the most of the band but doesnt becomemore then the band -
thats also in mastering - you want to make it sound right for the band and the listener .
so go whith what you feel - not with what is outthere - if you feel its needs more go for it if you feel it need less then go for it - you can always ask the people you know for there opinion.


mastering has always been there - even if you dont see mastering credits on albums - its because back in the day some of the mastering studios were part of the record labels and they didnt credit the hard working people doing it - thats a shame because alot of good people with great talent mastered those albums and are not credited or known for that work - but still it was mastered.



the studio and engineers that did get credited at that time were the ones that had opened independent mastering studios and they got credited for the studios too


so if you dont see mastering credits - it was still mastered but its hard to know who did it as the record labels had the studios and you never know
who was working on it at that day and hour

its kind of whats happening with the donwloads too - in a lot of cases there are no credits becuase they dont have info sheet