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A QUICK CHAT WITH JAKE E OF CYHRA!

For years, you’ve relied on Toontrack gear for your songwriting sessions and creative process overall. You just completed a new record with Cyhra. How did Toontrack play in this time around?
Toontrack has been part of my creative DNA for years, but on this record it became more essential than ever. The reliability and realism of Superior Drummer, EZkeys and EZbass allowed me to sketch out full arrangements anywhere without ever compromising on feel or quality. For Cyhra’s new album, Toontrack wasn’t just a writing tool – it was the backbone of my entire pre-production process. The drum, piano and bass libraries helped me shape the groove, the dynamics and the emotional tone of each song long before I stepped into the studio. By the time we began tracking for real, the vision was crystal clear. It kept the whole creative flow sharp, fast and inspired. Having our drummer, Alexander Landenburg, featured in Jacob Herrmann’s Duality EZXs meant I could write with his sound from day one, which made everything feel connected to the true identity of the band.

You’ve released several singles leading up to the actual release. The latest one – “Box with Spirits” – just came out. Tell us more about this song specifically – and the video for it!
“Box with Spirits” is a song that came from a very raw and honest place. Lyrically, it deals with emotional baggage, the parts of ourselves we lock away just to keep functioning and the moment you finally dare to open that box again. It’s vulnerable but also empowering. Musically it’s heavy, cinematic and one of the most dramatic tracks on the record. The video, created by the amazing Patric Ullaeus, mirrors that emotional journey. I wanted it to feel like being trapped inside your own mind – confronting shadows, memories and the things you try to outrun. It blends performance with a dark, atmospheric storyline along with some acting elements that bring the emotion to life. Patric captured exactly what I felt when creating the song.

In addition to being one of the main writers in Cyhra, you’ve just completed a big project scoring a full movie. Tell us more!
Yes! I recently finished scoring the feature film “Vi är Metal Dragon,” directed and produced by Hollywood director Titus Paar. It has been one of the most creatively rewarding challenges of my career. I wrote four original songs for the fictional metal band Metal Dragon together with Christoffer Borg (Art Nation) and his incredibly talented brother Felix Borg. Toontrack’s products were absolutely essential throughout this process as well. They gave me the tools to quickly experiment, refine ideas and build a powerful, authentic metal soundscape for the film. They helped me establish the musical identity of Metal Dragon from the ground up. Scoring is definitely an area I plan to continue exploring alongside my work with Cyhra.

What’s next on your agenda – with the band and personally?
I’m gearing up for a massive year. Our next album with Cyhra – title still under wraps – drops in March followed by touring. The response to the early singles has been incredibly motivating. Personally, I’m balancing music, acting and film scoring in a way that finally feels natural. I’m filming my first Hollywood movie, Eonblade, starring alongside Doug Jones, and at the same time continuing to develop new music for Cyhra and other artists. It’s an intense period – but without a doubt the most creatively fulfilling time of my life. I’m excited to see how all these paths come together in the year ahead.


TOMAS HAAKE: KIT RUNDOWN.

We caught up with Tomas Haake of Meshuggah to get a rundown of his 2016 touring kit.

MASTERING & MIXING WITH EZMIX 2.

A few videos on the subject of mixing and mastering with EZmix 2.

GET YOUR JAM BACK ON TRACK.

Check out what our friends at Jam Track Central got going on – and get tones for EZmix 2 from some of their guitarists!

NEW DRUMCEPTION TRACK!

Some insane riffing from Justin McKinney (The Faceless) and Ryan “Bart” Williams (Necromancing The Stone).

GUS G – THE FOURTH LESSON.

Learn more about “chord inversions” in the fourth video of the Gus G Metal Month Masterclass!

EZMIX 2 – QUICK TIP VIDEOS.

A bunch of tips, tricks and things you maybe didn’t know about EZmix 2 already.

EZKEYS – QUICK TIP VIDEOS.

Some tips, tricks and useful ways of working with the software!

CREATIVE FLOW.

This video series demonstrates the workflow of writing music with EZkeys. Learn how to add a piano to match your guitar track, how to find new song parts how to work with several instances of EZkeys.

NEW BASS TONES FOR METAL!

Four top players deliver a brand new collection of bass tones for EZmix 2.

FROM THE ARCHIVES.

Fredrik from Meshuggah in a playthrough of “Do Not Look Down”.

GUEST PLAYLIST: BEAU BURCHELL (SAOSIN)

What’s spinning in Beau’s headphoneson a regular basis?

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: BEAU BURCHELL (SAOSIN)

Meet Beau Burchell, guitarist/vocalist in Saosin – but also a noted producer/engineer/mixer!

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