Videos uploaded
Yes, you heard that right – the videos of the HiMMP interviews are now live. Click on the Videos tab to view them.
We are going to Spain
To Seville to be exact, to hold a panel at the 7th Biennial ISMMS Spain Conference in 2025, Deconstructing Metal Music Production’s ‘Heaviness’ Aesthetic.
Book updates
We are thrilled to share that the manuscripts of the two HiMMP books are now complete and, following some copyediting, will be sent to the publisher shortly.
Project completed
After four years, the HiMMP project is officially coming to the end today. But there is much to be excited about: The two books are still forthcoming, as are other publications. Stay tuned for the big finale!
Sound on Sound magazine
We are absolutely delighted that our text “Masters of the Art of Mixing: 8 Producers – One Song – Infinite Insights” has just been published as the feature article in the August 2024 issue of Sound on Sound magazine. It can be assessed here: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/masters-art-mixing
Please check also out the accompanying video comparison of all producer mixes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_TtJo2_bh8
A second book is coming!
We have just received the very encouraging feedback from our book publisher, Routledge, that our proposal for a second book has been accepted for publication. With the subtitle “Learn from the Masters”, it is focused more on practising producers, technicians and musicians and will contain full interviews with the 8 producers and documentations of their mix of ‘In Solitude’, as well as contextualising discussions.
Sound on Sound article
We are thrilled to announce that we will be having the feature article in Sound on Sound’s September (9/2024) issue with a text titled “Masters of the Art of Mixing: 8 Producers – One Song – Infinite Insights“.
Another video shoot
We have had two more sessions with our video team at Mark’s studio to shoot videos comparing the producers’ mixes. Stay tuned for their release!
Back from Stockholm
We have just returned from Stockholm. Our session with Buster Odeholm was amazing - we saw a really different approach that produced a very aggressive and heavy mix. Now we’re off to Denver to see Dave Otero in the next couple of days. Stay tuned for updates!
Two more field trips in December
That’s correct, we are going to Sweden and the US to work with Buster Odeholm and Dave Otero to cover some very different perspectives in modern deathcore and technical death metal, amongst others. And, the careful reader may have already spotted it, this takes us to 8 producers – one more than initially planned! Look out for some major announcements concerning our impact work.
New chapter
We are very happy to announce that our chapter “Mapping the Origins of Heaviness between 1970 and 1995: A Historical Overview of Metal Music Production” has now been published in the Cambridge Companion to Metal Music (edited by Jan Herbst).
A new article is out
We are very pleased that our latest article, “Lorna Shore’s ‘To the Hellfire’: A study in heaviness“, has just been published in Metal Music Studies journal. The title sums the content up nicely. If interested, head over to the publications and access the article.
Recruiting the next producers
We are busy in the background lining up the next producers. As per our research plan, there is only one more left to go, but we hope to find the time and budget to work with an additional, eighth one. We’re in talks with four amazing producers - stay tuned for updated!
New article accepted for publication
… titled “Lorna Shore’s ‘To the Hellfire’: A Study in Heaviness”, scheduled for publication in the next issue of Metal Music Studies journal. It dissects the popular Lorna Shore track to explore how the band/producer created one of the heaviest metal productions in the last years. Watch out for the publication.
Producer interviews 5 and 6 done
Great news, we have done two more producer interviews within a week. Both Josh Middleton and Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood were absolutely fantastic! Stay tuned for some footage.
Another article publication
We are excited to announce that another article has just been published: “‘I Just Go with What Feels Right’. Variance and Commonality in Metal Music Mixing Practice”. It is the third and final part of the standardisation in mixing sub-study, based on interviews with eight leading metal producers. It can be freely accessed here.
Fifth producer confirmed
We are delighted to report that Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery, Architects, Devin Townsend) has agreed to be part of the project. We are excited about Nolly’s mix and unique insights, representing the newer school of metal music production.
Mike Exeter
The interview with Mike Exeter went very well and was super insightful! Now we’re reaching out to some other heavyweight producers - stay tuned!
Fourth producer scheduled
Fantastic news, our fourth producer, Mike Exeter, who worked with Black Sabbbath, Judas Priest and Cradle of Filth, has been scheduled. We are going to work with him next week and are looking forward to a stimulating interview and stunning mix.