Loathe’s Sonic Alchemy: George Lever’s Creative Post-Production FX

Transforming Mundane Sounds: The Fire Extinguisher Percussion

Ever looked at a random sound source, like a fire extinguisher, and thought, “How can I make this a core rhythmic element?” That’s exactly the challenge George Lever tackled. When faced with a piece of percussion that has a super hard attack but vanishes almost instantly, you have two choices: ditch it, or go all-in and make it something special. George chose the latter. Want to see how George Lever manipulates sounds like this in a full mix context? You can, with the Loathe “New Faces in the Dark” session on Nail The Mix.

The Signal Chain Breakdown

Turning a fire extinguisher into a production highlight isn’t a one-plugin job. It’s about a creative chain of effects, each adding a layer of character and control.

Chaining Delays for Rhythmic Complexity

First up, George ran the fire extinguisher sound through a series of delay pedals. This isn’t just about simple echoes; it’s about creating intricate, evolving delay patterns. Think of it like building a new rhythmic phrase from the initial transient. Experiment with different delay times, feedback settings, and even different types of delay pedals daisy-chained to find unique grooves.

Heavy Saturation for Pulse and Power

Once those delay patterns were established, it was time for some serious distortion. George pushed these delays hard into a saturation stage, applying extreme distortion to them. This heavy saturation does more than just add grit; it can make the delayed sounds pulse and swell, giving them an organic, breathing quality.

A crucial byproduct of intense saturation is a build-up of low-end frequencies. While you want the power, you don’t necessarily want a percussive effect like this to muddy your low end. George was quick to EQ this out, using a high-pass filter to clean up the unwanted rumble. For more on taming frequencies, check out our EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

Coloring with D16 Repeater (Beyond Delay)

Next in the chain was the D16 Group Repeater. Interestingly, while Repeater is a powerful delay plugin, George used it here primarily for its tonal color. He mentioned specifically how its character was shaping the sound, likely referring to its analog-modeled characteristics subtly altering the high frequencies. This is a great reminder that plugins can often be used in unconventional ways for their sonic character, not just their primary function.

Adding Space with Room Reverb

To give the processed fire extinguisher a sense of place, a touch of room reverb was added. This helps the sound sit within the mix rather than feeling dry and disconnected.

Final EQ Polish

The last step was another stage of EQ, this time to tackle some resonant frequencies in the low-mids. This kind of surgical EQ ensures the sound is impactful without being boomy or clashing with other elements.

The result of this intricate chain? A sound that’s “super subtle, but when you know it’s there, it’s kind of hard not to hear.” This is the art of creative sound design – adding layers that contribute to the overall texture and vibe.

Layering and Processing Claps for Impact

Percussion isn’t just about drums. Elements like claps can add huge emphasis and groove. George detailed his approach to making claps cut through and serve a distinct purpose in the Loathe mix. This included a “Big Clap” sample specifically used to accentuate the second part of a riff.

Building Custom Claps with Aggression

For claps he built himself, George employed a more aggressive processing chain:

• Soundtoys Devil-Loc: This plugin is notorious for its ability to “destroy everything” in the best possible way. It’s a fantastic tool for adding extreme compression, distortion, and a larger-than-life character to percussive sounds. It’s a beast for heavy metal compression and saturation.
• Gain Staging: After the Devil-Loc obliterated the signal (in a good way!), a significant level reduction – around 11dB – was applied before the channel fader. This is smart gain staging. By taming the level with a utility gain plugin or the input/output of another processor, you keep your fader in a more usable range for fine-tuning the clap’s place in the mix.
• EQ Shaping: Naturally, some EQ was used to further sculpt the tone of the heavily processed claps.
• Mono Maker on Lows: A “Mono Maker” was inserted after all the effects. This is a common technique where plugins (like those from Brainworx or similar tools) are used to filter all the low-end frequencies to mono. This ensures your low-end stays tight and focused in the center of your mix, especially important after stereo effects might have spread it out.

The goal of this chain? Taking all those extreme peaks generated by the claps and Devil-Loc and “bringing them down into line,” creating a controlled but powerful sound.

George also worked with claps that were part of the supplied session files. These “dryer claps” were processed to provide “percussive intent,” likely meaning they were shaped to be punchy and rhythmic, complementing the more heavily effected claps.

Creative Width and Texture on Percussion

Widening with D16 Repeater

When George wanted an element to feel wider, he again turned to the D16 Group Repeater. This time, he leveraged its “Spread” function.

• Tape Delay Mode Color: He noted that the Repeater’s “Tape delay mode” already colors the sound in a really cool way, adding character even before the widening.
• The “A” Setting: The real magic for width, in this case, came from switching a specific parameter within the spread function to an “A” setting (likely one of Repeater’s stereo spread algorithms). This transformed the mono or narrow source into something noticeably wider.

When to Dial It Back or Collaborate

Even with cool tricks, context is king. George pointed out that if he wasn’t sure about how prominent or wide an element should be, that’s the point he’d discuss it with the band. “What do you want this to do? Do you want this down the middle? Do you want this other sides? Do you want it bright? Do you want it dark? Is this even a thing?” Sometimes, the best move is to pull an element down so it’s “just there emphasizing what’s going on rather than making it a main feature.”

Stereoizing Mono Sources

This Repeater spread trick isn’t just for elements you want to exaggerate in width. George mentioned it’s also great for sounds that were exported in stereo but are actually mono sources at their core. Running them through Repeater’s spread can give them a more natural and pleasing stereo image than simply being a mono sound in a stereo file.

Subtle Ear Candy: Other Textural Elements

The mix also featured other interesting sounds, like a distorted piano and some heavily processed elements George referred to as “Sha” (perhaps shell-like sounds or Foley). For these, which were often already quite processed before hitting his mix session, the key was “TLC” – tender loving care. This means they didn’t need a ton of additional heavy processing; it was more about subtle EQ, level adjustments, and ensuring they sat well in the mix without further mangling.

Conclusion: The Art of Intentional Post-Production

George Lever’s breakdown of these Loathe post-production techniques showcases a deep understanding of how to use effects creatively and, more importantly, intentionally. From transforming a fire extinguisher into a rhythmic pulse to adding controlled aggression to claps and crafting width with delays, each step serves a clear musical purpose. It’s a reminder that the tools we have – EQs, delays, saturators – are instruments in themselves, capable of sculpting entirely new sonic textures.

These are the kinds of nuanced, pro-level decisions that can elevate a mix from good to great. Imagine getting to watch producers like George Lever build entire tracks from scratch, explaining every plugin choice, every EQ move, every creative flourish. That’s exactly what you get with Nail The Mix. Each month, you receive the raw multitracks from a killer metal song and watch the original producer mix it, sharing their unique workflow and secrets.

If you’re ready to go beyond presets and truly unlock your sound in modern metal mixing, seeing these techniques in action is invaluable. Check out the full Loathe “New Faces in the Dark” mixing session with George Lever to dive even deeper.