Signs Of The Swarm: The “Legs Up” Vocal Trick & Brutal Studio Tones

Ever cranked a Signs Of The Swarm track and wondered how they achieve that absolutely crushing, visceral sound? We got a peek behind the curtain with producer Josh Schroeder as he walked through some of the gear and techniques used to capture their signature brutality. From unconventional vocal postures to meticulously documented pedal settings, there's a lot to unpack. If you're looking to inject some serious aggression into your own productions, you'll want to take notes. We love diving deep into how killer metal records are made, and this is no exception. You can explore more insights and full mix sessions at Nail The Mix.

The "Insane" Vocal Technique: Getting Disgusting Tones with Signs Of The Swarm

One of the most eye-catching moments was witnessing vocalist Dave Simonich's… unique recording stance.

Dave's Unconventional Setup

Forget standard vocal booth posture. Dave found his sweet spot for delivering those signature gutturals with his legs propped up. Josh speculated this might help with diaphragm compression, but whatever the reason, it clearly worked for Dave. Comfort and a consistent setup are key, even if it looks a bit unorthodox. Alongside this, a screen displaying punch-in points, his personal mixer, the essential coffee, and a trusty trash bin for, well, you know, completed the vocal tracking station.

Mic and Preamp Settings for Crushing Vocals

No surprise here, the venerable Shure SM7B was the mic of choice for Dave's vocals – a staple for aggressive styles. The typical settings were in play: the low roll-off engaged to clean up mud, and the presence boost switched on to help the vocals cut.

The signal then hit a Neve preamp, and "pushed" is an understatement. Josh's philosophy? Drive that input until all the lights are blazing – you're not getting your money's worth otherwise! This approach adds harmonic richness and natural compression. For dynamics, the vocals were being absolutely nuked with compression, featuring a pretty fast attack and a fairly fast release to clamp down hard and maintain an aggressive, in-your-face presence. Mastering such aggressive vocal compression is a true art; for more on taming dynamics, check out our metal compression secrets. It's also likely some UAD plugins were brought in later for further sonic sculpting.

Crafting the Colossal Low End: Signs Of The Swarm's Bass Rig

A punishing low-end is crucial for Signs Of The Swarm's sound, and the bass setup was a combination of great instruments, versatile pedals, and classic studio hardware.

The Foundation: Dingwall and Darkglass

The core of the bass tone started with a Dingwall NG2 bass. These basses are renowned for their clarity and punch. For this session, all the knobs on the bass were set to noon with the active circuit engaged – a solid starting point. Providing extra saturation and crucial tone-shaping capabilities was a Darkglass Microtubes X Ultra, a pedal celebrated for its versatility in metal bass tones.

Pedal Power: Rat and HM-2 for Grit and Chainsaws

For added character, a couple of iconic dirt boxes were in the chain. A ProCo Rat pedal was spotted, and Josh highlighted how keeping the distortion setting really low can yield some incredibly cool and subtle textures, though the filter can be quite sensitive. And for that unmistakable "chainsaw" grind? None other than the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal.

Studio Hardware: LA-610 and Distressor

On the outboard gear front, a Universal Audio LA-610 channel strip appeared to be in use, likely primarily for its preamp section. While it can add fantastic tube character (thanks to its two tube stages and two-band EQ), Josh noted it can also be a bit noisy. The LA-610's optical compressor seemed to be bypassed, with an Empirical Labs Distressor likely handling the heavy lifting for bass compression – a studio workhorse for a reason.

Essential Studio Practice: Document Your Settings!

A crucial tip throughout the session: take pictures of your hardware settings! Pedals and outboard gear can get bumped, and without clear markers, recalling exact settings can be a nightmare. This is especially true for pedals like the Rat where tiny knob movements can drastically alter the sound. Detailed photos ensure that if the band needs to return for more tracking, you can quickly replicate the established tones. For this session, notes included "Signs of the swarm base settings, ding wall, NG two, all knobs, noon active circuit engaged."

Building the Drum Onslaught: Bobby's Kit and Recording Approach

Bobby Crow's drumming is a force of nature, and capturing that energy involved a blend of classic preamps, quality cymbals, and a modern tracking workflow.

Preamps and Signal Flow

The drum inputs were routed through a selection of quality preamps. Overheads typically went through the first two channels of an API console section. Higher toms also favored the API punch, while lower toms might be run through the cleaner preamps on an Apollo interface. Some Neve preamps were also in the mix for drums, often being pushed into clipping for that desirable saturation and character. For utility channels like spot mics, room mics, and talkback, Audient preamps were used.

The Kit: Cymbals, Snare, and Heads

Cymbal-wise, Zildjian K cymbals were prominent, with K hi-hats and K crashes being praised as some of the best recording cymbals due to their dark, musical character. The snare sound was a key focus, utilizing the same snare drum previously seen in Josh's garage, miked on the top and bottom (with the bottom mic's phase inverted, naturally). Toms were captured with Audix D2 microphones, and it looked like Evans clear E2 heads were on the kit.

Modern Drum Tracking: MIDI, Projectors, and Performance

Bobby's workflow involved programming his drum parts in MIDI first, then performing them live in the studio. To facilitate this, a TV (later upgraded to a much larger and safer projector) displayed the MIDI grid, allowing him to play along "Guitar Hero style." This method is fantastic because it allows the drummer to lay down complex initial ideas via programming and then refine them with the feel, groove, and improvisation that only a live performance can bring. Often, they'd loop short 2-4 bar sections until the part was nailed.

Capturing Extra Flavor: Snare Samples in the Garage

To add more texture and options in the mix, snare samples were recorded in Josh's garage. This unconventional space provided a "trashy" sound that could be layered with the main studio drum recordings, showcasing how creative use of acoustics can expand your sonic palette.

Aggressive Guitars: Pedals, Evertune, and Taming the Fiddlers

The guitar assault is another hallmark of Signs Of The Swarm, achieved with high-gain setups and player-focused solutions.

The "Dumb Shit" That Works: Dual Fortin 33 Boosts

For an absolutely searing guitar tone, not one, but two Fortin 33 boost pedals were piggybacked. Josh humorously acknowledged this as "dumb shit" that can lead to intense spikes (potentially around 1kHz or 2kHz, requiring careful EQ attention), but it's all part of the fun and experimentation in the studio to find unique sounds.

Guitar and Player Comfort

The guitar used was equipped with an Evertune bridge, a lifesaver for maintaining tuning stability through aggressive playing and countless takes. The player's station was well-equipped with a wedge monitor, Whammy pedal, Wah pedal, and, of course, coffee.

The "Knob Fiddler" Solution

To combat the age-old problem of "knob fiddlers" – guitarists who constantly, sometimes unconsciously, adjust their volume or tone knobs – a simple yet effective solution was employed: taping the knobs in place. This ensures consistency between takes, especially when the volume needs to be pinned at 100%.

Studio Vibe and Motivation: The Unsung Heroes

Beyond the gear and techniques, the studio environment and maintaining morale play a huge part in a successful recording session. Little things like Jet's Pizza (with ranch, naturally) and the "Silky Express" (a strategically lowered peanut butter treat for Bobby as motivation during intense tracking) highlight the human element. Recording an album like this is a marathon, and seeing Bobby looking "whooped" after tracking all the live drums and guitars is a testament to the dedication involved.

Bringing It All Together

These behind-the-scenes glimpses from Josh Schroeder offer fantastic insights into the meticulous and sometimes unconventional methods used to craft the brutal sound of Signs Of The Swarm. From Dave's unique vocal posture and aggressive signal chain to the carefully selected bass gear, layered drum recordings, and extreme guitar boosts, every element plays a part.

Want to see how sessions like this really come together from start to finish, with every fader move and plugin parameter explained? Dive deeper into a full Signs Of The Swarm mix session with Carson Slovak & Grant McFarland on Nail The Mix. You can grab the multi-tracks and learn every step as these world-class producers build a devastating mix from the ground up.

If you're serious about leveling up your metal mixes and learning directly from the pros who craft the sounds of bands like Gojira, Periphery, and many more, explore how you can unlock your sound and mix modern metal beyond presets. Get ready to transform your productions! Don't just listen to killer metal – learn how to create it. For even more on this session, check out the Signs Of The Swarm multitracks and mixing masterclass available to our members.