Recreating Meshuggah’s Iconic ‘Future Breed Machine’ Guitar Leads

The lead guitar work on Meshuggah’s “Future Breed Machine” is legendary. It’s not just Fredrik Thordendal’s mind-bending note choices; it’s the sound itself—an otherworldly, expressive voice that cuts through one of the densest mixes in metal history. So how do you even begin to mix a lead guitar that’s already so iconic?

We got to watch legendary producer Daniel Bergstrand pull up the original session and tackle this very question. It wasn’t about massive tonal overhauls. The frequency balance was already in a good place. Instead, it was about recreating the specific spatial effects and dynamic character that made the original performance so unique. Let’s break down the key moves he made to bring that lead to life.

Adding Dimension and Space

The raw lead track, while tonally solid, felt a bit centered and dry. To give it the larger-than-life feel it needs, the first order of business was to add width and a time-based effect.

Creating Stereo Width

Before even touching delay, Daniel identified that the lead could be wider. To achieve this, he reached for a simple but effective tool: a stereo-widening plugin.

It’s a great reminder that even for the most complex mixes, sometimes the most straightforward solution is the right one. A quick plugin to push the signal out to the sides can instantly create more space in the center of the mix for vocals, snare, and kick, while making the lead guitar feel more immersive. Mastering the relationship between mono and stereo is key to achieving this kind of width and power.

Recreating the Classic Delay

With the width established, it was time for the signature delay. Daniel recalled that back in the day, they used a hardware stereo delay unit from Fredrik’s live rack. To replicate that in the box, he pulled up a go-to plugin for countless producers: the Soundtoys EchoBoy.

This wasn’t just a matter of slapping on any preset. The goal was to recreate a specific sound integral to the original recording. This is a core part of mixing: using modern tools to faithfully capture the vibe of classic analog gear.

The Human Element: Tapping the Tempo

Here’s where a real-world mixing challenge comes into play. “Future Breed Machine” wasn’t recorded to a rigid click track. The song has a natural human push and pull to its tempo. So, how do you get a delay plugin to sync up?

You do it by hand.

Instead of trying to lock the delay to the DAW’s grid, Daniel manually tapped the tempo into the EchoBoy plugin. By tapping along with the drum groove, he synced the delay’s timing directly to the performance itself, not to a metronome that didn’t exist during tracking.

This is a crucial technique for working with older tracks or any song with organic tempo fluctuations. It ensures your time-based effects groove with the band, making the effect feel like a natural part of the performance rather than a sterile, robotic addition. It might take a few tries to get it right, but the musical result is well worth the effort.

The Real Secret: The Talk Box

Here’s the detail that truly defines the sound of that lead. The incredible dynamic swells—the way the notes bloom and then get choked off—weren’t just created with a volume pedal or automation.

Fredrik Thordendal performed the part using a talk box.

For those unfamiliar, a talk box is a device that routes the sound from an amp through a plastic tube, which the guitarist puts in their mouth. By changing the shape of their mouth, they can modulate the guitar’s sound, creating a “talking,” vowel-like effect, a creative cousin to many modern metal vocoder effects. It also allows for incredibly nuanced volume swells that have a very vocal and organic character.

This is a fundamental part of the lead’s texture. It’s not a post-production trick; it’s baked into the source tone. Understanding this performance element is key to understanding why the lead sounds the way it does. It adds a layer of human expression that’s nearly impossible to replicate with just faders and plugins.

Putting It All Together for Your Mixes

So, to capture that “Future Breed Machine” lead vibe, you need to think beyond just EQ. The magic comes from a combination of:

• Strategic Widening: Use a stereo imager to give your lead its own space.
• Performance-Synced Delay: Don’t just set and forget your delay. Tap the tempo to match the human feel of the track.
• Expressive Dynamics: Recognize when a sound’s character comes from a unique performance tool like a talk box.

These are the kinds of nuanced, real-world techniques that separate a good mix from a great one. Mastering lead guitar is just one piece of the puzzle—it has to be supported by a rhythm section that’s just as powerful, like the punishing bass tones Daniel Bergstrand also dialed in for this very band.

Watching pros like Daniel Bergstrand and Jens Bogren tackle these challenges is what Nail The Mix is all about. You don’t just get theory; you get to see how they mix leads with space and clarity, and then hear every decision explained in real time. If you’re ready to move beyond presets and tutorials, check out the full “Future Breed Machine” raw tracks and mixing insights to practice on yourself.