Memphis May Fire: Crafting Super Aggressive Metalcore Vocals

We all know vocals are the heart of a killer metalcore track. They need to be aggressive, clear, and sit perfectly in a dense mix. Getting that polished yet powerful sound often involves more than just a single compressor and reverb. Kellen McGregor from Memphis May Fire recently peeled back the curtain on his vocal mixing techniques, showcasing a masterclass in using multiple sends to build a truly massive and aggressive vocal presence. Let's dive into how he achieves that signature sound, a process you can explore further in their full session on Nail The Mix.

The Power of Parallel Processing: Building the Core Vocal Sound

Kellen's approach to the main vocal isn't about one magic plugin; it's about a symphony of carefully crafted sends, each adding a specific character. His main vocal track feeds a whole host of auxiliary tracks: parallel compression, a doubler, an "air" send, a mono delay, a stereo delay, a long "verb-ish" delay, a dedicated vocal reverb, and even a slap delay. That's a lot of routing, but each element plays a crucial role.

Key Sends for the Main Vocal:

• Parallel Compression: For that upfront, controlled aggression.
• Doubler: Soundtoys Micro Shift is the weapon of choice here.
• Air Send: To add that crispy top-end sheen.
• Mono Delay: For adding vibe and width, especially to screams.
• Stereo Delay: Classic ping-pong for spatial movement.
• Long Delay/Wash: Creates ambient swells.
• Vocal Reverb: For depth and space.
• Slap Delay: Though more prominent on doubles/BGVs, it's part of the overall vocal effects palette.

Kellen emphasizes that he likes a "pretty fair amount of the fake doubler" in the mix, pushing it quite hot to achieve the desired width and thickness.

Deconstructing the Vocal Effects Sends

Let's break down some of these key sends and the plugins making them happen.

H3: The Doubler: Soundtoys Micro Shift for Width

Instead of the Waves Doubler, Kellen opts for Soundtoys Micro Shift. He typically uses the third preset, finding it gels well with vocals. Key settings include keeping the detune at its lowest for a super tight effect. To avoid muddiness or excessive brightness from the doubling, he rolls off some of the high and low frequencies on the doubler's return channel. This targeted EQ strategy keeps the doubled signal focused.

H3: The Air Send: FabFilter Saturn for Crispiness

To achieve the "really crispy, airy vocals" that Matty Mullins prefers, Kellen uses an "air" send. This is powered by FabFilter Saturn, focusing on boosting frequencies from 10kHz and above. This adds that high-end sizzle and clarity, making the vocals cut through. He even mentions using it to bring back a "spittle" kind of intensity, especially on aggressive phrases, making the performance feel more visceral.

H3: Delays, Delays, Delays!

Kellen employs a variety of delays, each serving a distinct purpose:

• Mono Delay (Soundtoys Echo Boy): Used primarily for screams on verses, this is an eighth-note delay. It's heavily filtered, creating a "telephony" effect by rolling off all the bottom and top end, letting it bounce subtly in the background without cluttering the mix.
• Main Stereo Delay (Ping Pong): This is your classic ping-pong delay, providing width and movement. Crucially, Kellen ducks this delay slightly when the main vocal comes in, ensuring it stays out of the way but still provides that rhythmic echo. It's filtered, too, pulling out some top end and anything below around 260Hz, with a slight dip around 800Hz.
• Long "Verb-ish" Delay: This is a longer, ducking delay designed to create ambient swells. It ducks significantly when the vocal is present and then blooms when the vocal phrases end. This delay is washed out with shimmer and has a lot of low and top end cut, so it only really becomes apparent in the gaps, adding a cool, atmospheric tail.

H3: Reverb and Slap: Space and Cohesion

• Vocal Reverb (Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics): A hall preset from VerbSuite Classics is used, often with the decay time pulled down a bit. This is primarily for background vocals (BGVs) and some screams, adding a sense of space.
• Slap Delay: This is used more on the BGVs and vocal doubles rather than the main lead. It’s a short, quick delay (around 24ms in the example, though this is often tempo-dependent) that helps them sound like they were sung in a room, giving them a bit more body and environment without a long reverb tail.

Parallel Compression: The Secret to In-Your-Face Vocals

For the parallel compression send, Kellen EQs into the compressor. He boosts some top end, cuts some 1.3kHz, and rolls off low end before hitting the compressor. The compressor itself (an unnamed plugin in the video, but characterized by its fast attack and pretty fast recovery) is set to slam the signal hard. He mentions liking the "density" button and "high ratio" button engaged on this particular unit, admitting he doesn't always know exactly what they're doing under the hood, but loves the sound. This aggressive parallel compression tames dynamics and brings up low-level details, resulting in a vocal that's consistently "a straight line," ensuring every word and melody is heard, especially in big choruses. It’s subtle when blended in, but it adds a significant amount of control and perceived loudness.

Treating Doubles and Harmonies

The vocal doubles receive a very similar treatment to the main vocal, including the same sends for parallel compression, delays, and doubler. The key difference is they also get sent to the slap delay and the main vocal reverb to help them sit slightly differently in the mix and enhance their supportive role.

Harmonies also get a similar processing chain, but with specific EQ adjustments tailored to their function. Low end is typically carved out as it's not needed, and there might be a boost around 4kHz for presence with a corresponding attenuation around 5kHz to maintain clarity and avoid harshness. They are compressed heavily, sometimes using an 1176-style "all buttons in" approach for intensity, followed by a limiter to flatline them, and Soothe to tame any resulting harshness or resonant peaks. The goal is to make the words and melody pop without them being overly bright or clashing with the main vocal or guitars. These harmonies are also sent to the doubler, delays (including the long, swelling delay), reverb, and slap to push them back and integrate them into the overall vocal soundscape.

H4: The "Fake Low" Trick with Altar Boy

A cool trick Kellen uses on choruses is creating a "fake low" harmony. This is done using Soundtoys Altar Boy to pitch the vocal down an octave and then pull the formant down. This track is compressed, has all the top end filtered off (as it’s not needed for this effect), and is blended in subtly. You don't consciously hear it as a distinct vocal part in the full mix, but it adds a touch of low-end warmth and thickness to the choruses, a "you miss it when it's gone" kind of effect.

Bringing It All Together for Aggression and Polish

Kellen McGregor's approach to mixing Memphis May Fire's vocals is a testament to the power of detailed, multi-layered processing. By using numerous sends for delays, doublers, reverb, and aggressive parallel compression, he builds a vocal sound that is simultaneously huge, controlled, and packed with character. Each effect is carefully chosen and dialed in, often with specific EQ on the return to ensure it serves its purpose without cluttering the mix.

Techniques like these, from intricate send/return setups to specific plugin choices like Saturn for air and Altar Boy for low-end enhancement, are what separate good mixes from great ones. If you're looking to dive deeper into how professionals like Kellen craft these colossal metalcore sounds, and want to get your hands on the multitracks to try these techniques yourself, be sure to check out the Memphis May Fire mixing session on Nail The Mix. Understanding these advanced concepts can truly help you unlock your sound and take your metal mixes beyond presets.