Toontrack’s annual Metal Month campaign is well underway with the release of several new releases.
The all-new EZdrummer 3/Superior Drummer 3 expansion Metal Mania EZX was recorded by Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and engineer/producer/mixer Chris Rakestraw (Megadeth, Deftones, Parkway Drive).
It features three unique kits, a wealth of snare drums and kicks as well as over 30 cymbals – all flawlessly captured in one of the world’s most famed studios for hard rock and metal: Studio A at One On One in Los Angeles. Massive-sounding, warm and vibrant but at the same time just as tight and aggressive, this room has all the qualities to move air in a way that makes it seem custom-built particularly for hard-hitting metal drums. This goes to show on the plethora of defining records that were recorded here, some of which include the likes of Megadeth’s “Rust in Peace,” Metallica’s “…And Justice for All” and “Black Album,” Dream Theater’s “Awake” and Testament’s “The Ritual.”
Each of the three drum kits included represents its own niched sound. One covers Dirk’s current touring setup, one is from his tenure in the band Soilwork and one was handpicked to offer a completely contrasting tone and vibe. All in all, you’ll have a balanced but eclectic palette of kits encompassing anything from the loud, aggressive and punchy to the big, low and warm.
The Underground EZX delivers drums designed to capture the raw energy of the underground scenes of the early ’90s until today.
The Underground EZX for EZdrummer 3 and Superior Drummer 3 delivers raw, gritty drum kits with a minimal vintage-meets-modern setup. Recorded by Refused’s drummer David Sandström and engineer Martin “Konie” Ehrencrona at Studio Cobra in Stockholm, it captures the essence of punk, hardcore, metal, indie, and underground rock from the early ’90s to today.
The collection features four distinct kits, each with a unique, unpolished sound, perfect for aggressive, loud, and raw music styles. It includes mix-ready presets, grooves, and fills, all with a vintage analog vibe. Ideal for creating hard-hitting, distorted, and organic sounds, this EZX is the epitome of gritty, unrefined energy.
Also available is a new MIDI expansion featuring a broad collection of metal-inspired basslines: Metal Riffs EZbass MIDI.
If you’re looking to write melodic metal or progressive songs where raw, menacing and heavy bass riffs play a headlining role, this is a collection of MIDI for you. Designed to serve as a foundational source of ideas that you can continue to build on and infinitely customize using the onboard features of EZbass, this MIDI pack will be your new well of inspiration. Use the riffs as starting points for anything from the melodic to the intricately rhythmic, all seamlessly applicable in a wealth of overlapping styles of hard rock and metal.
The new expansions are available to purchase at the Toontrack store and from distributors Best Service and PluginFox.
