Name: Jason Suecof
Location: Orlando, FL
Link: www.audiohammerstudios.com
How did you get started in the business and when did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in audio?
I’ve been messing around with recording since I was eight years old. I’ve always wanted to do this, or anything with music in the metal or rock world. I started recording bands in my basement in ’94 in Avon, Connecticut and opened Audiohammer Studios in 2001 here in Florida. I became friends with Richard Christy in ’99 and he moved in with me. Being a huge fan of the band Death, I offered to record his band Burning Inside. Doing this and other recordings (Capharnaum, Crotchduster, Monstrosity), I hooked up with Trivium, after which they kind of blew up.
You’ve been making records non-stop for close to 15 years now. Looking at your discography, you did pretty big productions already from the start of your career. Aside from making things sound awesome, is there a special event or production that got you to the next level?
Just pestering everyone over at Morrisound. I worshipped pretty much everything the Morris brothers and Scott Burns did. Then of course Colin Richardson and Fredrik Nordstrom were big influences. Later on, also Andy Sneap for sure!
If you weren’t producing records, what would you do?
Write sick riffs and make fun of metal and such probably.
In a mix, where do you usually start: the drums, guitars, vocals or something else?
Drums.
Is there any instrument you generally struggle with more than any other in a mix?
Bass guitar/kick drum relation.
You are also an awesome guitar player, known from projects like Capharnaum and Charred Walls of the Damned. Any new stuff in progress there?
I really wanna do a new Capharnaum. I’ll use that song I did for the Drumception thing because I’m pretty stoked on how it came out. And having Marty play on it is one of those life-changing things that got me extra stoked! I expect to hopefully write a full album. Stay tuned for more info! And the new Charred Walls just came out, “Creatures Watching Over the Dead” is what it’s called. It’s on Metal Blade and it’s sick!
What do you find more interesting: Producing/mixing your own stuff or taking on a production by a band?
It’s always easier to do my own stuff maybe? I’m not sure if it’s any more or less interesting, probably more or less stressful depending on deadlines.
Favorite instrument to engineer, track and produce : drums, bass, guitars or vocals?
Drums.
If you had to pick one ultimate guitar > amp > cab > mic > hardware chain, would would it be?
Ibanez neck-through RG maple –> Peavey 6505 –> Mesa oversized –> Audix i5 with DynaMount.
If you were to point out one of your strong suits respectively as a producer, engineer and mixer, what would it be and why?
I think I’m good with identifying with each individual band member as a musician/band member first and producer second, so they feel less threatened, perhaps. I never really thought of myself in the three aspects really, it was always one to me. I was always producing, writing, engineering and mixing everything anyway, so when I’m with a band I hope they think of me as that extra band member or best friend they can trust to say: “Hey! That was SHOTTTTT! And not question their judgement all the time. It’s give and take, though. It doesn’t always go my way. I like everyone to be happy, not just me. Everyone’s got to live with it, not just me.
Name a few productions from your catalogue that you feel particularly proud of.
Death Angel “The Moth” and The Black Dahlia Murder “Nocturnal”.
If you did an album that you couldn’t mix yourself, who’d be the first name on your list for the gig?
Mark Lewis!
You just did a demo song featuring Superior Drummer 3 while trying out the product for the first time. What are your thoughts on the new software and how do you think the new features will help in your creative process and/or productions?
Superior Drummer has and will always be part of my pre-production and process, and with the Tracker I can add my own samples and get weird!
LISTEN TO JASON’S DRUMCEPTION SONG.
Here’s Jason’s contribution to the 2016 edition of Drumception.
