Invictus Audio has announced the release of Metal Pack, its first Sample Replacement Kit dedicated to Metal. Three formats are included for your platform of choice for re-triggering for your convenience and ease of use. You get standard Wave files, Gog format for Drumagog and also the first 3rd party release for Steven Slate's new Trigger format.

Metal Pack has an MSRP of $199 but is currently available for the introductory price of $159.

Metal Pack Details

On 2 Dual Layer DVDs you get the following:

• 25 Kicks with 3 tunings each: Low, Mid and High.
• 25 Snares with separate Crack hits.
• 5 Toms sets with 4 toms in each.
• 2 Room Types A is a small room for fast playing B is Big for Epic groove stuff.
• All samples are in 24bit/96kHz.

Kicks:

• DW Collector's Series Maple 22x18 Remo Powerstroke 3.
• Mapex Orion Birch 22x18 Remo Powerstroke 3.
• Pearl Masters Custom 22x18 Aquarian Super-Kick II.
• Pearl Masters Custom 22x18 Remo Powersroke 3.

Snares:

• Ayotte 14x6.5 Remo Weatherking Emperor X.
• Ayotte Kiplinger 14x7 Remo Coated Powerstroke 3.
• Brady Jarrah Wood 14x6.5 Evans Power Center.
• Canopus Zelkova Wood 14x6.5 Evans Power Center.
• Gretsch New Classic Brass 14x6 Evans Genera Dry.
• Gretsch Black Chrome Steel 14x5.5 Evans Power Center Reverse Dot.
• Pearl Sensitone 13x5.5 Evans ST Dry.
• Pearl Vinnie Paul 14x8 Remo Coated Powerstroke 3.
• Pork Pie 14x6 Remo Weatherking Coated Ambassador.
• Pork Pie 14x6 Remo Weatherking Emperor X.
• Pearl Maple 12x6 Remo Weatherking Coated Ambassador.
• Pearl Brass 14x6 Remo Weather King Coated Emperor.
• Yamaha Maple Absolute 14x6.5 Remo Controlled Sound.

Toms:

• DW Collectors Series Maple 10x8, 12x9, 14x12, 16x14 Aquarian Studio X, Evans G2 Clear.
• Mapex Orion Birch 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16 Aquarian Studio X, Evans G2 Coated.
• Pearl Masters Custom maple 10x8, 12x10, 14x12, 16x14 Aquarian Studio X, Evans G2 Clear.

These sounds will punch through any mix and have been tailored to handle the whole "loudness wars issue". But of course you need to hear them in action. Demos and songs are up on the site at Invictus Audio.

Sample Quality
All samples have been recorded at 24 bit 96kHz to preserve the highest quality possible, but for people who still prefer to work in a 44kHz domain, Drumagog or Trigger plug-ins will automatically sample rate convert the sounds.
Post processing has been done using SSL analogue outboard EQ and dynamics for that crisp and thick tone.

Invictus Audio used a wide variety of mics from Shure, Audio Technica, Neumann, Audix, Sennheiser and Royer in conjunction with Neve 1073 type preamps, the smooth clarity of Millenia HV-3D pres and Rupert Neve design Focusrite ISA110 modules.

Microphone Positions
Each instrument will have a close mic, a stereo overhead mic and 2 stereo room mic positions – Room A being the tight room for speed, thrash and tech metal (basically anything that is fast) and Room B for the big epic sound for slower stuff. Using different tunings and skin head types in conjunction with different mics made it possible to capture a wide variety of tones.

Each Kick has 6 Hits. Invictus Audio decided against any softer hits, just the good loud ones, as those are what is needed to punch through in the mix. Usually only a single sample is used for metal productions.

Snares and Toms on the other hand are very dynamic. Invictus Audio have given you 7 velocities, from soft to hard, with 6 hits each for a total of 42 samples per instrument. Additionally Invictus Audio included Crack snare hits but in their own separate files. The Crack hits will either have 1 or 2 dynamic layers with 6 hits in each layer.

Additional Applications
Not only can you use these samples with Drumagog or Trigger, you can expand the versatility of Toontrack's Drumkit From Hell and Metal Foundry drum sets by re-triggering them with Metal Pack so you can achieve a new level of tonal possibilities.

Equipment Used:

• Converters: Lynx Aurora 16.
• Pre Amps:Focusrite ISA 110 mic pre eq, Millenia HV-3D, Vintech 473.
• Mics:
  • Shure SM57,beta 57,Beta 91, SM7,Beta 52.
  • Audio Technica AT4050, AT4041, AT4055, AE2500.
  • AKG D112.
  • Sennheiser MD421,e604.
  • Audix D6.
  • Electro Voice RE20.
  • Yamaha Sub Kick.
  • Neumann KM184.
  • Alesis AM11.
• Outboard Gear:
  • SSL EQ-XR625 and Compressor-XR618.
  • Focusrite ISA 110 EQ.
• Cabling: Mogami.