Additional funding

We have received additional funding from the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield, to work with branding experts (MESH) and a music PR company (Quite Great), who will help us to reach a wider audience.

Mixing session test run completed

We have met with metal production expert and advisory board member Dr Niall Thomas and our video production team Viscon at Mark’s studio to do a trial run of the mixing sessions to be done with the leading metal producers involved in our project. This was a good exercise, which has given us valuable ideas for how to improve the experimental setting. Looking forward to the producer sessions!

Second article is out

Check out our latest article in which we analyse approaches to mixing metal music and the extent of standardisation in current practice. You can access the article here.

And bass is done as well

… by the great Luke Appleton (ex Iced Earth, Blaze Bayley).

Now we’ve got orchestration

… thanks to the prolific Dr Mark Deeks (Winterfylleth, Mark Deeks).

Only vocals needed now

We are almost finished with the project song: bass and orchestration are done, only some growled vocals are still missing.

While you are waiting for the song to be released, check out our latest article in which we analyse approaches to mixing metal music and the extent of standardisation in current practice. You can access the article here: doi.org/10.1080/03007766.2021.1957544

Chapter for the Cambridge Companion to Metal written

We have finished a chapter on the origins of heaviness in metal productions between 1970 and 1995 for the Cambridge Companion to Metal Music, forthcoming by Cambridge University Press in 2023.

Recording going well

We are making good progress on our project song. Drums, guitars and most vocals are recorded, next are bass, orchestration and the remaining vocals. Everything is sounding great! Look out for the song and the (re-)mix pack.

Guitars are in

… recorded by the smashing Richard Shaw (ex Cradle of Filth).

Article acceptance

Our article “Nail the Mix: Standardization in Mixing Metal Music?” has just been accepted for publication in Popular Music & Society!

First publication

Our first research article has just been published (open access) in Rock Music Studies. The article examines the sometimes perceived standardisation in metal music production, focusing on the engineering/recording side of metal production. We find that this view is an oversimplification and fails to acknowledge the necessary and ongoing experimentation that leading metal producers have engaged in throughout much of their careers. You can check out the whole article here.

Drums are in the can

… recorded by the fantastic Dan Mullins (ex My Dying Bride and many more)!

Article acceptance

Our very first article, “(No?) Adventures in Recording Land: Engineering Conventions in Metal Music“, has just been accepted for publication in Rock Music Studies – amazing!

Fundraising campaign

Mark has launched a fundraising campaign to help UK live music technicians during the coronavirus pandemic (see https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2021/march/uk-metal-merger-mark-mynett-crowdfunding-track)

A modified version of the fundraising song, written and performed by internationally renowned metal musicians, will be our project song, mixed by leading metal producers. We plan to make the final recordings in the summer when hopefully it is possible to use studios again.

We also have been busy on the research side of things. Four articles are currently in the making that all examine creativity in recording and mixing metal music and analyse what constitutes heaviness in recorded form. Stay tuned for updates!

Second article submitted

… to the journal Rock Music Studies. It’s titled “(No?) Adventures in Recording Land: Engineering Conventions in Metal Music” and explores the recording side of metal music production

First article submitted

… in the journal Popular Music and Society. It is titled “Nail the Mix: Standardization in Mixing Metal Music?“ and explores standardisation and the degrees of creative freedom in mixing metal music.

Passports at the ready

We are going to Mexico: The first presentation of our project will be at the biannual conference of the International Society of Metal Music Studies (ISMMS) at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, 7-10 June 2022. We will present insights from our composition and pre-production phases in a presentation titled "Heaviness in Metal Music Production: Investigating Complexities through Practice".

Website launched

Please return regularly to keep up to date on how HiMMP progresses. We intend to expand the website and add content frequently.