Attack Attack’s Modern Metal: Joey Sturgis’s “All My Life” Production

The metalcore scene buzzed with excitement when Attack Attack announced their return, and even more so when Nail The Mix revealed that their brand-new, unreleased track "All My Life" would be featured, mixed by none other than metal production legend and Nail The Mix co-founder, Joey Sturgis. We got a raw, unadulterated look at the Pro Tools session for this banger, and let me tell you, it’s a masterclass in modern, in-the-box metal production with a heavy dose of pop sensibility. If you've ever wanted to peek behind the curtain of a Sturgis production, this is it.

Let's dive into some of the killer techniques and elements that make this Attack Attack track tick, and how you can apply these concepts to your own productions.

The In-the-Box Powerhouse: Crafting Attack Attack's Sound

One of the first things that jumps out about the "All My Life" session is how much of it is created "in the box." In an era where remote collaboration and home studios are the norm, seeing a top-tier production come together with primarily programmed and DI elements is both inspiring and incredibly relevant.

Embracing the Digital Domain

This session is a testament to the fact that you don’t need a million-dollar studio full of outboard gear to create a massive, release-ready track. Apart from the raw vocal performances and guitar DIs, a significant portion of "All My Life" is built using virtual instruments and plugins. This approach offers incredible flexibility and control, something Joey Sturgis has mastered.

The Rhythmic Foundation: Drum Forge & Programmed Bass

No surprise here for fans of Joey's work: the drums are powered by Drum Forge. These aren't just placeholder samples; Drum Forge provides a potent, mix-ready foundation that's crucial for the punch and consistency demanded by modern metal.

Interestingly, the bass in this session isn't a miked amp or even a DI that you'll re-amp. Instead, we see two printed bass tones. This means the core bass sound is already committed, likely sculpted with plugins to fit perfectly with the Drum Forge kit from the get-go. This ensures a tight, cohesive low-end, which is paramount in a Sturgis mix.

Deconstructing Joey Sturgis's Signature Attack Attack Elements

Joey Sturgis has a distinct production style, and "All My Life" is packed with his hallmarks, from layered guitars to epic vocals and intricate electronic textures.

Massive Guitar Layers: Tone Forge and Octave Tricks

The guitars in this Attack Attack track are, as expected, huge. The session reveals a clever approach to building this wall of sound.

DI Signals and Amp Sims

We see guitar DIs ready to be processed. On some of these, plugins like Tone Forge Jason Richardson and Tone Forge Guilty Pleasure are instantiated. These amp sims are known for their ability to deliver a wide range of modern metal tones, from crushing rhythm sounds to articulate leads. The key here is starting with clean, well-recorded DIs, giving you maximum flexibility when shaping your sound with plugins. For more on how critical EQ is when dialing in amp sims and DI guitars, check out these EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

The Octave-Down Guitar Beef

Here’s a classic Sturgis trick for adding serious weight to guitar parts: the "Guitar A Low" track. This appears to be a duplicate of the main guitar A part, but pitched down an octave. This isn't about creating a distinct bass line with a guitar; it's about subtly blending in that lower octave to add immense low-end body and power to the main guitar riffs. It’s a technique that can make your guitars feel enormous without necessarily adding mud, if balanced correctly. Experimenting with this yourself on your DIs can be a game-changer for achieving that modern, heavy guitar sound.

Synths and Glitches: The Electronic Edge

Attack Attack has always been known for incorporating electronic elements, and "All My Life" is no exception. The session is loaded with synth leads and a staggering number of production tracks (from track 44 all the way down to track 93!) dedicated to these electronic textures.

Creative Vocal Chops

One of the standout production elements is a "glitch" track that pops up in the chorus and intro. This sounds like a vocal chop that’s been loaded into a sampler, like Native Instruments Kontakt. By taking a small snippet of a vocal and mapping it across a keyboard in a sampler, you can play melodic or rhythmic patterns with it, creating unique and ear-catching textures. This is a fantastic way to add a modern, almost EDM-like flair to a metal track.

Ambient Glitches and Textures

Beyond the prominent vocal chops, there are layers of "ambient glitch" sounds and other production elements. These aren't just random noises; they're carefully crafted layers that add depth, atmosphere, and that signature Attack Attack vibe. Exploring these layers in the multi-tracks is a deep dive into modern sound design.

The Sturgis Vocal Wall: Stacks and Harmonies

If there's one thing Joey Sturgis is renowned for, besides his colossal drums and bass, it's his vocal production. The choruses in "All My Life" are a prime example of the "Sturgis vocal wall."

Building Epic Choruses

The session reveals extensive vocal layering. We're talking multiple harmony parts, doubles, and stacks, all working together to create a full, rich chordal texture. This meticulous layering is what gives the choruses their immense size and emotional impact. Each layer has its place, and when combined, they create a sound far greater than the sum of its parts.

Tight Doubles and Editing

Of course, massive vocal stacks only work if the performances and editing are incredibly tight. The doubles are locked in, and you can bet there's precise editing to ensure everything phases coherently and powerfully. When dealing with so many vocal layers, strategic compression becomes vital to glue them together and maintain control.

Learning from the Masters: Your Turn to Mix Attack Attack

Seeing how a track like "All My Life" is constructed from the ground up is invaluable. This session is a goldmine for anyone looking to produce modern metal infused with pop and electronic elements. It shows that with the right tools (like Drum Forge, Tone Forge) and techniques (like octave-down guitars, vocal chop sampling, and massive vocal stacks), you can achieve incredible results, largely within your DAW.

This is exactly what Nail The Mix offers: the chance to get your hands on these professionally recorded multi-tracks and learn directly from the producer who sculpted the original sound. Imagine taking these raw DI guitars, these pristine vocal recordings, and these intricate synth layers, and having Joey Sturgis himself walk you through his mixing process. You get to see how he applies his EQs, compression, and effects to bring these elements together into a polished, powerful final mix.

If you're ready to move beyond presets and truly unlock your sound in modern metal mixing, diving into sessions like this Attack Attack track is an unparalleled learning experience. You not only get to practice on world-class material but also gain insights into the creative and technical decisions that shape chart-topping metal.

So, if you're hyped to hear how Joey Sturgis takes these raw tracks to a finished master, and maybe even try your own hand at mixing this unreleased Attack Attack anthem, be sure to check out the full session over at Nail The Mix. There's a lot of awesome production work to unpack here, offering a ton of inspiration and techniques you can start using today!