Unleashing the Brutality:

Some music, you work on it and move on. Others stay with you. Surviving, the latest full-length album from Chinese technical deathcore band Horror of Pestilence (瘟疫之骇), is very much the second kind — and honestly, I'm extremely proud of how it came out.

What Is Surviving? It's Not Just Another Metal Record

Surviving is a concept album four years in the making, and you can feel every bit of that time the moment you press play. Horror of Pestilence is based out of Guangzhou, China, and they've been quietly building something serious in the global extreme metal underground since 2007. Their sound lives at the crossroads of technical deathcore, progressive death metal, and symphonic metal — which, if you know anything about mixing those genres together, tells you this was never going to be a straightforward session.

The record features guest appearances from vocalist Kyle Schaefer (Fallujah), vocalist and lyricist Lee Mintz (Mithya, ex-Greylotus), and drummer Mr. Blastbonk himself - Robin Stone. This was a proper international collaboration — parts recorded across different setups, different rooms, different continents — all needing to feel like one cohesive, devastating record. For me, it was a great, yet super fun challenge!

Setting a Benchmark for Chinese Extreme Metal

Say what you will, but I genuinely believe this album sets a benchmark for Chinese extreme metal — both sonically and musically. I started my journey in the Chinese metal scene before relocating to the UK, so this one hits a little differently for me. Watching Horror of Pestilence put something like this out into the world, and being part of it, means more than I can put into words.

My Role on the Album

I handled all post-production, mixing, and mastering for Surviving, with drum editing handled by my business partner/good friend Juraj Fajnor. And look — this is exactly the kind of project I got into music production for.

The density of this album is something else. You've got layered orchestration, razor-sharp guitar work, a thunderous low-end, and stacked extreme vocals — and every single one of those elements is fighting for space in the mix. My job was to make sure they all found their place without losing the raw aggression that defines this genre.

The Art of Mixing

The thing I kept coming back to with the mixing was the relationship between the symphonic layers and the guitars/bass/drums backbone. I didn't want the orchestral elements to feel like a costume draped over a metal record — I wanted them woven into the brutality, inseparable from it. And in the mastering stage, it was all about making sure that energy translated everywhere. Not just on studio monitors, but on a phone speaker, in a car, through cheap earbuds at 2 am. That's the real test.

What People Are Saying

The metal world has been paying attention. The lead single "Naraku" drew immediate comparisons to Lorna Shore and Shadow of Intent — which is high praise in this corner of the genre. But reviewers have been quick to point out that Surviving goes much deeper than that single suggests, with the rest of the tracklist revealing a progressive side that calls back to Beyond Creation and early The Faceless, complete with what one writer described as "exceptionally tasteful guitar leads" on tracks like "Moon Bear" and "Ugly Life."

The album also includes piano and orchestral versions of certain compositions — a bold move that really does underline just how much thought went into every corner of this record. Over on Reddit, fans have described tracks like "Naraku" as having a "pull me under and devour" kind of energy, with "Moon Bear" standing out as a fan favourite for its distinct intensity.

Why This One Felt Different

The band described Surviving as searing, apocalyptic, and unrelenting — and that really is the best way to put it. From the first note to the last, it hits like a sledgehammer and resonates like a doomsday siren call.

What I loved about working on this album was how intentional everything was. Nothing was accidental. Every dynamic shift, every orchestral swell, every breath between sections — it all served the concept. When an artist hands you a session that's been refined for four years, you respect that. You serve the music. That's the mindset I brought to every stage of this project, and I think you can hear it in the final result.

What Great Metal Mixing Actually Takes

I want to be honest about this, because I think it matters — especially if you're a band or label looking for a mixing and mastering engineer for your next record.

Metal mixing and mastering at this level isn't just about making things loud and heavy. It's about:

Low-End Clarity

The kick, bass, and sub-orchestral layers all need to hit with their own weight without turning into mud.

Guitar Sharpness

People online have been talking about notching out guitar frequencies; they use Fabfilter Pro-Q EQ to sweep across the spectrum and notch out a million frequencies, acting all proud of what they can do with tools like this. What they don't realise is that either they don't know how to get a good guitar sound from the source, or they do not know how to mix. Creating too many notches will not only make the guitar sound weird but also quickly cause it to lose its character. I don't know when it started, but at some point, people decided metal guitars should sound polite. Which is weird, because metal guitars should sound aggressive, and the guitar sound on Surviving is aggressive.

Vocal Presence

Extreme vocals need to cut through a wall of sound without sounding harsh or fatiguing over a full album runtime.

Dynamic Range

The music needs to breathe and feel alive, even at competitive loudness levels. And this is a true test of one's ability, especially in this genre.

Cohesion

When you have vocalists, session drummers, and musicians recording remotely across the world, they need to sound like they were all in the same space, and the power of the music is strong enough to resonate in the space.

Surviving pushed all of those things. And delivering on them — at this scale, with this much material — is something I'm genuinely proud of.

Go Stream It

Surviving by Horror of Pestilence is out now on all streaming platforms. If you're into technical deathcore, progressive death metal, symphonic metal, or you're a fan of Lorna Shore, Shadow of Intent, Beyond Creation, or The Faceless — just go listen. You won't regret it.

Working on an album and need a mixing and mastering engineer who actually gives a damn about your music? This is what I do at NK Audio. Reach out — I'd love to hear what you're working on.

📩 yynkstudios@gmail.com

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