The Best Synth VSTs for Metal & What They Actually Do

Synths in metal are no longer just for spooky intros or the occasional symphonic flourish. For bands like Spiritbox, Periphery, and Bring Me The Horizon, they are a fundamental part of the sonic DNA—creating massive atmospheres, aggressive textures, and gut-punching low-end. But when you look at your VST folder, the question hits: what’s the best synth plugin to get these sounds?

Here’s the deal: that’s the wrong question.

Chasing the one “best” synth is like looking for the one “best” guitar pedal. It doesn’t exist. The real power comes from knowing which tool to grab for a specific job. An aggressive lead that cuts through a wall of guitars requires a totally different approach than a cinematic pad that needs to sit behind them.

Getting caught up in plugin acquisition syndrome is easy. You see a producer use a fancy synth and get amazing results, so you grab it, hoping for a magic bullet. But the truth is, your mixes get better when your skills get better, not when your plugin folder gets bigger. A great producer can get killer results with stock plugins because they know what decisions to make.

So, instead of crowning a single winner, let’s break down the best synths for the specific jobs you’ll actually face when producing modern metal.

For Cinematic Textures & Dense Layers: Spectrasonics Omnisphere

If you need to create a massive, evolving soundscape that feels like the score to an epic sci-fi film, Omnisphere is the undisputed king. It’s less of a simple synth and more of a bottomless pit of sonic potential.

Why It Works for Metal

Omnisphere is a beast for creating the atmospheric glue that can make a metal track feel huge. Its strength lies in its massive core library and its ability to layer up to eight different sounds within a single patch. You can blend organic samples, granular textures, and classic synth waves to build pads and drones that have incredible depth and movement. This is your go-to for creating those dark, ambient beds that fill out the mix without getting in the way.

Actionable Tip

Use Omnisphere’s powerful internal effects to shape your sounds before they even hit your mixer channel. For example, find a pad you like, then use the “Innerspace” effect to give it a unique reverb tail and the “Flame” distortion to add some warm grit. Most importantly, use its built-in EQ to carve out the mud. A steep high-pass filter cutting everything below 200-300Hz is essential to keep your synth layers from fighting the low-end of your guitars and bass.

For Aggressive Leads & Modern Bass Wobbles: Xfer Serum

When you need a synth sound that’s not just a background element but an in-your-face hook, Serum is the weapon of choice for a reason. Its clean, digital, and infinitely tweakable nature makes it perfect for modern, aggressive electronic sounds that have become a staple in metalcore and djent.

Why It Works for Metal

Serum’s visual workflow is what makes it so powerful. You can literally draw your own wavetables, offering near-infinite possibilities for creating unique, cutting sounds. It excels at razor-sharp leads that can slice through a dense mix, rhythmic “wobble” basses inspired by dubstep, and earth-shattering sub-drops that add physical impact to breakdowns.

Actionable Tip

The magic of Serum is modulation. To create a rhythmic, pulsing synth under a breakdown, drag an LFO onto the filter cutoff knob. Set the LFO shape to a triangle or sine wave and sync the rate to 1/8th or 1/16th notes. This creates an instant rhythmic pulse that adds energy. But be warned: Serum patches can be incredibly dynamic. It’s a good idea to follow it with a compressor to catch the sharp peaks and keep the level consistent. Learning to control dynamics is a core skill, whether it’s a synth or a screaming vocal. For a deeper dive, check out these essential metal compression secrets.

For Raw Analog Warmth & Simple Power: u-he Diva

Sometimes you don’t need a complex, evolving texture. You just need a classic, powerful synth sound with undeniable analog character. That’s where Diva comes in. It’s known for being a CPU-hog, but the payoff is one of the most convincing analog-emulating synths on the market.

Why It Works for Metal

Diva is perfect for adding retro-futuristic or ’80s horror vibes to a track. Think of the warm, detuned leads of a Carpenter Brut-style track or the fat, round Moog-style basslines that can hold down the low end. Because it models real analog circuits, its sounds have a natural warmth and slight instability that makes them feel thick and alive without a ton of extra processing.

Actionable Tip

Don’t overcomplicate things with Diva. Its strength is in its classic simplicity. A single sawtooth oscillator with a touch of detuning, some filter resonance, and a bit of glide can create a lead sound that’s been iconic for decades. Because of its inherent warmth, you’ll need to be smart with your EQ to make it sit with heavy guitars. The mid-range is prime real estate in a metal mix, so you might need to carve out some space in the 400Hz-2kHz range to prevent it from clashing with the guitars. Getting this right is crucial, and you can learn how the pros handle EQing modern metal guitars for max impact.

For Orchestral & Symphonic Domination: Native Instruments Kontakt

For bands in the vein of Dimmu Borgir, Fleshgod Apocalypse, or Epica, the orchestra isn’t just an add-on; it’s a lead instrument. For this, you need more than a synth—you need a powerful sampler. Native Instruments Kontakt is the industry-standard platform for hosting hyper-realistic orchestral libraries.

Why It Works for Metal

This is a prime example of where the specific tool absolutely matters. The difference between a stock synth string patch and a dedicated library from a developer like Cinesamples, Spitfire Audio, or 8Dio is night and day. Kontakt allows you to load these massive libraries and use different articulations (staccato, legato, pizzicato, tremolo) to build a believable and powerful orchestral arrangement.

Actionable Tip

The key to a great symphonic metal track is performance, not just sound selection. Don’t just hold down a chord on one string patch. Create separate tracks for different articulations. Use staccato violins for fast, rhythmic passages and long, flowing legato cellos for melodic lines. Pan your different orchestra sections (violins to the left, cellos and basses to the right) to create a realistic stereo image, and use a high-quality reverb to place them all in the same convincing acoustic space.

The Real “Secret Weapon”: Your Skills

So, we’ve covered synths for atmosphere, aggression, warmth, and orchestration. But the biggest mistake you can make is thinking any of these plugins will automatically fix your tracks. The synth you know inside and out is infinitely more valuable than the “best” synth you barely understand. Your DAW’s stock synth is probably more powerful than you think, and if you can dial in a great sound with it quickly, you’re already ahead of the game.

Ultimately, the tool doesn’t make the artist. The world’s top producers—guys like Jens Bogren, Will Putney, and Nolly Getgood—could be stripped of their expensive third-party plugins and still deliver an incredible mix using stock tools. Why? Because they have the skills.

It’s one thing to have a killer synth patch, but it’s another to know how to EQ it, compress it, and sit it perfectly in a dense mix with pounding drums, a thundering bass, and a wall of distorted guitars. That’s where the real learning happens.

If you’re ready to see how the pros solve these problems every day, Nail The Mix is where it happens. We put you in the room with the producers behind your favorite albums, mixing real songs from start to finish. Check out our full catalog of Nail The Mix sessions to watch world-class producers blend synths, samples, and live instruments into cohesive, powerful, and professional-sounding metal tracks.