Free EQ Plugins That Actually Rip for Metal Mixes

You’re scrolling through forums, watching YouTube tutorials, and you see it: that one shiny, expensive EQ plugin the pros are using. The thought hits you, "If I just had that plugin, my mixes would finally sound huge." We've all been there. The hunt for the perfect tool can feel endless, especially when you're on a budget.

But here’s the reality check: while a specific tool can be a game-changer for a specific problem (like taming guitar fizz with Soothe), your mixes won't magically improve by collecting dozens of EQs. The truth is, the stock EQs in modern DAWs like Logic Pro X, Reaper, and Cubase are incredibly powerful.

What really matters are your skills and your ears. It’s about knowing why you’re reaching for an EQ, not which brand name is on it. The best mixers in the world, guys you can see on the Nail The Mix instructors page, could get a killer mix with the most basic tools because they’ve mastered the fundamentals. Their mixes are great because they know what to do, not because they have a secret plugin folder.

That said, some free EQs offer incredible functionality, unique character, or a workflow that can seriously inspire you. Forget plugin acquisition syndrome. Let's focus on a few killer free EQ plugins that are more than enough to craft a professional-sounding metal mix.

The Best Free EQ Plugins Every Metal Producer Should Try

We're going to break down four must-have free EQs that cover everything from surgical cleaning to adding analog-style mojo. Master these, and you won't feel the need to spend a dime for a long, long time.

1. TDR Nova by Tokyo Dawn Labs

TDR Nova isn't just a standard parametric EQ; it's a parallel dynamic equalizer. In simple terms, this means you can make an EQ band react to the signal level, like a compressor that only works on a specific frequency. This is an insanely powerful tool for modern metal production.

Why It Rips for Metal:

• Taming Harsh Cymbals: Got a drummer who loves to smash the cymbals? Instead of a static cut that dulls the top end throughout the track, use Nova to set a dynamic band around 4-8kHz. The EQ will only kick in and reduce the harshness when the cymbal hits are at their loudest, preserving the "air" and detail during quieter sections.
• De-essing Aggressive Vocals: A screaming vocalist can have a ton of piercing sibilance. Nova works as a fantastic de-esser. Just find the offending frequency (usually somewhere in the 6-10kHz range), set a narrow Q, and use the dynamic function to clamp down on it only when the "S" and "T" sounds pop out.
• Controlling Palm Mute "Woof": Sometimes, heavy palm mutes can create a build-up of low-mid "woofiness" around 200-400Hz. Set a dynamic band here to gently duck those frequencies only on the chugs, cleaning up the mud without thinning out the whole guitar tone.

2. SlickEQ by TDR & Variety of Sound

Where Nova is for surgery, SlickEQ is for character. This plugin is designed to emulate the broad, musical curves of classic analog hardware EQs. It doesn’t have a fancy spectrum analyzer because it’s meant to be used with your ears, forcing you to make bold, musical decisions instead of getting lost in tiny details.

Why It Rips for Metal:

• Adding "Mojo" to a Bus: SlickEQ is perfect for your drum bus or guitar bus. It offers different EQ models ("American," "British," "German") that each have a distinct flavor. Try the "American" model on your drum bus and give it a slight "tilt" – a gentle low-end boost and a gentle high-end boost – to add punch and shimmer without it sounding overly processed.
• Broad Tone Shaping for Bass: Instead of surgical cuts, use SlickEQ to shape the overall character of your DI bass. Use a low-shelf boost to add weight and a high-shelf boost to bring out the string attack and clank. It’s a fast way to get a bass tone that sits right.
• Master Bus Sheen: The "German" mode is known for its smooth top end. A tiny 0.5dB high-shelf boost on your master bus can add just enough "air" and polish to the entire mix. The built-in saturation options can also add a touch of analog-style glue.

3. Ignite Amps PTEq-X

Every producer needs a Pultec-style EQ in their arsenal, and the Ignite Amps PTEq-X is one of the best free emulations out there. The classic Pultec EQP-1A is famous for its unique ability to boost and cut the same low frequency simultaneously, creating a tight, powerful low-end bump that’s impossible to get with a standard EQ.

Why It Rips for Metal:

• The Ultimate Kick Drum Trick: This is the legendary “Pultec trick.” On your kick drum, select 60Hz. Boost the "LOW FREQ" knob and simultaneously turn up the "ATTEN" knob. This creates a resonant bump at 60Hz while scooping out the frequencies just above it, resulting in a kick that is both massive and tight, cutting through a wall of guitars.
• Fattening Up a Snare: Want a fatter snare without it getting muddy? Try a slight boost around 100-200Hz to add body. You can also use the high-frequency section to add a beautiful, silky "crack" around 5-8kHz.
• Adding Weight to Guitars: While you generally want to be careful with low-end on metal guitars, a touch of the Pultec trick around 100Hz can add serious weight and power to rhythm tones without introducing mud. Check out our deep dive on EQing metal guitars for more on this.

4. MEqualizer by MeldaProduction

Sometimes, you just need a no-nonsense, do-it-all digital EQ. MEqualizer (part of Melda's free bundle) is a workhorse parametric EQ with 6 bands, a fantastic spectrum analyzer, and all the filter types you could ever need. Think of it as your stock EQ on steroids.

Why It Rips for Metal:

• Surgical Problem Solving: This is your scalpel. Is there a nasty whistling frequency in the overheads? A painful ring in the snare? Use MEqualizer’s analyzer to pinpoint it, set a super-narrow Q, and notch it out.
• High-Pass and Low-Pass Filtering: One of the most important jobs in a heavy mix is cleaning up mud and fizz. Use MEqualizer to high-pass filter everything that doesn't need low-end information (guitars, cymbals, vocals) and low-pass filter things that don't need excessive top-end (bass, kick drum).
• Carving Space: This is perfect for creating pockets in the mix. Find the fundamental frequency range of your bass guitar and make a small, broad cut in that same area on your rhythm guitars to help them coexist.

Beyond the Plugin: Workflow Is Everything

Remember, every plugin you add to a track introduces a tiny bit of latency. Modern DAWs have Automatic Delay Compensation (ADC) to manage this, but it’s not always perfect, especially with complex routing and parallel processing.

This is why some old-school Pro Tools users are wary of parallel buses – back in the day, the delay compensation was notoriously bad, and using plugins on parallel tracks could cause nasty phase issues. While systems are better now, it’s a good reminder that how you route your signal matters. Using a linear phase mode on your EQ can sometimes help when processing parallel signals (like a parallel drum bus), as it avoids the phase shift inherent in standard EQs, but it also adds much more latency.

This is the kind of deep-level thinking that separates good mixes from great ones. It’s not about which plugin you own, but about understanding how processors like EQs and compressors (learn more about metal compression secrets here) interact with each other and affect your signal.

The Final Word: Your Brain is the Best Tool

It’s easy to think that if you just use the same plugins as your favorite mixer, your mixes will sound like theirs. But that’s like thinking you can cook like Gordon Ramsay just by buying the same brand of pans. You could give 100 producers the exact same plugins and a raw session, and you’d get 100 completely different mixes.

Your unique taste, your anotomy, and the sum of your musical experiences are what will make your mixes stand out. Don't chase someone else's sound. Instead, focus on improving your craft. Learn one of these free EQs inside and out. Understand why the Pultec trick works. Train your ears to hear problematic frequencies without an analyzer.

And when you’re ready to see how the best producers in the world apply these concepts in real-world sessions, that's where Nail The Mix comes in. You can dive into our full catalog of sessions and watch guys like Jens Bogren, Will Putney, and Nolly Getgood mix legendary tracks from scratch. You get the raw multitracks to practice on and see firsthand that it’s the thousands of small, skillful decisions—not a secret magic plugin—that create a world-class metal mix.