Emmure’s Heavy Mixes: Top Down Strategy with WZRD BLD & Jeff Dunne

Ever crank an Emmure track and wonder how they achieve that cohesive punch and power? While killer songs and performances are foundational, the mix approach plays a massive role. We got an inside look at how super-producers WZRD BLD (Drew Fulk) and Jeff Dunne tackle mixes, specifically for artists like Emmure, using a "top down mixing" philosophy. This isn't just about slapping plugins on a master bus; it's a systematic way of building your mix for speed, control, and ultimate impact.

Let's dive into how they set up their sessions for that signature modern metal sound.

Why Go Top Down? The Method to the Madness

So, what’s the big deal with top down mixing? It stems from wanting immediate access to any part of the mix, whenever you need it, without a ton of re-routing headaches. Imagine trying a cool side-chain technique, like ducking your instrument bus with the vocals, only to realize you have to re-configure half your session. Painful, right?

Routing your session effectively from the start offers a couple of huge advantages:

1. Mix Faster: You're primarily working with fewer faders – think groups and buses rather than a sea of individual tracks.
2. Maintain Control: If you do need to tweak or hear a specific individual element, it’s right there, neatly organized within your bus structure.

This approach, as used on Emmure's material, ensures that the foundational processing is in place early, shaping the overall vibe from the get-go.

Building from the Top: The "Fake Master" and Stereo Out

The signal flow starts, as you'd expect, with the main stereo output, which in their Cubase sessions, is typically clean – no processing directly on it.

The "Almost Master" or Second Two Bus

Feeding this stereo out is a crucial bus, sometimes called a "Fake Master" but more accurately described as a "Second Two Bus." This bus houses processing that you'd often want to keep as part of the mix's core sound, even before it heads off to a dedicated mastering engineer. This bus consistently features two key plugins.

Brainworx BX_hybrid V2: Bass Mono & Width Control

First up is the Brainworx BX_hybrid V2. This powerful EQ and stereo tool handles two critical tasks:

• Mono Bass: Everything below 80Hz is summed to mono. This is a classic trick for ensuring a tight, focused low end that translates well across different playback systems.
• Stereo Width: A touch of stereo widening is applied. This isn't a "set it and forget it" affair. The width parameter often gets automated throughout the song. Think wider for a massive chorus to make it explode, and maybe a bit narrower, more focused, for verses or intimate bridge sections to draw the listener in. This subtle dynamic use of width can add serious emotional impact – making a final chorus feel 30% larger simply by its contrast to a slightly narrower preceding section. A word of caution: stereo wideners can wreck a mix if overused. Gentle, purposeful adjustments are key.

FabFilter Pro-L 2: Transparent Limiting

Next in line on this "Second Two Bus" is FabFilter Pro-L 2. It’s usually set with just a touch of gain to keep things from clipping. The input to this bus isn't slammed, so when it’s time to print stems for mastering, the limiter can often be dialed back or bypassed easily. The stereo processing from the BX_hybrid, however, usually stays printed, which is why this bus isn't a true "fake master" but more of an integral sonic shaping stage. Sometimes, if the mastering engineer has a high-end hardware equivalent of the BX_hybrid, that processing might be left off, but it's a conversation worth having.

The Main Two Bus: Crafting the Core Tone

Below the "Second Two Bus" sits the main "Two Bus" – this is where the real magic of overall tonal shaping and dynamic control happens. For WZRD BLD and Jeff Dunne, this chain has evolved into a perfect blend of their individual go-to processing.

UAD Precision Multiband Compressor: The Glue

The first insert here is the UAD Precision Multiband Compressor. This plugin is a long-standing favorite, considered by Jeff Dunne as one of the best UAD plugins he ever bought for his two bus. Their default setting for this plugin is quite subtle, providing a relatively even response across the spectrum, mostly just adding a bit of gain and gentle control. The input level is often pushed by about +2dB to get the compressor working a little more and imparting its character. If you're looking to explore dynamic control further, our Metal Compression Secrets guide offers more advanced techniques.

Slate Digital VBC Rack: Multi-Stage Analog Vibe

Next up is the Slate Digital VBC (Virtual Bus Compressors) Rack, a powerful suite that allows for a multi-stage compression approach.

• SSL G-Comp Style (FG-GREY): The primary compression workhorse here is often an SSL-style bus compressor. It's a classic for a reason, known for its ability to glue a mix together with punch and clarity.
• Focusrite RED Style (FG-RED): Following the SSL, the "Red" compressor model comes into play. While it can certainly compress, its main role here is for its drive knob. This adds a desirable bit of saturation and harmonic smearing, a trick often associated with CLA.
• Fairchild/Manley Vari-Mu Style (FG-MU): The final module in the VBC Rack is typically a Fairchild-esque (or Manley Vari-Mu inspired) compressor. This is used with a light touch, often dialing back the mix knob for parallel processing. It’s prized for its ability to subtly "suck in" the low-mid range, tightening up the entire mix in a very pleasing way. You're looking for just a kiss of gain reduction here, maybe half a decibel to a full dB at most.

Pultec EQP-1A: The Sweetening EQ

After compression, it's time for some broad tonal shaping with a Pultec EQP-1A style EQ (like the Waves PuigTec EQP-1A). The classic "Pultec trick" of boosting and attenuating the same low frequency can create a unique resonant shelf, and it was employed on the Emmure record to give the low end a bit more of a compressed feel.
The settings often involve a gentle "smile" curve:

• A boost around 30Hz (sometimes with a corresponding attenuation, then boosted even more).
• A boost way up high, around 16kHz.
  These are not surgical adjustments; they are broad strokes that affect the feel of the track, adding weight and air that you perceive more than pinpoint. For more on how to wield EQ effectively, check out our deep dive into EQ Strategies for Modern Metal.

A quick workflow tip here: In DAWs like Cubase, you can save your preferred starting settings as the default preset for any plugin. This is super handy for things like automatically disabling the "analog noise" on many Waves plugins, saving you clicks and CPU.

Slate Digital VTM: The "Record" Polish

The final touch on this main two bus is the Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines (VTM). Strapping a quality tape emulation across the mix bus is a popular technique for adding that final bit of cohesion, warmth, and subtle saturation that makes a mix "sound more like a record." It’s another example of how small, incremental processing steps from multiple high-quality plugins can add up to a big difference, especially when mixing entirely in the box.

More Than Just Plugins: A Holistic Approach

This top down setup, from the "Second Two Bus" down through the main Two Bus processing, provides a consistent and powerful starting point for every mix. By shaping the overall sonic landscape early, WZRD BLD and Jeff Dunne can then focus on how individual elements and instrument groups fit into this pre-defined sonic signature, ensuring that records like Emmure's hit with maximum impact.

Want to see exactly how these top-tier producers apply these concepts, tweak these plugins in real-time, and make critical mix decisions on actual songs? At Nail The Mix, you get to watch pros like WZRD BLD mix incredible tracks (like Emmure's "Torch") from scratch, using the actual multitracks. You'll learn not just what plugins they use, but why and how they use them.

If you're ready to move beyond presets and truly Unlock Your Sound, seeing these top down mixing techniques in action on a full session, like the Emmure "Torch" Nail The Mix session, is an invaluable experience. Get the Emmure multitracks and follow along to elevate your own productions.