Colin Richardson (Carcass, Napalm Death, Slipknot)

Colin Richardson is a UK-based mixer and producer who has worked with some of the most iconic acts in the metal genre, including Carcass, Napalm Death, Machine Head, and Slipknot. In all, he has been involved in over a hundred albums with notable productions for Sepultura, Fear Factory, and Bullet For My Valentine. More recently, Richardson produced and mixed House of Noise by Massive Wagons - a UK Top 10 album.

Tell us about your current studio setup.

My best friend, Andy Sneap, lets me use his amazing studio whenever I need it. The studio has an SSL AWD console, Genelec 1031 Monitors, Neve, and API mic pre’s. The usual stuff that sounds great!

Plugin wise, I love the UAD compressors, Soundtoys for most things they design, Slate Trigger, UAD SSL channels, Neural DSP Parallax for bass guitar, and many more.

Having produced and mixed so many songs over the past few years, how do you stay fresh and excited about making music these days?

I always said about producing and mixing that if it became a chore, I would retire. It hasn't happened yet!

How do you typically approach a mix: what's your process for setting it up? How often are you making big editing decisions in your mixing?

When starting a metal mix, I begin with the drums. I put the guitar and bass into the mix though at regular intervals to see how the drums are sitting.

After I’m happy with the drums, I move on to guitars to get them to sit with the kit, then onto vocals. Lastly, bass guitar as I find it’s the hardest instrument to sit in a metal mix.

I tend to carve the bass towards everything else I have in place.

In regards to editing, I will send over a test edit to the artist if I really feel something needs to happen. But ultimately it’s the artists final call, not mine.