Results for metal

Soundiron has announced the release of a major update for Rust 2, a metallic percussion sample library for Native Instruments Kontakt.

Soundiron’s Rust 2 now features the Mega Mixer master preset.

For the brand new Rust 2 version 2.0 we went through all the previous presets with the due diligence of a true obsessive-compulsive. We tweaked key-mapping, zone mapping, fading and balance to really improve on the previous incarnation of this library in every way. We’ve designed a completely customized and automatable user interface that visually responds to your performance. Now each preset offers realtime control over every aspect of the sound, allowing you to shape note Attack and sample Offset to create gentle, ghostly pad-like sounds from even the harshest impacts. The Release control let’s you tighten the sound into a sharp staccato click or ping in one moment, or a long ringing sustain the next. Tuning is easy, with the Stepping and main Tune parameters. All of our most recent technological advances are included. Our powerful Uberpeggiator allows complex, adaptive arpeggiations and you’ll find tempo-syncing resonant filter and volume LFOs build into nearly every preset. We’ve also included a parametric EQ and convolution reverb with over 50 room and FX impulses to choose from instantly.

We’ve also included our mighty Mega Mixer master preset, which lets you choose from any of the percussive elements in the library, load 10 of them dynamically, each with custom key-range, tuning and mapping to create your own ensembles, drum kits and tuned percussion orchestras. Finally, the Tuned Selector Ensemble presets give you instant access to sub-categorized collections of solo tuned percussion elements, with easy browsing and automatable instrument selection, while the standard ensemble presets lay it all out for you in convenient untuned drum-kits.

Rust 2 is available to purchase for $59 USD through December 12th, 2012 (regular $69 USD). The update is free for current owners of Rust 2.

In celebration of the updated, Soundiron has also launched a limited time sale for the Metal Collection, offering the bundle of Rust 1-3, Iron Throne, Tuned Artillery and Bronze Bin at a 35% discount.

Weighing in at nearly 12 GB of content, Metal Collection features over 300 flexible and intuitive Kontakt presets and over 12,000 samples.

For many of the presets, dozens of custom convolutions are integrated into the GUI and there is a range of automatable EQ, Reverb and sound-shaping to expand on the creative possibilities the libraries offer.

Metal Collection is on sale now for $149 USD through December 12th, 2012.

More information: Soundiron / Rust 2

Toontrack has announced the release of two new presets packs for Superior Drummer 2.0, and Metalheads MIDI, collection of MIDI files from the Metalheads EZX.

At Toontrack, November always means Metal Month. It’s the annual celebration of metal music and a month filled to the brim with new sounds, new tools, new grooves, competitions and fun! Check out the site and join the party!

New Metal Month releases

• S2.0 PRESETS – KOLOSS — This preset for Superior Drummer was modeled after the drum sound on Meshuggah’s “Koloss” album and features samples from the actual recording session. Engineered by the man behind the “Koloss” album mix, Daniel Bergstrand!
• S2.0 PRESETS – JOEY STURGIS — Having worked with numerous rising stars such as The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria and Emmure, Joey Sturgis has become the go-to guy for the perfect modern metal mix! Here he shows you how he tweaks Superior Drummer!
• METALHEADS MIDI — Now up for grabs: the MIDI from the Metalheads EZX! Twelve classic Meshuggah songs, captured flawlessly via MIDI by Tomas Haake himself, organized both as full songs as well as song parts so you can customize, dissect and use his drumming brilliance to create your own grand metal compositions!

The S2.0 Presets packs are available to purchase for 12 EUR / $15 USD each, the Metalheads MIDI is 25 EUR / $29 USD.

More information: Toontrack / Metal Month 2012

Ueberschall has announced Thrash Metal, a new Elastik Soundbank featuring 10 construction kits.

Hard, fast and precise riffs, thunderous double bass drums at extreme speed and a droning bass, lightning fast but accurate like a clockwork. Combining the energy of hardcore and punk with heavy metal‘s complex rhythms and almost artfully celebrated guitar riffs; thrash metal is the root of most current extreme metal-subgenres. This is unaltered aggressive metal sound with no unnecessary attachments.
To create this library, Ueberschall has opted for the typical band lineup with drums, bass and two guitars. All elements have been recorded live, using real valve driven amplifiers, an analogue console and a subsequent transition into the digital domain through high-end-converters. No admission for amp simulations here!

Thrash Metal contains ten construction kits with a tempo range between 150 and 186 BPM. Each kit is divided into up to seven subfolders, including intro, A-, B- and C-parts, break and outro. Use the complete mix to prelisten to the construction kits‘ ideas. Like in all Ueberschall products, all instruments of all parts are also prepared as single tracks, enabling you to select your favorites and create your personal mix.

The drums have been specially taken care of. Besides a professional mix down, there are single tracks of bass drum, snare top and bottom, snare trigger-signal (for drum replacement and doubling), hi-hat, cymbals, toms, overheads and room microphones. In addition, the library offers tracks of the bass guitar and at least two guitars.

Whenever real hard hitting tracks are demanded, Ueberschall‘s Thrash Metal is your solution. Music productions, target group specific advertisements, movie trailers, games or just for headbanging – this is the library to produce thrash metal in your studio.

The soundbank is available to purchase for 49 EUR.

More information: Ueberschall / Thrash Metal

Toontrack has announced the Metal Guitar Gods EZmix Pack, an expansion pack for EZmix 2, focusing solely on amp and cab simulation presets for guitar and bass.

It comes with everything from rhythm, lead and clean sounds to settings for acoustic guitar and bass. All content was custom designed by four of the most iconic and trendsetting guitarists in metal: Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah), Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Misha “Bulb” Mansoor (Periphery) and Devin Townsend (ex-Strapping Young Lad, The Devin Townsend Project).

We call this colossus of a product Metal Guitar Gods simply because these four gentlemen are nothing short of gods. Fredrik for being the father of “Djent” and for forever having changed metal as we know it by introducing eight-string guitars. Devin for continuously pushing the boundaries and the perception of what “metal” is. IA for gathering inspiration from all corners of the world, channeling it through his guitar and ending up with highly personal and inspiring renditions of our time. “Bulb” for riffs that go far and beyond what anyone thought was possible within the confines of a metal track!

We couldn’t be prouder about the fact that their custom sounds and a little bit of their magic is bottled in this pack and available for you! So, plug your instrument straight into your sound card, launch EZmix 2, select your Metal Guitar Gods setting and start forging your next metal masterpiece. It’s really that simple!

The Metal Guitar Gods pack is available to purchase for 39 EUR / $49 USD.

Toontrack has also launched the EZmix 2 Metal Bundle and EZmix Metal 6 Pack.

Sometimes too many options can be scary – here is the widely popular and powerful multi-effect mixing tool EZmix 2 conveniently bundled with six (6) EZmix Packs optimized for the ABCs of metal mixing and mastering! This bundle takes you all the way from plugging your instrument straight into your sound card to a finished, mastered mix, ready to take over the airwaves!

EZmix Metal 6 Pack features

• Metal Guitar Gods EZmix Pack: Custom designed amp and cab simulation presets from four of the most iconic and trendsetting guitarists in metal: Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah), Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Misha “Bulb” Mansoor (Periphery) and Devin Townsend (ex-Strapping Young Lad, The Devin Townsend Project).
• Randy Staub EZmix Pack: Randy Staub had mixed groundbreaking works like Metallica’s “Black Album”, Mötley Crüe’s “Dr Feelgood” and honed the sound for artists like Nickelback, Bon Jovi and Alice in Chains. Randy is beyond just an award-winning mix engineer, he’s helped define the sound of a generation.
• Metal Essentials EZmix Pack: This pack does exactly what it sets out to: cover the essentials in metal mixing! The fact that it was hand-crafted by the creative mind behind the sound of August Burns Red, Trivium, All That Remains and The Black Dahlia Murder says a little bit about how heavy it sounds.
• Metal EZmix Pack: Having worked with acts like Meshuggah, In Flames and Behemoth, engineer/producer Daniel Bergstrand has reinvented the sound of metal.
• Dirt EZmix Pack: Designed by the man who helped define the shape of punk to come: Pelle Henrcisson. With 30+ years honing his craft behind the mixing console and world-renowned for his work with legendary heavy-weights like Refused (“The Shape of Punk to Come”), Meshuggah (“None”), Poison the Well and Hell Is For Heroes, Pelle knows a thing or two about mixing.
• Mastering EZmix Pack: All mixes deserve proper mastering! This pack was designed by Mats “Limpan” Lindfors, senior engineer at Cutting Room, the leading mastering studio in Scandinavia. It aims to cover the most common mastering needs and music genres.

The EZmix 2 Metal Bundle costs 249 EUR / $299 USD, the Metal 6 Pack is 129 EUR / $169 USD.

A purchase will also give you a chance to win an electric guitar.

Buy and register Toontrack Music’s latest EZmix Expansion, Metal Guitar Gods and/or EZmix 2 before the end of November 2012 and you will automatically be entered into the drawing to win an 8 string Ibanez Guitar!

More information: Toontrack

Time+Space has announced the release of three exclusive bundles, kicking off Toontrack’s Metal Month 2012.

Toontrack Metal Month is back and it promises to be bigger, bolder and more powerful than ever before!

This annual event, now in its third year, celebrates the only musical art form to successfully combine technical proficiency, mythology, angst, lightning bolts, screaming, power, and leather spiked belts!

Rock and Metal musicians who own Toontrack’s industry standard EZdrummer, Superior Drummer 2.2 or EZMix 2 software tools are in for a treat as Toontrack are set to unleash no less than 7 amazing metal production tools this November.

As part of the celebrations Toontrack have put together some exclusive bundles that offer fantastic value for money and there will be more bundles announced over the next few weeks as the new titles become available.

So, don your leather spiked belt, get that beard growing and make sure you’ve got a neck brace to hand – it’s going to be a head banging monster month of metal!

Metal Month 2012 Bundles

• Metal Month EZX Bundle: Metalheads, Metal Machine and DFH EZX. £78.95 GBP.
• EZmix 2 and Preset Packs Bundle: EZmix 2 + 6 preset packs. £159 GBP.
• EZmix 2 Presets Bundle: 6 EZmix preset packs. £94.95 GBP.

These bundles are available through November 2012.

More information: Time+Space

Toontrack has announced that its Metal Month will be returning this November, with seven new products and exclusive live shows by Meshuggah and Periphery.

The month is primarily geared towards customers into hard rock and metal. Earlier editions of the campaign have seen several critically acclaimed product releases and been met by massive support from the Toontrack user base.

- Our connection to metal can be traced all the way back to the start in 1999 when we released Drumkit From Hell. It was a huge hit that set a new benchmark for the drum sampling industry. To devote an entire month solely to metal is our way of honoring and highlighting the genre on which our company built its foundation, said Mattias Eklund, Toontrack’s co-founder and Head of Sound Design.

- Even if we today have a product catalogue and credibility that crosses over all genres, our brand is still very much associated to metal, continued Peter Knutsson, Toontrack’s CEO. Metal musicians are generally very well-aware and picky when it comes to sound and production, so having a strong following in this market segment is something we are proud of and want to keep nourishing.

The Metal Month campaign site is set for launch on November 1 and the first product release slated for November 6. Already on October 26, however, Toontrack will host a kick off party at the intimate live music venue Scharinska near the company’s headquarters in Umeå, Sweden. Swedish polyrhythmic and ”Djent” inventors Meshuggah will perform alongside American up and coming metal act Periphery, both of which are booked to perform one-off shows exclusively at this event.

- To have two of the most talked about names in today’s extreme metal scene share the stage at a small venue in the north of Sweden for two unique shows feels really special, said Peter Knutsson, Toontrack’s CEO. To add to it, the fact that our sounds can be heard on both bands’ albums and that our product catalogue feature individual members of each band just makes it even better.

None of the seven products slated for release during November are yet official. Each week of the month will reveal one or more new products.

- I can honestly say that this year we have a few of the most unique releases ever, said Mattias Eklund, Toontrack’s co-founder and Head of Sound Design. Without disclosing too much, there will be sounds designed by one of the world’s most sought-after mix engineers as well as without a doubt the most exciting mix tool of the year for metal guitar and bass.

More information: Toontrack