Something happens when you start playing out. You tighten up and strut a little bit more. Whatever you record after you play out will be better than what you play before. Not that what you play before isn't good or important but you guys should try to play out.

The vocal mix isn't bad, the vocals might just like to be a little higher in the mix.

ALL are 3/4 (were I don't know, think they had line up changes) of the members of the Decedents with a different lead singer, who were a very influential straight edge punk/hardcore band for a generation. The Decendents were proudly academically smart punk rock in their own way, I never thought about it before but I'm sure Bad Religion was influenced by them in that they seemed like the cerebral edge of punk (punk rock with a thesaurus). I came a little too late to get into Bad Religion but the punk kids I liked seemed to generally like them.

I'm just not heavy metal...

I don't emotionally relate to that sound.

I listen to stuff at the edge, but full on heavy ass guitars generally leave me cold.

It's not you, it's me. I can dig some punk rock but when the full on heavy metal guitars come in I just think "here's where I have to listen to the problems of White men in society today...."

I may have listened to a lot of punk rock in my day but lately I've been listening to West African and Samba music. I just couldn't give a fuck about white boy pain, it's become booring.

If your drummer can find it in himself to sing and drum at the same time it would be dope. People love a singing drummer. Especially with the tension with his somewhat fragile but honest vocals and the tense aggressive style of the rest of your music. Push him to do both at the same time because if he could people would dig it, he might get laid because of it...

Good luck, I hope to hear some more of your stuff.

P.S. almost the closest I get to heavy metal.