YOUR QUESTION:

03/02/2021 El Bajo

I don’t get some of the unspoken rules of metal. For example, if there is going to be this entire genre of music based on two distorted, screeching guitars, why would the bass have distortion and deliberately get lost in the noise of the guitars? Why doesn’t metal have clean, bouncy, rubbery bass tones that have a directness (more fundamental/less overtones) that cuts through and can anchor and complement the metallic mids of the guitars, and give the music a really heavy bottom end?

MY ANSWER:

Well, that’s exactly why I don’t use a ton of distortion in those situations. I maintain the low end and definition necessary for the harmonic movement to be clear. There are endless unspoken rules in every genre and it’s your job to question them!