Amon Amarth Lead Guitar Magic: Jens Bogren’s Mix Approach

Getting lead guitars to sit perfectly in a dense metal mix is an art form. Too loud, and they’re an obnoxious distraction. Too quiet, and all that shreddy goodness gets lost in the onslaught. We got a killer look at how legendary producer Jens Bogren (Opeth, Arch Enemy, Sepultura) tackles this challenge, specifically with the iconic lead guitars of Amon Amarth. Forget overly complex chains; Jens often leans on getting the balance right in context, with just the right touch of processing.

Let’s dive into how he approaches lead guitars to make them command attention without overpowering the track, drawing insights from his session.

The Golden Rule: Mixing in Context

Before even touching an EQ or a delay send, Jens emphasizes the importance of mixing in context. This means making decisions about the lead guitar while the rest of the track – drums, bass, rhythm guitars, vocals – is playing. A solo part might sound killer on its own, but how does it interact with everything else? Is it fighting the vocals? Is it getting buried by the snare? This contextual approach is fundamental to achieving a balanced and impactful mix. It’s less about soloing the track and more about how it contributes to the whole sonic picture.

Jens Bogren's Amon Amarth Lead Guitar Sauce

When it came to the Amon Amarth leads, Jens’s process was about finding the sweet spot with relatively minimal processing, letting the core tone shine.

Starting Point: Respect the Source

It’s easy to get carried away with plugins, but sometimes the best move is a light touch. Jens experimented with running the Amon Amarth solo guitars through his typical vocal chain – something he mentioned isn't uncommon for him. While it sounded "pretty cool," he ultimately found that disabling it yielded better definition and dynamics, especially in the low end of the guitars. The vocal chain, likely involving more aggressive compression, made the lead guitar feel a bit too "flatlined" for this particular part. This is a great reminder: always A/B your processing. If it’s not making a clear improvement, it might be better to dial it back or remove it. The core sound of the DI was pretty solid, so it didn't need a ton of fixing.

Strategic EQ for Clarity and Punch

With the vocal chain bypassed, Jens moved on to some essential EQ work.

Basic Sculpting

The initial EQ moves were described as "basic," suggesting broad tonal shaping to help the lead sit right. This could involve gentle high-pass filtering to remove unnecessary sub-lows, a subtle mid-boost for presence, or a slight dip in areas clashing with other instruments. The goal isn't radical transformation but careful refinement.

Taming Resonances: Static vs. Dynamic Approaches

Resonances can make a guitar sound honky, boxy, or introduce unpleasant ringing. Jens tackled this in a couple of ways:

• Sonible smart:EQ: He utilized the Sonible smart:EQ, a plugin known for its intelligent learning capabilities. By playing the track and engaging the "learn" button, smart:EQ analyzes the frequency response and creates a custom filter curve. When you then boost a range with the plugin, it intelligently dips specific resonant frequencies within that range. Jens noted this can be effective for statically removing resonances, rumble, or boxiness. It’s a different approach than a dynamic EQ like Soothe (which he didn't explicitly name but described the function of), which reacts in real-time to problematic frequencies. Sometimes, a static cut, as offered by smart:EQ, is just what the doctor ordered.
• Waves C4: A brief mention of the Waves C4 multiband compressor suggests its potential use for taming specific frequency areas in a more dynamic way, or for general tonal balancing across different frequency bands.

Adding Depth and Dimension: Delays and Doublers

No metal solo is complete without some sense of space and width. Jens employed some standard but effective tools:

• Stereo Delays: A go-to for creating a wide, epic feel. The key is to find delay times and feedback settings that complement the rhythm of the solo and the track.
• Doubler: A subtle doubler effect can add thickness and further enhance the stereo image, making the lead guitar sound bigger and more impressive.

Refining the Delay Sound: Beyond "Toilet" Tones

Jens highlighted a crucial aspect of using delays: ensuring they enhance the lead rather than making it sound "toilet sounding"—that washed-out, resonant mess we all dread. He aims for delays that can "surround" the lead and make it "warmer."

This often involves:

• Delay Choice: Experimenting with different delay plugins or hardware to find one with the right character. Some delays are cleaner, while others offer more modulation or saturation that can contribute to warmth.
• EQing the Delays: This is a pro move. Jens mentioned that if there's a resonant frequency in the lead (he noted a lot of focus around 1.1k Hz in this particular solo), that resonance can be amplified and become problematic in the delay repeats. He would consider going into the delay return track (or the delay plugin itself if it has an onboard EQ) and specifically EQing the delayed signal. This might involve dipping that 1.1k Hz, or rolling off some highs and lows from the repeats to make them sit back and create warmth rather than harshness.

Key Takeaways for Your Lead Guitar Mixes

Jens Bogren’s approach to Amon Amarth’s leads offers some solid takeaways:

1. Context is King: Always make your mixing decisions with the full track playing.
2. Less Can Be More: Don't over-process. If the source tone is good, enhance it, don't bury it.
3. Smart EQing: Use EQ to sculpt, remove problematic resonances (both statically with tools like Sonible smart:EQ and dynamically if needed), and ensure clarity.
4. Tasteful Effects: Employ delays and doublers for width and space, but pay attention to the quality of that space. EQ your effects returns to avoid muddiness or harshness.

Mixing killer lead guitars like Amon Amarth's is a craft honed through experience and listening. By applying these principles, you can get your solos to slice through the mix and deliver maximum impact.

Take Your Metal Mixes to the Next Level

Want to see exactly how pros like Jens Bogren dial in these sounds, from raw tracks to finished master? At Nail The Mix, you get to watch world-class producers mix iconic songs from bands like Amon Amarth, Gojira, and Periphery from scratch. You get the multitracks, attend live mixing sessions, and learn the techniques that make these records huge.

If you’re serious about elevating your productions, check out how Jens mixed Amon Amarth and Septicflesh on Nail The Mix. Plus, for a deep dive into foundational mixing concepts, explore our guide to Unlock Your Sound: Mixing Modern Metal Beyond Presets. Imagine seeing the exact EQ moves on Amon Amarth's guitars – you can, right here on Nail The Mix!