A Metal Composition in Dolby Atmos

This project was created for the subject ‘Composition’ at Sonic College, where it was possible to choose the type of mix for the composition. I immediately took this opportunity to write a progressive metal piece mixed for a cinema setup, exploring the possibilities and limitations of the format compared to composing in stereo.

This project was a really interesting dive into the format of immersive music and how it can influence the approach to writing instrumentation, especially in a metal context.

The composition is primarily based on the creative process of taking a specific story and expressing it through instrumental music. In this case, I chose the story of a forest burning down and regrowing from the ashes. To identify the primary keywords of this narrative, I wrote down some word associations and asked a few friends to do the same. I then selected the words that appeared most frequently and used these as the foundation for the composition.

An idea I had from the beginning, was to have multiple rhythm guitars placed all around the listener, where in stereo, you usually have a few rhythm guitars hard-panned to the left and the right. The possibility of automation panning was also a really useful tool for creating movement and changing the focus of the listener, for example moving instruments from the sides to front and center just before a new section. This creates a huge contrast when everything goes from mono to surround and gives the piece a massive sound.