Mastering Chimaira “Crown Of Phantoms”
Chimaira is a rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. I was introduced to Mark Hunter (lead singer and founder of Chimaira) through mutual friends, the band Ohio Sky (also of Cleveland, Ohio.) I started mastering records for Ohio Sky in 2011, and I guess Mark liked the sound of their records. My pal Jim Stewart (recording engineer) was over with Ben Schigel at his studio, Spider Studios in Cleveland where they were working on “Crown of Phantoms”, asked me to give Mark Hunter a call when I had time, like it was no big deal… So I worked up the nerve, and Mark turned out to be honestly one of the coolest most down to earth people I have ever worked with. That would turn out consistent with all members of Chimaira. The coolest nicest dudes.
Ben Schigel, owner of Spider Studios, produced, recorded and mixed the album. When I got the mixes from Ben, I was blown away. The mixes were literally perfect in my opinion. Not to mention the fact that Chimaira wrote an incredible album, holy fuck! I was given a lot of freedom from Ben Schigel and from Chimaira, and I had the perfect amount of headroom in the mixes to make a super dynamic heavy ass rock album. I master a lot of hip hop, urban music, and Mark Hunter is a big hip hop guy, turns out. Only thing Mark did ask was for the album to hit in the “trunk” like a hip hop album, “like an old Wu-Tang record or something” he said. I also wanted to make the album as dynamic as possible, which would fit the record nicely with all of the different “scene changes” throughout the album. It needed to be loud, but I wanted the “quiet” parts to remain “quiet”. That said, I wanted the climax of every song to literally shake the retinas in your eyes. To get that effect, I basically rode the fader hitting my D/A converter.
OFFICIAL VIDEO for “No Mercy”
OFFICIAL VIDEO for “All That’s Left Is Blood”
Here’s an interview with Mark Hunter, spot “Dan Millice Mastering” tee shirt?
Chimaira is:
Mark Hunter (Vocals)
Jeremy Creamer (Bass)
Austin D’Amond (Drums)
Matt Szlactha (Guitar)
Emil Werstler (Guitar)
Sean Zatorsky (Keyboards, Sampling, Vocals)
Produced, Recorded and Mixed by Ben Schigel
Assisted by Tony Gammalo and Jim Stewart
Re-amped by Mark Lewis
Mastered by Dan Millice
Assisted by Ben Hostetler