Throughout the years, I have experimented with a variety of gadgets and plugins in pursuit of the perfect guitar sound. In the past, I have used several V-AMPs by Behringer, which are reasonably priced and quite suitable for crafting guitar tones at home. Additionally, I have owned a Boss GT-100, which I utilised both at home and during live performances, including our 2016 Japanese tour. Interestingly, it’s worth noting that the Zoom Corporation, the company behind the Boss GT-100, is based in Japan, making the tour a sort of homecoming for my guitar pedal.

Furthermore, I have dabbled with plugins such as Amplitube by IK Multimedia, which is a decent product in its own right. However, I ultimately prefer using tangible gadgets that somehow evoke memories of my teenage years when I first experimented with guitar amps.

Subsequently, I acquired a Line6 Helix, an exceptional device that has become my sole guitar gadget for home use. The Helix offers the flexibility to create sounds suitable for home practice, demo recordings, and live concerts. Although I had other options at the time, such as the Kemper Profiler or devices from Fractal Audio, the Helix best aligned with my way of thinking. It does have its limitations, however, such as only being able to model the amps and effects it has been programmed to emulate.

That being said, what works for me may not necessarily work for you. I can suggest some alternatives, and I am confident that you can discover more with further research. I have heard positive feedback about the ToneX pedal by IK Multimedia, which is also quite cost-effective. The Neural DSP Quad Cortex is reportedly one of the finest pedals on the market, albeit at a higher price point. Other noteworthy pedals include those from Headrush and HoTone, as well as the Boss GT-1000, which may be the most impressive modelling guitar preamp Boss has ever produced.

For software plugins, I recommend visiting this website: https://www.pianodreamers.com/best-amp-simulators/. It features a list of excellent plugins that are both high-quality and generally affordable.

Ultimately, there are still individuals who remain loyal to analogue amps, and that is perfectly acceptable. It is essential to use whatever you prefer and can afford. The key is to find the equipment that best suits your needs and preferences.

Over the past thirty years, I’ve seen computer technology evolve and significantly impact the music industry. Our band, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, has consistently embraced the use of computers. In our earliest albums, Sinner’s Serenade and Vilda Mánnu, we primarily used computers and drum machines for composing. Nowadays, technology has advanced dramatically, revolutionising how we create and record music.

Presently, we can record demos at home with a quality that can compete with professionally produced tracks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also grown increasingly sophisticated, leading us to question whether AI might one day write songs indistinguishable from those created by human artists. Although it’s tempting to view AI as a potential threat to human creativity, I believe it’s more fitting to consider AI as a tool that can inspire us to explore new songwriting paths and rediscover those we might have forgotten.

Currently, AI systems learn from existing art and combine elements in innovative ways, sometimes producing peculiar or fantastic results. However, they have yet to create something genuinely new or original. As the saying goes, AI is akin to fire: an excellent tool but a dreadful master.

The essence of music transcends the mere statistics and mathematics found in AI models. Music should evoke emotions and feelings in listeners, an aspect AI has not yet mastered. Songwriting remains a largely analogue process rooted in human experience, even as we’ve left analogue recording methods behind.

The future of AI in the music industry is undeniably thrilling. Potential applications could range from promoting albums and providing valuable insights on lyrics and song arrangements to revolutionising band photos and mixing and mastering processes in our home studios. The possibilities seem limitless, but it’s crucial to remember that AI should complement human creativity, not replace it.

As we anticipate the role of AI in metal music and the broader music industry, we must strike a balance between embracing innovation and preserving the essence of human creativity. By harnessing the power of AI to inspire and enhance our music, we can ensure that the metal genre continues to evolve and flourish in the digital age. These are truly exciting times for all of us.