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Kinetic Metal is a unique and inspiring Kontakt instrument by Native Instruments, designed to create ethereal soundscapes, evolving textures, and delicate tonal percussion from unconventional metallic sources. Developed in collaboration with renowned sound designer Jeremiah Savage, this instrument takes the essence of various non-traditional metal objects and transforms them into a versatile palette for cinematic scoring, ambient music, and experimental sound design.
At its core, Kinetic Metal blends creatively sampled metallic sounds—ranging from cauldrons and broken clocks to kettles and swords—with artificial waveforms. Each patch within the instrument is a multi-layered combination of four distinct sampled sounds and four artificial waveforms, offering a rich sonic foundation. The instrument's intuitive interface, featuring two large "Forge" and "FX" wheels, allows for dynamic and expressive manipulation of these sounds. The Forge wheel morphs between the different "personalities" of a patch, providing continuous sonic evolution, while the FX wheel controls a custom set of effects tailored to blend seamlessly as the wheel is turned. This design encourages hands-on exploration and provides a wide range of sonic possibilities.
Beyond manual control, Kinetic Metal incorporates an "Auto-motion" feature, allowing producers to set one or both of the main wheels in motion automatically. This creates evolving sound beds and textures, freeing the user to focus on performance while the sound morphs independently. The instrument is a powerful tool for sound designers and producers seeking to add unique, atmospheric, and percussive elements to their compositions, providing a distinctive sonic signature that is both organic and otherworldly.
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Reviewed By Milkman [all]
July 17th, 2025
Version reviewed: 1.0 on Windows
Ive owned Kinetic Metal for a few years now, having purchased it as part of (if I recall) Komplete 12. Maybe 13? This review is for the product as it was around 2021 - before NI became a shadow of their former selves post private-equity acquisition.
This product is one of my favorite modern offerings from NI (Ive been their customer since around 2003) in the category of kontakt instruments. This instrument is fun to use and creates many gritty, crunchy, ringing, metallic foley-sounding tonal sequences and textures that range from psychedelic to industrial, and its easy to create movement and transitions using the default macro mappings.
In a sea of uninspired, forgettable, low-value sample instruments, also from Native Instruments and 100s of others, this (along with Kinetic Toys) is an inspired, interesting, useful instrument. Not sure why it just showed up on KVR.
$299.00Kontakt
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