Mixing Oli Sykes’ Vocals: Fredrik Nordström on BMTH’s “Chelsea Smile”

Ever cranked Bring Me The Horizon's "Chelsea Smile" and wondered how Oli Sykes' vocals got that raw, aggressive, yet somehow polished edge? That track was a game-changer, partly because of its pioneering approach to vocal production. We got an inside look as legendary producer Fredrik Nordström (Soilwork, Dimmu Borgir, Architects, At The Gates) revisited his mix of this iconic track for Nail The Mix, and he dropped some serious knowledge on how those groundbreaking vocals came together.

This isn't just a trip down memory lane; Fredrik reflected on the techniques they used back then, how they might tackle it now, and the specific gear and plugins involved. It's a fascinating comparison of "then vs. now" in metal vocal production. Let's dive into how Fredrik sculpted those influential screams.

Laying the Foundation: Aggressive Tracking with Compression

One of the first things Fredrik highlighted was that a significant amount of the vocal sound for "Chelsea Smile" was baked in during recording. They weren't shy with the compression on the way in.

Fredrik recalled using an AMEC Angela console, which had a couple of built-in compressors. He mentioned these were heavily utilized for tracking Oli's vocals. This meant the raw vocal takes already had a very controlled dynamic range and a certain aggressive character before even hitting the mix stage. This approach of committing to a sound early on is a bold move, but it clearly paid off. Want to get a better grip on how compression can shape your metal tracks? Check out these metal compression secrets beyond just making it loud.

The "Chelsea Smile" Vocal Chain: Then and Now

Once in Pro Tools, Fredrik walked through the plugin chain they used for Oli's lead vocals, offering insights into their choices at the time.

Pre-Compression EQ: Boosting Presence

Before hitting the main mix compressor, Fredrik revealed a simple but effective trick: a bit of a treble lift with an EQ. This was done to inject more presence and clarity into the vocals before they were further squeezed by compression, ensuring the top-end aggression cut through.

The Power of Pro Tools Stock Plugins (At the Time)

Back in the day, they relied heavily on what Pro Tools had to offer. For compression in the mix, they were using Pro Tools' own stock compressor. While Fredrik admits there are more sophisticated compressors available now, he noted they were big fans of it back then.

And how much compression are we talking? A whopping 30-35dB in total on the vocals! That's a massive amount and a key ingredient to that upfront, in-your-face sound.

To tame any harsh sibilance ("s" sounds) that such aggressive processing can accentuate, they used the Pro Tools built-in De-Esser.

Adding Grit: The Role of Lo-Fi and Distortion

But the aggression didn't stop with compression. To push the vocals even further into distorted territory, they employed a Lo-Fi plugin. Fredrik reminisced about a specific Pro Tools plugin called "Cosmon" (which is no longer available) that they loved for this purpose. This added another layer of harmonic saturation and character.

Beyond plugins, Fredrik also mentioned there were some printed vocal effects, likely more distortion, baked into some of the vocal tracks. This commitment to an aggressive, effected sound was central to the track's vibe.

Crafting Depth: Doubles and Gang Vocals

To thicken the vocal presence and add impact, standard metal techniques like doubles and gang vocals were used, but with Fredrik's specific touch.

• Vocal Doubles: For the doubled vocal tracks, the processing was identical to the main lead vocal – same EQ, compression, and Lo-Fi. The only difference? They were simply mixed lower in volume, sitting underneath the main take to add power and width.
• Gang Vocals: "Chelsea Smile" features some intense gang vocals. For these, they recorded three tracks (Fredrik noted he normally does four). The processing approach was similar to the lead vocals, ensuring a cohesive and aggressive sound across all vocal elements.

Creating Atmosphere: Reverbs and Delays

No metal mix is complete without some carefully crafted ambience. Fredrik detailed his go-to time-based effects and how he used them on "Chelsea Smile."

The Essential "Bread and Butter" Reverb

For general ambience, Fredrik had a versatile "bread and butter" reverb send. On Oli's vocals, this was set to a small room sound, giving a sense of space without washing out the directness of the performance. This same reverb would be used for other elements like lead guitars if needed.

Echo Boy for Signature Delays

When it came to delays, Soundtoys Echo Boy was the weapon of choice. Fredrik often starts with a preset he calls "start," which syncs the delay to the song's tempo. He prefers a stereo delay (not a ping-pong, but distinct left and right repeats) to add width and rhythmic interest.

Epic Ambiance: The Long Reverb Trick

For those truly epic moments, Fredrik utilizes a long reverb. He described a cool technique: if there's a long scream, he'll fade in this long reverb while simultaneously fading out the dry vocal. This creates a haunting effect where the vocal seems to disappear into an "eternal" wash of sound. This long reverb is a staple in his mix template, always ready to be called upon.

Next Level Effects: Feeding Delay into Reverb

Here's a pro tip for creating massive, evolving soundscapes: Fredrik often feeds his FX Delay (a longer, more distinct echo, think "hello, hello, hello") into his Long Reverb. This makes the echoes themselves bounce around within the large reverb space, resulting in what he describes as a "very epic" sound.

Fredrik's Quick Mix Bus Polish (For the NTM Session)

While Fredrik didn't master the original "Suicide Season" album (that was handled by Peter In de Betou at Tailormade Studio), he did apply a quick pseudo-mastering chain for the Nail The Mix session to bring the mix up to level. This included:

• FabFilter Pro-Q 2: Used for surgical EQ. Fredrik demonstrated his technique of using a very narrow Q, sweeping through frequencies to find any problematic resonances, and then dipping them out. For more on how to sculpt your tones, dive into these EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.
• Multiband Compressor: To control dynamics across different frequency bands.
• Stereo Widening Plugin: To enhance the stereo image.
• Limiter: To bring the overall volume up to a competitive level.

Bringing It All Together: Learn from the Pros

Fredrik Nordström's insights into mixing Bring Me The Horizon's "Chelsea Smile" vocals reveal a blend of aggressive tracking, heavy but purposeful processing, and creative use of effects. From extreme compression to layers of Lo-Fi grit and epic delays, every choice served the song's intense energy.

Want to see Fredrik Nordström actually mix "Chelsea Smile" from scratch, explaining every plugin, setting, and decision? You can get your hands on the full session and the original multi-tracks right now at Nail The Mix: Bring Me The Horizon "Chelsea Smile".

This is just a glimpse of what Nail The Mix offers. Every month, you get to watch world-class producers mix iconic metal tracks, learn their secrets, and download the multi-tracks to practice yourself. If you're serious about elevating your metal mixing skills, this is the place to be.

Ready to take your productions beyond presets and truly understand the art of mixing? Our comprehensive course, Unlock Your Sound: Mixing Modern Metal Beyond Presets, is designed to give you the foundational knowledge and advanced techniques you need.

Don't miss out on the chance to learn directly from the masters. Check out the full Bring Me The Horizon "Chelsea Smile" mixing session with Fredrik Nordström and transform your vocal mixes! Get Access Now.