Mixing Archspire: Deconstructing ‘Remote Tumor Seeker’ Tracks

With music this fast, the drums are a critical foundation. Getting them to punch through without turning into a blur is paramount.

Kick Drum: Power Without the Mud

Right off the bat, to help the kick cut through the sheer velocity, a clipper plugin can be your best friend. It’s a quick way to get more perceived loudness and attack without just cranking the fader. Interestingly, while it might sound like a kick pad was used due to the lack of kick bleed in the overheads, it was confirmed the drummer used Axis E-Kitt pedals – same principle, delivering a consistent and isolated signal.

A kick sample is included with these tracks. You can use it for reinforcement if you want, or go without. The goal is a kick that’s felt and heard, providing a relentless pulse. For more on taming and shaping your low end, explore some metal compression secrets to get that kick drum sitting just right.

Snare: Cutting Through the Chaos

You’ve got your snare top and bottom mics, and a snare sample is also provided. This sample isn’t there to replace the real snare; it’s all about reinforcement. At these speeds, a natural snare can get lost. The sample adds weight and consistency.

A key takeaway here is the high-pitched snare. This tuning choice is crucial for clarity in fast-paced metal. A lower, boomier snare would just get swallowed.

Toms: Well-Mic'd and Tuned for Speed

The session includes four toms, and they're recorded clean with plenty of signal. This makes them easy to gate or process. Like the snare, these toms are also pitched higher, which really helps them speak in a dense, high-speed mix. Good mic placement means you get a solid sound right from the source, though the overheads do add a nice dimension to them.

Cymbals: Intricate Detail

With Archspire, there’s a lot of intricate cymbal work. You'll find dedicated hi-hat and ride mics, which is great for capturing all those subtle accents and single hits. If you decide to gate these close mics, listen very carefully. You don’t want to chop off any of those essential details that add to the drummer's incredible performance. Make sure you're using your EQ strategies to let these cymbals shine without harshness.

The Absence of Room Mics: Why Less Can Be More

You might notice a lack of room mics in this session. For music this dense and fast, too much natural room ambience can quickly lead to a muddy, undefined sound. You can always add artificial reverb or room sounds later if needed, but starting clean gives you more control.

Laying the Low-End Foundation: Archspire's Bass Attack

The bass guitar in Archspire isn't just an afterthought; it's a critical part of their sonic assault.

Multiple Bass Tones: DI, Driver, Flex, Darkglass

You’re spoiled for choice with bass tones here. The session includes:

• A Bass DI (likely for re-amping if you wish)
• A Bass Driver track
• A DI BaseFlex track
• A Darkglass track

Having these multiple sources (amped and DI) gives you incredible flexibility to blend and find the perfect tone that locks in with the drums and guitars. The Darkglass, for instance, really helps in evening out the bass performance.

The Importance of Even Bass Performance

The bass sounds like it’s finger-played, which is impressive given the speed and complexity. With this style, an incredibly even dynamic performance is key. You don’t want notes jumping out or getting lost. The Darkglass tone seems to contribute to this evenness.

Bass's Role: Beyond Root Notes

This isn't your typical root-note-chugging bassline. The bassist clearly knows his stuff, weaving intricate lines that complement the drums and guitars without just mimicking them. He knows when to get down on a single note for heaviness and when to unleash complex arpeggios. This understanding of when to be technical and when to be foundational is vital in a band with this level of musicianship.

The Guitar Onslaught: Riffs, Layers, and Octaves

Archspire's guitars are a whirlwind of precision and complexity.

Rhythm Guitar Layers: Archon and EVH Amps

You get multiple stereo rhythm guitar tracks, likely featuring IK Multimedia Archon amp sounds for the main left and right lines, and EVH amp sounds for additional triple and quad-tracked layers. What's cool is that they’re not always playing the exact same thing. Sometimes they lock in, other times they create harmonies or counter-melodies, adding to the overall texture.

Navigating Complex Guitar Arrangements

Your challenge here will be to balance these layers. Getting the ratio of the main low parts, the higher octave parts, and any secondary lines just right is crucial to achieving that massive, yet defined, Archspire guitar wall. Pay attention to little details and variations in the parts – that’s what makes this band so interesting.

The Power of DI Tracks for Re-amping

DI tracks for the rhythm guitars are also included. If the provided amped tones aren’t quite what you’re looking for, or if you want to experiment, these DIs are your golden ticket to re-amp and craft your own custom sounds.

Lead Guitars: Technicality Meets Melody

The lead guitar work is, as expected, phenomenal. What stands out is the ability to switch between incredibly diverse rhythmic patterns and melodic ideas back-to-back at blistering speeds. Impressively, amidst the shred, there are genuinely catchy, memorable riffs – something not always common in ultra-technical metal.

Vocal Mayhem: Intensity and Intelligibility

The vocals in Archspire are an instrument in themselves, matching the intensity of the music perfectly.

Main Vocals and Doubles: Capturing the Energy

You’ll find a main vocal track and what appears to be some doubles or effect tracks. The performance is nuts – super fast, articulate (in its own way), and full of energy. You can hear they’re already compressed on the way in, which is a common technique for taming such dynamic and aggressive vocals. If you're grappling with vocal compression, diving into some metal compression secrets can provide a wealth of knowledge.

The Role of Compression on Vocals

As mentioned, these vocals are pre-compressed. Your job will be to make sure they sit right in the mix – present and powerful, but not overpowering. Further compression might be needed, or perhaps just careful leveling and EQ.

Making Vocals Felt, Not Just Understood

Let's be clear: understanding every single lyric isn't the point here. The goal is for the vocals to be felt. You need to hear and feel that intensity, that aggression. Even soloed, the lyrics can be hard to decipher, but the raw power is undeniable. The vocalist knows when to pick up the pace, when to draw things out with guttural lows, and generally match the band's dynamic shifts perfectly. Don’t forget those inhale vocals either – they’re part of the signature sound!

The Mixing Challenge: Clarity in Chaos

Mixing a track like Archspire's "Remote Tumor Seeker" is a unique challenge. The main takeaway? Your goal is to make it sound punchy, clear, and aggressive, and to maintain the groove without it sounding small or like an undefined wall of noise. When you start cleaning up this style of music too much, it can lose its power and sound thin. It’s a delicate balance. Bring out the right parts in this blend of insanity, highlight the musicianship, and let the song's power hit hard.

Get Your Hands on These Tracks with Nail The Mix

Feeling inspired (or maybe a little intimidated)? This is the kind of material that really pushes your mixing chops. If you want to try your hand at mixing "Remote Tumor Seeker" by Archspire yourself and learn from Dave Otero's original session, you can get these exact multi-tracks.

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Ready to tackle Archspire? Grab the Archspire "Remote Tumor Seeker" multi-tracks here and see what you can do! Happy mixing!