Bring Me The Horizon’s “Chelsea Smile” Raw Tracks: Deconstructing a Metal Classic

Ever wondered what made Bring Me The Horizon's seminal 2008 track "Chelsea Smile" hit so damn hard? We got an exclusive peek behind the curtain as Eyal Levi unboxed the raw multi-tracks from this iconic recording, originally produced and mixed by the legendary duo Fredrik Nordström and Henrik UD. These aren't just any old tracks; they're a goldmine for anyone looking to understand how raw, unadulterated energy is captured, and a testament to the genius of Nordström, a producer Eyal himself has followed since 2001. The fact that these mid-2000s recordings still sound phenomenal today is mind-blowing, and guess what? You can get your hands on these very multi-tracks through Nail The Mix.

Let's dive into what makes these raw tracks so special and what you can learn from them.

The Sheer Power of Raw: "Chelsea Smile" Unprocessed

The first thing that hits you when listening to these raw tracks? The energy. There are absolutely no plugins, yet the session is already dripping with an excitement that's rare to find. This isn't just a recording; it's a performance captured in its most potent form. For aspiring mixers, this is both a blessing and a challenge: the tracks have everything they need to sound great, so the primary job is not to screw it up!

This is a core philosophy we champion at Nail The Mix: learning from the best starts with understanding what makes a raw recording truly exceptional.

Dissecting Those Legendary Bring Me The Horizon Guitar Tones

If there's one thing Fredrik Nordström is known for, it's his face-melting guitar tones. The man even has a micing technique named after him (the "Fredman" technique – more on that in a bit)! These "Chelsea Smile" guitars are no exception, sounding phenomenal even by today's standards.

Quad-Tracked Annihilation: The "Fredman" Influence

The session reveals four rhythm guitar tracks: two panned hard left and two hard right, creating that quintessential wide, aggressive metal sound. Fredrik even left a note that "Guitar 2" is intended to be slightly tucked under "Guitar 1" in the mix. This kind of subtle layering is key to achieving depth and power.

Eyal Levi speculates the main guitar sounds like a Les Paul, noting a playing style that heavily utilizes riffing around the 12th fret on single strings, or with minimal string changes. This "vertical playing" technique, as he calls it, results in a very particular, thick, and consistent tone. You hear this in bands like Mastodon and Queens of the Stone Age. Changing strings mid-riff often introduces tonal variations; keeping riffs on fewer strings minimizes this, creating a more solid sound, especially crucial for tight, heavy rhythms. Imagine trying to record a harmony part: playing it on an adjacent string versus the same string yields noticeably different tonal results. The latter often sounds more cohesive.

While the video doesn't detail the exact mic setup for this session, the "Fredman" label at the top of the session is a massive clue. The Fredman technique typically involves two Shure SM57s on a single speaker: one pointed directly at the cone, and the second angled (often 45 degrees) right next to it. This captures a broader range of characteristics and introduces phase interactions that can thicken the tone. For more insights into micing and EQ strategies for mixing modern metal, these raw tracks offer a masterclass.

Why Raw Guitar Tones Are King (No, You Can't Just "Fix It In The Mix")

This is a golden rule: your guitars must sound awesome coming straight through the microphones, raw. If they don’t, you’ve got issues upstream. It could be the guitar, pickups, strings, amp, cab, mic choice, or even the player's technique. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you'll magically make a weak tone powerful in the mix. These "Chelsea Smile" guitars are proof: they sound incredible raw. This, along with Henrik UD's work on Architects' "Gone With The Wind" (previously featured on Nail The Mix), sets the bar for raw guitar excellence.

The Rhythmic Foundation: Drums & Bass That Demand a Head Bob

Even without any processing, the rhythmic core of "Chelsea Smile" just feels good. It passes the "head bob test" with flying colors, a testament to the performance and the engineering.

Stripped-Down But Mighty Drums

The drum recording is surprisingly simple:

• Kicks: Two kick mics (likely an "in" and "out," Eyal singles out the Shure Beta 91 as sounding solid) plus a physical trigger track (not a sample, but a trigger signal you can use for sample replacement if desired).
• Snare: Snare top and snare bottom.
• Toms: Hi, Medium, and Low tom mics (also with trigger tracks).
• Overheads: Stereo overheads, plus what looks like an overhead "dupe" track, possibly for effects.

Notably, there are no dedicated room mics. The rumor is these drums were recorded in a concrete bank safe! This unusual environment might explain the lack of room mics. But fear not, resourceful mixers can sculpt room sounds from overheads using clever processing, or create convincing "fake" snare rooms. It’s all about making the best of your situation. Perfectly tuned drums, an incredible performance, and well-captured tones are what you truly need, not a million-dollar room with 47 mics. This recording is more proof. When you're working on your own mixes, mastering metal compression secrets beyond just making it loud can help bring out the natural punch captured here.

The Meaty Low End: Bass Amp & DI

The bass setup is straightforward: a bass amp track and a DI track. The amp tone is described as having "so much meat," providing a solid foundation for the guitars. Blending DI and amp signals is a classic technique for achieving both clarity and heft.

Beyond the Core: Melody Guitars & Early BMTH Programming

"Chelsea Smile" isn't just brute force; it features melodic and atmospheric elements that hint at Bring Me The Horizon's future sonic evolution.

Ethereal Melodies with EBow Magic

The session includes three melody guitar tracks, one of which prominently features the unmistakable sound of an EBow. If you record guitars and don't own an EBow, Eyal strongly suggests getting one – they're fantastic for creating sustained, synth-like textures.

The Genesis of BMTH's Electronic Edge

You can hear the early seeds of Bring Me The Horizon's signature electronic integration in the programming tracks: strings, explosions (a must-have!), synth elements, sweeps, and sub-basses. This was years before their sound became as heavily reliant on programming as heard on later tracks like "Doomed" (which was also a Nail The Mix session with Dan Lancaster in March 2018).

A crucial mixing challenge arises here: making these programmed sections flow seamlessly into and out of the heavy band parts without losing energy. Often, epic-sounding programmed intros or interludes can make the live band sound smaller when they kick back in. The trick is to ensure the programmed elements are powerful but don't overshadow the band. Automation and careful level balancing are key. Luckily, the inherent energy in these raw tracks makes this transition easier, as the band parts already come in swinging.

Capturing Oli Sykes's Raw Vocal Intensity

Oli Sykes's vocal performance on "Chelsea Smile" is nothing short of ferocious.

A Masterclass in Single-Tracked Power

The lead vocals are predominantly single-tracked, which is a tall order for many metal vocalists who often rely on doubles or even triples for thickness. Oli's performance, however, sounds massive on its own. You can hear the strain and raw emotion, making it sound like he truly means it. It’s a nasty, overdriven sound in the best possible way, creating a more intimate and direct feel compared to heavily layered vocals.

The Art of "Imperfect" Gang Vocals

In contrast to the tight lead vocals, the gang vocal sections are intentionally a bit loose and not perfectly locked rhythmically. This is the secret! Correcting gang vocals to be perfectly tight often makes them sound smaller and less like an actual crowd. Embrace the natural variations.

Built-in Dynamics: The "Vocal Effects" Transition

A fascinating detail is a "vocal effects" track that sets up a transition. In the final released mix, this section features a "Varispeed" or tape-stop type effect, making the vocals sound very small before the band slams back in, sounding huge. The beauty here is that this dynamic arrangement is already present in the raw tracks. This means the producers intended this dynamic shift, making the mixer's job clearer: enhance the existing vision rather than inventing it.

The Takeaway: Great Mixes Begin with Great Raw Recordings

The overarching lesson from unboxing Bring Me The Horizon's "Chelsea Smile" multi-tracks is the undeniable importance of stellar source material. The energy, the tones, the performance – it's all there, raw and unprocessed. When you start with tracks this good, your job as a mixer shifts from "fixing" to "enhancing."

Want to try your hand at mixing this metal masterpiece yourself? These incredible raw multi-tracks from Bring Me The Horizon's "Chelsea Smile," produced by Fredrik Nordström and Henrik UD, are available this month on Nail The Mix. It's an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the best and see how a legendary track was constructed from the ground up. If you're serious about elevating your productions, learning to unlock your sound and mix modern metal beyond presets is crucial, and Nail The Mix provides the tools and knowledge to do just that.