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Made of Metal EZX: A Review of the Toontrack Expansion Pack
If you are looking for a metal drum sound that is powerful, dynamic and versatile, you might want to check out the Made of Metal EZX expansion pack for Toontrack's EZdrummer 2. This pack was produced and mixed by Colin Richardson, a legendary metal producer who has worked with bands like Slipknot, Machine Head and Carcass. It features four full kits, one extra snare, kick and tom option, a large assortment of cymbals and five mix-ready kit presets.
The Made of Metal EZX was recorded at Belgium's Galaxy Studios, a state-of-the-art facility with a wood-lined, hall-like main room that brings out the essence of the drums. The drums were sampled by Jason Bowld, a world-class drummer who has played with Axewound, Pitchshifter and many others. The result is a collection of drums that sound massive, punchy and realistic.
What's Included in the Made of Metal EZX?
The Made of Metal EZX includes four complete kits from DW, Mapex, Tama and Truth. Each kit has its own character and sound, ranging from warm and organic to bright and aggressive. You can also mix and match different drums and cymbals from each kit to create your own custom combinations.
The expansion pack also includes one extra snare, kick and tom option that you can use to add more variety to your sound. The snare is a Ludwig Black Beauty 1979, a classic metal snare that has a crisp and cutting tone. The kick is a DW Deep Blue Selfie, a punchy and deep kick that can cut through any mix. The tom is an 8" DW Deep Blue Oyster, a small and high-pitched tom that can add some contrast to your fills.
The cymbals are from Paiste, Zildjian and Sabian. They include hi-hats, crashes, splashes, rides and chinas. The cymbals are well-balanced and complement each other well. You can also use the Flanger Bell and Triple Raw Smash Noise Works Crash from Paiste to add some special effects to your grooves.
The expansion pack comes with five mix-ready kit presets that were created by Colin Richardson. These presets give you different sonic options for your drums, from natural and raw to processed and polished. You can also tweak the presets to your liking using the built-in mixer in EZdrummer 2.
What's the Sound Quality of the Made of Metal EZX?
The sound quality of the Made of Metal EZX is superb. The drums are recorded with high-end microphones and preamps, capturing every nuance and detail of their sound. The samples are also edited and mixed with care, ensuring that they sound consistent and realistic.
The drums have a lot of punch and clarity, but also retain some warmth and depth. They can handle any metal genre or subgenre, from thrash to death to prog to metalcore. They can also be used for other styles of music that require a heavy drum sound.
The cymbals are crisp and bright, but not harsh or brittle. They have a nice shimmer and sustain, adding some air and space to your sound. They also blend well with the drums, creating a cohesive and balanced sound.
What's the Performance of the Made of Metal EZX?
The performance of the Made of Metal EZX is smooth and reliable. The samples load quickly and play back without any glitches or latency issues. The expansion pack is also compatible with any MIDI controller or e-kit that supports EZdrummer 2.
The expansion pack also includes a selection of MIDI drum grooves that you can use as inspiration or starting points for your songs. The grooves are played by Jason Bowld and cover various metal styles and tempos. You can also drag and drop them into your DAW or edit them in the built-in groove editor in EZdrummer 2.
Conclusion
The Made of Metal EZX is a great expansion pack for any metal
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