Crafting Decapitated’s “Dangerous” Guitar Tone: Mics & EQ

Ever crank a Decapitated track and get your face melted by that absolutely crushing, yet somehow razor-sharp guitar tone? Yeah, us too. Getting a guitar sound that’s both brutal and articulate, especially one that feels unique in a sea of killer metal tones, is no small feat. We got some killer insights from producer David Castillo on how he approached sculpting that "dangerous" guitar sound, and it’s a masterclass in using your mics and EQs with intent.

If you're looking to elevate your own metal productions, understanding these techniques is crucial. And if you want to see pros like David break down their full sessions, from raw tracks to finished mix, check out what we do at Nail The Mix.

The Player: It All Starts at the Source

Before we even touch a microphone or an EQ plugin, let's get one thing straight: the player matters. A lot. David Castillo kicks off by highlighting just how crucial Vogg's playing is to the Decapitated sound. He's described as one of the best rhythm guitarists on the planet, and honestly, it sounds like the dude can't make a guitar sound bad even if he tried.

Even during drum tracking, when they needed scratch guitars, Vogg would plug in, and the first sound would be awesome. Despite that, he'd keep searching, trying different things, but every option sounded killer. This just hammers home the point: a great performance and a guitarist who knows their instrument and how to get a good sound out of the amp is your most powerful tool. It's all in the hands.

Multi-Micing: Your First EQ Palette

When it comes to capturing that amp sound, David’s approach involves using a bunch of microphones across, in this case, two different cabinets. This isn’t just about redundancy; it’s about creating a rich palette of tonal options right from the start.

Finding Your Foundation Mic

The process begins by soloing each microphone. Listen critically to what each mic is capturing. Which one has the most appealing character on its own? Which one feels like a solid core for the tone you’re aiming for? In the session David reviewed, one mic clearly stood out as the "main mic," the one to build upon.

Blending Mics as an EQ

Here’s a game-changing perspective: think of your microphones as EQs. Before you even reach for a plugin like FabFilter Pro-Q3, you're already shaping the sound by how you blend these different mic signals. Each microphone, due to its type, polar pattern, and placement, will capture a different frequency response from the cabinet.

By carefully blending these, you’re essentially performing an initial EQ pass. One mic might have a strong midrange punch, another might capture more low-end thump, and a third could offer more top-in bite. Combining them in different balances allows you to sculpt the raw tone significantly.

Navigating Phase: The Good and The "Problematic"

When you use multiple microphones on a single source, phase interaction is inevitable. This can be both a blessing and a curse. Slight phase differences can add thickness, width, and unique character to the guitar tone. However, more severe phase issues can lead to a thin, hollow, or comb-filtered sound.

The key is to "fiddle around" with the balance and potentially the polarity of your mics. Listen to how they interact. While blending can solve some phase problems (or rather, create desirable interactions), it can also create new ones. Experimentation is key to finding that sweet spot where the phase interactions contribute positively to the overall sound, helping you create the actual tone you're after.

EQing for That "Dangerous" Edge and Definition

Once you’ve got a solid blend of your mics, it’s time to refine and push the tone with EQ. This is where you take a good sound and make it truly "dangerous" and unique.

Experimentation Breeds Uniqueness

David emphasizes that this multi-mic blending approach is a fantastic way to achieve a unique guitar tone, something that can be tough when everyone gravitates towards tried-and-true setups like a Peavey 5150 block letter (which, don't get us wrong, is a phenomenal amp for metal). By blending mics and then EQing that blend, you can arrive at sounds you might not have initially conceived. You're essentially EQing your way into something fresh and inspiring, creating a take on a classic sound that’s entirely your own.

Taming the "Wobble"

Even with a great mic blend, you'll often encounter "wobbly frequencies" – those resonant peaks or muddy build-ups that can make the guitars feel uncontrolled or clash with other instruments. These often need to be addressed, sometimes on the individual tracks or, as was done here, on the guitar bus. Careful, surgical cuts with your EQ can clean this up significantly. For more on tackling these kinds of issues, check out our EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

Adding the "Air": That Top-End Sheen

A particularly cool move highlighted was a significant top-end boost. This wasn't just a subtle brightening; it was a deliberate move to add "air" and really make the guitars pop. While it might seem like too much in solo, in the context of a dense metal mix, this kind of boost can provide incredible clarity and presence, taking the guitars "out of the box." This particular boost was described as beautiful and a key part of that "dangerous" quality.

Surgical Lows and Resonance Control

While adding air is crucial, controlling the low end is equally important. Too much low-end rumble can muddy up the entire mix. You'll often need to cut more low-end than you think, especially on high-gain guitars.

Another key technique mentioned is using a "resonance tamer." This refers to identifying and controlling specific resonant frequencies that can build up and sound unpleasant, especially when multiple guitar tracks are layered. This might involve using a dynamic EQ or even a multiband compressor to specifically target and attenuate these offending frequencies only when they poke out. If you're dealing with resonances that need dynamic control, some metal compression secrets might come in handy for taming them without squashing the life out of your tone.

The Aggressive Mid-Scoop: "Justice For All" Style

Now for a truly "dangerous" move: a very aggressive mid-scoop. We're talking a serious dip in the midrange, almost to "Metallica …And Justice For All" levels of hatred for mids! This creates a super-hollowed-out, aggressive sound that can be incredibly impactful.

However, such a drastic mid-scoop often requires compensatory EQ moves elsewhere. Because so much midrange information is removed, you might find yourself needing to carefully adjust the high-mids or low-highs to bring back some definition or bite that was lost. It's like re-tuning the guitar with EQ, sometimes using very narrow notch EQs to pinpoint and shape specific tonal characteristics. It can make you feel a bit deaf after a while listening to those notched frequencies in solo, but the end result in the mix can sound insane.

Bus Processing: The Bigger Picture

The guitars in the session were routed through two main buses (one for the first pair of rhythm guitars, another for the second). This allows for cohesive processing on the grouped guitars. In this case, the "adding air" EQ move was likely applied on these buses, giving the overall guitar sound that distinct character.

Craft Your Own Dangerous Tones

Achieving a guitar tone like Decapitated's is a combination of a stellar performance, smart multi-micing, and bold, creative EQ decisions.
Key takeaways:

• Start with a great player.
• Use multiple microphones and blend them to create your initial tonal shape – treat your mics like your first set of EQs!
• Embrace experimentation with your EQ to find unique sounds.
• Don't be afraid of aggressive moves like significant top-end boosts or deep mid-scoops, but always listen in context.
• Address problem frequencies surgically to maintain clarity.

These techniques, as demonstrated by David Castillo, are powerful tools for any metal producer. Want to see exactly how David Castillo mixed Decapitated's "Cancer Culture," including these guitar techniques and much more, track by track? You can gain access to the full Decapitated Nail The Mix session and learn directly from the source.

If you're serious about unlocking your sound and mixing modern metal beyond presets, diving deep into sessions like the Decapitated NTM course will give you the actionable insights you need. Happy mixing!