And another article

Our article ‘What is “Heavy” in Metal? A Netnographic Analysis of Online Forums for Metal Musicians and Producers’ is out with Popular Music & Society. The article explores what the word "heavy" means for (metal) music producers and musicians. This study is the first to examine how practitioners use the term in the "real world" to determine how well academic discourse and everyday use align. The research can be assessed here.

It’s a hattrick

Our third article, ‘Toward a Systematic Understanding of “Heaviness” in Metal Music Production‘, has just been published in Rock Music Studies. This article proposes a framework for how the technological, performative and musical components of heaviness interact and contribute to the production of heaviness. The research can be accessed here.

Article acceptance

Our article “‘I just go with what feels right’. Variance and commonality in metal music mixing practice” has just been accepted for the 11(1) issue of the general music journal El oído pensante.

Rockfield calling

We are thrilled to announce that we will be going to Wales in August to work with producer Andrew Scheps at legendary Rockfield studios!

Article acceptance

Our article “Toward a Systematic Understanding of ‘Heaviness’ in Metal Music Production“ has just been accepted for publication in Rock Music Studies!

Backing vocals are in the can

… by the fantastic Aaron Stainsthorpe (My Dying Bride).

Mexico was a blast

We very much enjoyed presenting work in progress results of our practical work to an interested audience to the ISMMS crowd in Mexico!

‘In Solitude’ finally has vocals

… by the outstanding Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, Avantasia, Gamma Ray).

Article acceptance

Our article “What is ‘Heavy’ in Metal? A Netnographic Analysis of Online Forums for Metal Musicians and Producers“ has just been accepted for publication in Popular Music & Society, hooray!

Book contract signed

We are very pleased to report that we have signed a contract with Taylor & Francis (Routledge & Focal Audio) for the book Heaviness in Metal Music Production: How and Why It Works, intended to be out in 2025.

First article for Metal Music Studies journal

We are excited to have submitted the first article to the central venue for metal scholarship, Metal Music Studies journal. To keep the anonymity of the peer review process in tact, we cannot give any further information, but it is an interesting article! We hope it will be out sometime next year!

We’re going to Liverpool

… to the biannual conference of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), UK & I branch, 31.8.-2.9.2022, where we will deliver a presentation on “What Does it Mean for Professional Metal Music Production to Move Online? A Practice-Based Analysis of Workflow, Quality and Business“.

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.