Mixing At The Gates ‘The Chasm’: Raw Drums, HM-2 Guitars & More

Alright, let's dive into something seriously cool. We're talking about the raw, unadulterated multi-tracks for "The Chasm" by the legendary At The Gates, produced and mixed by the one and only Russ Russell. If you've ever wanted to get your hands on the actual stems from a pioneering Swedish death metal band and see what makes their sound so iconic, this is it. These are the very tracks featured on Nail The Mix, giving you a chance to forge your own path through their sonic landscape. We're going to unbox what's inside these sessions, no plugins engaged, just pure, raw audio.

Deconstructing the Drum Mayhem

At The Gates has always been about a certain kind of feel – fast, often technical, but crucially, everything grooves hard. This track, "The Chasm," leans into a rawer, almost black metal-esque nastiness, but that core rhythmic integrity is undeniable.

The "Feel" Factor: At The Gates' Rhythmic Genius

What sets their drummer apart is his knack for playing parts that are perfectly constructed for the song. They might seem relatively simple compared to some over-the-top technical wizardry, but they're always just right. Take the intro fill – it's not the craziest thing you've ever heard, but it’s incredibly effective and sets the tone perfectly. It’s this combination of technicality with tasteful restraint that defines their style. Even a seemingly straightforward fill later in the song just works, ending the section with punch and precision.

Mic Check: Capturing the Kit's Rawness

Let's look at what we're working with for the drum kit:

• Kicks: We've got a kick in and a kick out mic. Plus, two kick samples are provided. The strategy here is clear: you can pull a really natural, snappy top-end from the acoustic kick mics and then blend in the samples for that consistent, powerful low-end punch essential for metal. This gives you a killer, natural-sounding metal kick.
• Snare: A snare top and a snare bottom mic, alongside a snare sample. Standard practice for maximum control over snap, body, and crack.
• Toms: The toms come pre-cleaned, which is a nice touch. That 10-inch tom, in particular, sounds incredibly punchy.
• Cymbals: We’ve got dedicated hi-hats, a China (cleaned, much appreciated!), and a ride. Standard overheads capture the overall kit picture.

Room Mics: The Secret to Nasty Ambience

Now, this is where a lot of the "raw and nasty" vibe comes from. There are two key room mic tracks:

• Trash Room: This one is begging to be absolutely slammed with compression. The idea is to crush it and blend it back in to make the whole kit sound even nastier, more explosive, and glued together, yet still natural. The direct snare sound is somewhat short, but this trash room mic can provide all the length and sustain you need, almost acting like a gritty reverb.
• Ambient Room: This contributes further to the atmospheric raw nastiness.

If you use these room mics properly, you can really dial in that authentic, aggressive ambience. Adding these room mics, especially the trash room, totally changes the game, as they always do.

Bass Brutality: DI, Rat, and SVT Power

Moving onto the low end, we've got three distinct bass tracks to play with:

• A clean DI signal.
• A gritty tone likely from a Rat pedal.
• A classic amped tone, possibly from an SVT.

Tones on Tap: From Clean DI to Aggressive Amps

The DI sounds fantastic – really full-bodied with all the articulation you could want. You could definitely use it. But man, those amped tones are where the real aggression lies. They are delightfully nasty. That bass is LOUD in the session, and for good reason – it sounds incredible.

The Low-End Growl and Its Impact

When the bass drops to those lower notes, there's an immense amount of aggression and power in the tone. It’s visceral. This is where those deceptively simple drum parts shine; as the music creates movement and the bass lays down that heavy foundation, it’s exactly what this style of music needs. It doesn’t need to be more complex; it needs to be right. Listen to how cool it sounds when it goes low – pure power.

Guitar Onslaught: The Mighty HM-2 and Blending Wizardry

This is what many of us have been waiting for – proper Swedish band, proper HM-2 tones! Russ Russell has blessed us with both a regular amp sound and an HM-2 version for each guitar track.

The Swedish Chainsaw: Understanding the HM-2

For those unfamiliar, the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal is legendary, especially in Swedish death metal. It creates this distinctive, grinding, almost fuzzy distortion – some describe it as sounding strangely "8-bit" but not quite. It’s just a uniquely pissed-off sound that makes certain styles of metal absolutely ferocious. An album of just HM-2 guitars? Yes, please.

Blending the Buzz: The Art of Balancing HM-2 with Standard Amps

Here’s the challenge, though. The HM-2 has such a dominant character that blending it with a more conventional amp tone can be tricky. Eyal Levi likens it to cooking with garlic – use too much, and it completely overpowers everything else. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find that sweet spot, blending the HM-2 just right with the provided regular guitar amp tones. Wisely using EQ will be crucial here to make space and ensure the tones complement rather than fight each other. You’ve got these raw tracks, so choose your balance wisely. Even with faders just pushed up, it already sounds pretty great.

Harmonic Genius: At The Gates' Signature Guitar Harmonies

And of course, it wouldn’t be At The Gates without those signature guitar harmonies. They have a way of understanding and utilizing harmony that's almost unparalleled in metal, creating truly memorable and evocative melodic lines within the aggression.

Beyond the Distortion: Clean Tones, Oboe, and Vocals

It's not all high-gain brutality. At The Gates are masters of dynamics and texture.

Cinematic Cleans: The "Bram Stoker's Dracula" Vibe

A staple of At The Gates is their use of clean, often acoustic-sounding guitars. In "The Chasm," these parts have a creepy, almost cinematic quality. Think of those great 80s and 90s death, thrash, and black metal bands that used clean intros – atmospheric pieces you could write a movie soundtrack around. At The Gates keeps that tradition alive. There's also a "clinky" guitar sound, which might be a 12-string, a harpsichord sample, or a synth emulating one. Either way, it's cool and adds to the dark, gothic atmosphere. Hearing these clean textures against the HM-2 guitars? Chef's kiss. Keep evil alive!

The Guitar Solo: Scandinavian Melancholy

While not known for excessive soloing, At The Gates always ensures that when a solo does appear, it's tasteful and serves the song. The solo in "The Chasm" has a distinct Scandinavian melodic flavor, reminiscent of early At The Gates or bands like Amorphis.

The Oboe Enigma: Adding Texture, Not Distraction

Yes, you read that right – there's an oboe. The key here is subtlety. It’s meant to be blended in as a texture, an atmospheric layer, not a prominent lead line. If you're mixing this for the Nail The Mix competition, don't go overboard with the oboe. Less is more.

Vocal Carnage: Layering and FX for Extreme Metal Vocals

Tomas Lindberg's vocals are instantly recognizable, one of the defining voices in extreme metal. We've got a main vocal line, some doubled lines, and other vocal tracks that aren't exact doubles, offering plenty of material to play with. These vocals will likely benefit from being heavily affected – think long, spacious reverbs and delays. Panning these different vocal layers strategically will also be key to creating a wide and immersive vocal sound.

Mix "The Chasm" Yourself with Russ Russell

Hearing these raw tracks is one thing, but imagine getting to mix them yourself and learn directly from the man who helmed the original production, Russ Russell. That’s exactly what Nail The Mix offers. With a subscription, you get access to these incredible multi-tracks for "The Chasm" by At The Gates.

You can dive in, experiment with all the elements we've discussed – from blending those kick samples and crushing the trash room mic, to delicately balancing the HM-2 guitars and adding atmospheric effects to the vocals and oboe. Then, you get to watch Russ Russell himself host a live mixing session, breaking down his entire process for this very song. It's an unparalleled opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business.

If you're ready to take your metal mixing skills to the next level and get your hands on these legendary At The Gates tracks, head over to Nail The Mix and grab the At The Gates session with Russ Russell. You can also unlock your sound and learn to mix modern metal beyond presets with our extensive resources. Don't miss out on this chance to work with iconic material and gain insights that can transform your own productions. Get the multi-tracks and Russ Russell's mixing masterclass for At The Gates' "The Chasm" here. Happy mixing!