Audio Recording

Heavy metal is one of the most popular music genre. In fact, I do some heavy metal mixing on my own. Like other music genre such as pop, country and rock; you need to have reference music when you are mixing or mastering. Reference music should be something that sounds “standard” or “broadcast-ready” to your ears; something that you wish your mix or produced masters should sound like. Different mixing engineers have different taste in music. When I received some heavy metal mixing request, I use the following 10 best heavy metal songs for me. It works for me very well and I am hoping it will work for you too. As an introduction, heavy metal music started with origins from the early 70′s and 80′s with some of the best released material in the 80′s and 90′s. And even now, heavy metal music is getting heavier but only the volume has been changed, the tonal quality of the mix does not seem to change before and right now.

Mixing for heavy metal will focus strongly on the drums particularly the double bass as well as the “rawness” of the music. And also on the vocals and the heavy guitar riff. My top 10 best heavy metal songs of all time, not ordered by importance:

1.) “Dead Embryonic Cells”- Sepultura
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Z8Ww1EmMk&ob=av2e
The heavy guitar riffs sounds great along with the drums particularly the snare, double bass and cymbals. One of my most favorite Sepultura song, this song features some great arrangement which I found rare in most heavy metal music. For example, it starts pretty cool then building up great speed typically for most speed heavy metal. And then it stops near the end to slow down its tempo- the arrangement is unique and sounds nice. Listen to this song with the volume level crank up, the dynamics has been well preserved!

2.)“Becoming” – Pantera
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ht3XGhlfYs
The double bass in this song is great. And the mixing engineer of “Far Beyond Driven” album does a great job of establishing the clarity on the double bass performed by Vinnie Paul. My favorite part is the intro as well as the stanza to chorus.

3.) “Too bad” – Ugly Kid Joe
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRsSfbso3nM
I won’t consider this song to be pretty heavy. But if my client wants a semi-heavy metal sounding music, I give this song as a sample. In fact, I was pretty impressed the way the guitars , drums and vocals are mixed in this song. Even if you listen to the lo-fi version in Youtube. The song still sounds great! I mostly use this song as reference to mixing guitars for heavy metal. The snare also sounds pretty cool.

4.)“Davidian” – Machine Head
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mWPPBW4DU8
The guitar and drums mixing in this song is great.

5.) “Master of Puppets” – Metallica
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z-hEyVQDRA
This song is a masterpiece by Metallica and in fact my most favorite Metallica songs of all time. The bass mixing is great as well as the vocals and the guitars. One of my most favorite sections is when the song changes tempo from fast to slow then building up speed again.

6.) “Roots Bloody Roots” – Sepultura
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_6IjeprfEs
Sepultura “Roots” album is one of the most ambitious mixing projects I’ve observed in heavy metal. If you listen to this album particularly “Roots Bloody Roots”. It may sound ordinary to you; but this song consist of highly sophisticated and elaborate mixing of native drums and Brazilian/African beats.

7.) “Bleed”- Meshuggah
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc98u-eGzlc
This list is not complete without my present day favorite Meshuggah, one of the heaviest band today. If you listen to this song, is one of the most complicated kick drum sequences I’ve ever heard. If the band drummer is ambitious enough to be as good as Thomas Haake then its no problem. I will listen to this mix and make sure it sounds as good as “Bleed”.

8.) “Children of the grave” – White Zombie
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nj-TS420Y
This is a cover song done by White Zombie and originally performed by Black Sabbath. The reason I like is that its simply heavy. I love the way effects has been added to this song.

9.) “Hell Awaits” – Slayer
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Bnkjl4Q6k
This is one of the earliest heavy metal songs that I used to listen. This is a good example of heavy metal song that the mixer does a great job in establishing clarity of the drum mix. If you listen to the studio version of this song – Dave Lombardo performance is magnificent. The speed of this song (realized starting 3:14) is enough to make a good alarm clock in the morning.

10.) “Before I Forget” – Slipknot
Listen it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_09wFxoaeQ
Time to bang heads! This song is my most favorite Slipknot song. I simply use this song if my client wants a “modern” heavy metal sound.