Finding the Best Flanger Plugin for Your Metal Mix

Flangers get a bad rap sometimes. For many, the word conjures up images of cheesy ‘80s power ballads or over-the-top, psychedelic guitar solos. But in the world of heavy metal production, a good flanger—much like its cousin, the chorus effect—can be a secret weapon for adding texture, movement, and face-melting aggression.

Think of the iconic jet-plane whoosh on Pantera solos or the subtle, swirling width on a modern tech-death synth pad. That’s the power of a flanger used with intention.

But with hundreds of VSTs out there, which one do you choose? Here’s the deal: when it comes to character effects like flangers, the specific plugin does matter. This isn’t a generic utility EQ. Each flanger has its own vibe and sonic footprint. The "best" one isn't about the price tag or what some guru uses; it's about what gets the specific job done for you.

Let’s break down some of the top flanger plugins that metal producers keep in their arsenal, what they’re good at, and how you can use them to get killer sounds.

Does The "Best" Flanger Plugin Even Exist?

Before we dive into the list, let's get one thing straight. The real question isn't "Which plugin is the best?" but rather, "Which plugin is best for the sound I'm hearing in my head?"

Are you trying to emulate the sound of Dimebag Darrell dragging a pick across his strings? Are you trying to add a subtle, almost imperceptible sense of movement to a clean guitar bus? Or are you looking for a rhythmic, choppy effect to mangle a drum loop?

The flanger that excels at one task might be clumsy for another. More importantly, if a plugin's interface is confusing or clunky, it’s going to kill your creative flow. The goal is to find a tool that lets you translate the ideas in your brain to your DAW as fast as possible. Don't fall for the hype; go with what works for you.

Our Top Flanger Plugin Picks for Metal Production

Here are a few go-to flangers you’ll find in the plugin folders of producers working on heavy music.

Universal Audio A/DA Flanger

If you’re chasing that classic, over-the-top jet-engine "whoosh," look no further. The UAD A/DA Flanger is a painstaking emulation of the legendary 1970s hardware unit, famous for its extreme range and rich, thick character.

Why Metal Producers Love It: This is the sound for aggressive, in-your-face flanging. It’s what you hear all over classic metal records. It’s not subtle, and that’s the point. It’s the go-to for making a statement on a guitar solo or a dramatic musical transition, though there are other ways to create cool guitar effects for impact.

Actionable Tip: The Dimebag Sweep

Slap this on a send from your main guitar solo track. Crank the ‘Range’ knob to control the sweep's intensity and set the ‘Speed’ fairly slow—maybe around 0.2Hz. Automate the send level to push the flanger into the mix just for a single, sustained note or a screaming harmonic for maximum impact.

Soundtoys MetaFlanger

Soundtoys plugins are staples in almost every professional studio, and MetaFlanger is a perfect example of why. It’s insanely versatile, capable of everything from vintage tape flanging to wild, modern stereo effects.

Why Metal Producers Love It: It can do the classic analog thing, but it can also be a precise, rhythmic sound design tool. The ability to sync the LFO to your session’s tempo opens up a whole world of creative possibilities beyond a simple sweep. Plus, the famous ‘Tweak’ menu lets you get under the hood and dial in things like LFO shape and stereo phase offset for incredible control.

Actionable Tip: Rhythmic Synth Texture

Got a synth pad or an arp that feels a bit static? Put MetaFlanger on it and sync the rate to an eighth or sixteenth note. Set the Mix to around 25-30% and an LFO shape to a Triangle wave. This adds a pulsing, rhythmic character that can lock in with the drums and add a layer of complexity to your arrangement.

Kilohearts Flanger

Sometimes you just need a great-sounding flanger that’s fast, simple, and doesn’t hog your CPU. The Kilohearts Flanger is exactly that. As part of their Snapin ecosystem, it’s a no-fuss, high-quality tool that gets the job done.

Why Metal Producers Love It: It’s clean, it’s modern, and it’s efficient. When you don’t need a vintage emulation and just want to add some straightforward modulation, it’s a perfect choice. The simple layout means you can dial in a sound in seconds without getting bogged down in dozens of parameters.

Actionable Tip: Subtle Clean Guitar Width

On a stereo clean guitar bus, insert the Kilohearts Flanger. Set the Rate incredibly slow (below 0.1Hz), keep the Depth fairly low, and pull the Mix back to 15-20%. This creates a super gentle, slow-moving stereo image that makes the guitars feel wider and more alive without screaming "I'm using a flanger!"

Your DAW's Stock Flanger

Seriously. Don’t sleep on the tools you already have. The stock flangers in Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Reaper, and Cubase are more than capable of getting professional results. Remember, it’s not the tool; it’s how you use it.

Why Metal Producers Love It: It’s free and it’s already there. Before you go on a plugin-buying spree, spend an hour learning every knob on your stock flanger. Often, you’ll find it can get you 90% of the way there.

Actionable Tip: Add Some Grit

Stock plugins can sometimes sound a little too clean or sterile. A classic trick is to place a saturation plugin (even a stock one) right before the flanger in your effects chain. Driving the signal a little bit before it hits the flanger adds harmonics and grit that can make the effect feel richer and more "analog."

Beyond the "Whoosh": Advanced Flanger Techniques

A flanger is more than just a one-trick pony for guitar solos. Here are a few ways to use it to add pro-level texture to your mixes.

Flangers on Drums? Hell Yes.

Try sending your drum room mics to an aux track and putting a flanger on the insert. Use a slow rate and moderate depth. This can give the room ambience a cool, swirling character that makes the whole kit feel bigger and more psychedelic. It’s a great trick to add flair on top of a solid approach to mixing drums. Just be mindful of phase—the delay inherent in a flanger can cause issues when blended with the dry signal. Use your ears and don’t be afraid to nudge the track a few milliseconds to lock it in.

Subtle Stereo Widening

As mentioned with the Kilohearts tip, a flanger set to a very slow rate and low mix level is one of the best ways to add width and movement to static sources like pads, strings, or background synth layers, working alongside your core panning choices to create an immersive mix.

Automating for Impact

A static flanger that runs through an entire track can get boring and predictable. Use automation to make it a dynamic part of the performance. Automate the mix knob to slowly bring it in during a pre-chorus to build tension. Automate the rate to speed up during a chaotic breakdown. This turns the effect from a simple processor into a performance tool.

Putting It All Together: It's About Your Ears, Not Your Plugin Folder

Having a great flanger is awesome, but the truth is that the best producers—like the world-class instructors at Nail The Mix—could get a killer sound with any of these plugins. That’s because their skills with fundamental tools like EQ and compression are rock solid. They’ve spent thousands of hours training their ears to know what they want to hear.

It's easy to get Plugin Acquisition Syndrome and believe the next VST is the missing piece of the puzzle. But the real gains come from mastering the tools you have, not endlessly collecting new ones. This is the core philosophy of modern music mixing.

Watching the pros work is the ultimate shortcut to developing those skills. When you see how producers like Will Putney or Jens Bogren use effects in the context of a real session, you’re not just learning a preset; you’re learning their decision-making process. You get to see why they chose a specific tool and how they dialed it in to serve the song.

If you’re ready to stop chasing plugins and start building real-world mixing skills, check out the full catalog of Nail The Mix sessions. You’ll get to watch the original producers mix iconic metal tracks from bands like Gojira, Lamb of God, and Periphery, and see exactly how they use these tools to craft world-class mixes.