Eyal Levi, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

ZAKK CERVINI: Making a #1 album with no gear, mixing on headphones, and why guitars are back

Zakk Cervini is a producer, writer, and mixer who has become a go-to name for artists blending rock, metal, and pop sensibilities. After getting his start working under producers like Will Putney, Machine, and John Feldman, he went independent and has since collaborated with a massive roster of artists including Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, All Time Low, Blink-182, Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud, and the genre-defying Poppy.

In This Episode

Zakk Cervini is back on the podcast to talk about his wild ride over the last five years and the minimalist, in-the-box workflow that’s behind some of modern rock’s biggest hits. He explains why self-sufficient bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Architects are so inspiring to work with and shares his philosophy on collaboration and leaving ego at the door when it comes to mix notes. Zakk also breaks down how quarantine forced him to perfect mixing on headphones, why he thinks the old studio rules are a myth, and how he made All Time Low’s #1 record in a rented house with barely any gear. He gets into the value of speed and simplicity for capturing raw creativity, the art of making pop-influenced rock that still feels authentic, and why he’s stoked that guitars are finally making a comeback in the mainstream. It’s a super insightful look into the mindset of a modern producer who is all about efficiency and serving the song.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[05:15] Why self-sufficient bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Architects are “unstoppable”
[09:03] Why getting a re-recorded guitar stem from a band is a “dream scenario”
[11:39] The importance of getting your ego out of the way when mixing
[15:21] How working for demanding producers like Will Putney and John Feldman prepared him for success
[18:16] Switching to a headphone-based workflow during quarantine
[23:32] Why the “don’t mix in headphones” rule is a myth
[26:32] How artists like Skrillex prove you don’t need a fancy studio to get great sounds
[29:28] The story of making the chart-topping All Time Low record in a rented house with minimal gear
[33:10] Why he sticks to an in-the-box workflow (and how gear slows him down)
[39:14] Zakk’s role in producing the genre-defying artist Poppy
[43:43] Why you should shut down artists who are just “checking off boxes” to be successful
[49:38] How Machine Gun Kelly successfully did a 180 on his genre
[55:13] The art of making simplicity interesting instead of boring
[58:40] Why the best ideas often come out the quickest, before you can overthink them
[01:03:58] Making your demos sound as finished as possible from the very start
[01:10:38] Using the “Trojan horse” method to introduce a big production idea to a band
[01:14:53] How he blends rock and pop production by layering live instruments with synths and samples
[01:20:04] The return of guitars and live drums to mainstream music

ERMIN HAMIDOVIC: Escaping Client Work, Building a Product Business, and Knowing When to Pivot

Ermin Hamidovic is the producer, mastering engineer, and creative force behind Submission Audio. He has mastered records for some of modern metal’s most forward-thinking artists, including Periphery, Intervals, and Pliny. Outside of his mastering work, he is the creator of the popular bass virtual instruments Eurobass and Djinnbass, as well as the author of *The Systematic Mixing Guide*. As an educator, he has also been a featured instructor for Nail The Mix.

In This Episode

Ermin Hamidovic returns to the podcast for a super candid chat about career evolution and personal growth. He and Eyal get into how the pandemic forced a re-evaluation of priorities, and Ermin shares how he channeled that energy into a totally new passion: building a successful sim racing YouTube channel from the ground up. This leads to a bigger conversation about knowing when to pivot—from the psychological trap of “those who can’t do, teach” to the burnout that comes from endless client revisions. Ermin gets real about why he’s stepping back from day-to-day mastering to focus on bigger ventures, like Submission Audio’s new standalone clipper plugin, Flatline. This is a must-listen for any producer who’s ever wondered what comes next after grinding it out in a service-based role and wants to think bigger about their long-term career path.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[0:05:57] Juggling personal misery with professional success during lockdown
[0:07:42] Finding a new passion in sim racing to replace the gym
[0:08:35] Growing a new YouTube channel from zero to 25k subs in months
[0:11:48] The dark side of the fitness industry: narcissism and empty goals
[0:13:20] Why you need hunger to start something new from scratch
[0:15:06] The entrepreneur’s curse: trying to do too much at once
[0:16:43] Announcing Submission Audio’s first standalone plugin, Flatline
[0:20:10] Why a plugin’s smooth UI and visual feedback are crucial for workflow
[0:28:47] The importance of role-based specialization in a growing business
[0:31:52] The psychological trap of “those who can’t do, teach”
[0:33:17] Learning to say “yes” to new opportunities and pivot away from a rigid career path
[0:38:17] The challenge of client work in 2020 and the problem of endless revisions
[0:44:15] Recognizing when it’s time to “soft quit” a service-based role like mastering
[0:53:20] Why being an older intern can actually be a huge advantage
[0:58:04] How life experience helps you grow a new venture much faster
[1:06:10] The disastrous final mix job that made Ermin quit mixing for good
[1:13:34] Why quitting mixing tripled his income and cut his stress by two-thirds
[1:22:14] The creative burnout from client work vs. the excitement of new products

LANCE PRENC: Getting Insanely Loud Mixes, Editing Drums Backward, and Why Self-Promotion Is a Weakness

Australian mixer and producer Lance Prenc has been making a name for himself with some of the most devastatingly heavy and loud modern metal mixes out there. He’s the go-to guy for bands like Alpha Wolf and Polaris, and he got his start in the industry by touring as a front-of-house engineer, building relationships from the ground up.

In This Episode

Lance Prenc sits down to talk about his journey from live sound to becoming one of modern metal’s most in-demand mixers. He gets real about why self-promotion is a sign of weakness in this scene and how patience, reliability, and an insane work ethic are what actually build a career. Lance breaks down why he never reuses tones or samples, ensuring every project has its own unique identity. For all the gearheads, he gets deep into the technical weeds, explaining his unconventional method of editing drums backward, how he uses a series of clippers on his master bus to get his mixes so loud and aggressive, and the secret to achieving his signature “musical pump” with tight editing and parallel compression. He also shares his philosophy on handling bands who want to copy another artist’s sound and why he made the switch from Pro Tools to Logic.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[2:52] Starting his career in front-of-house sound
[7:25] Why live sound engineers often struggle when transitioning to studio recording
[11:22] Why you’ll never see a top-tier producer advertising their services
[14:23] The “hustle” isn’t about finding clients; it’s about handling the insane workload
[17:58] The most important quality to look for in an assistant: being hungry
[25:19] Lance’s unusual technique of editing drums backward
[32:09] The danger of treating techniques you see online as “rules”
[38:47] Why harsh gating tricks often don’t work with loud, modern masters
[41:31] The sonic “seasickness” caused by misusing mid-side EQ on guitars
[46:17] Why he completely abandons his tones and samples after every project
[48:50] How he handles bands who ask him to copy the sound of another band
[55:32] Why he doesn’t publicly list his email address
[59:22] The story of getting the Alpha Wolf gig
[1:00:57] How he got the Polaris gig for a hat and an EP
[1:06:25] The differences between mixing for the studio and mixing live
[1:10:08] Using tight editing and parallel compression to get a “musical pump”
[1:12:42] Using a series of clippers on the master bus to achieve loudness without audible distortion
[1:17:26] Guitar signal chain for the new Alpha Wolf record
[1:18:24] How he created the “angry” kick sound for Dealer’s “Grotesque”
[1:19:19] Why he switched from Pro Tools to Logic

EP 299 | Joey Sturgis on The Punk Rock MBA

Joey Sturgis joined Finn Mckenty on The Punk Rock MBA podcast to discuss his career in music.

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ON THIS EPISODE:

3:00 – How Joey got his start in music

12:53 – Producing and working with The Devil Wears Prada

33:51 – The turning point

47:03 – Working with Asking Alexandria

1:00:28 – The technical details

Thanks for listening! Please leave us a 5-star review on iTunes!

Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Meshuggah, Gojira, Machine Head, and State Champs. Join now for instant access!

Leave any questions, comments, or feedback in the comment section below.

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Eyal Levi: Building Relationships, Getting People to Say “Yes”, Playing the Long Game

Eyal Levi is a guitarist, producer, and the co-founder of URM Academy and Nail The Mix. As the guitarist for Dååth, he toured the world and released several acclaimed albums. As a producer, he’s worked with a massive list of top-tier metal acts, including The Black Dahlia Murder, August Burns Red, Chelsea Grin, Whitechapel, and Monuments.

In This Episode

In this special rebroadcast from the Punk Rock MBA podcast, URM’s own Eyal Levi sits in the guest chair to break down his entire strategy for building relationships and getting people to say “yes.” Using the complex process of booking a Nail The Mix session as a case study, Eyal unpacks the art of the long game. He explains why warm introductions are crucial, how to build trust by starting with small, achievable wins, and the importance of methodically climbing the “ladder” to reach your ultimate goals. He gets into the psychology of a successful pitch, emphasizing that it’s always about what’s in it for the other person, not you. For any producer looking to level up their network, land bigger clients, or just get people to take them seriously, this is a masterclass in strategy, patience, and how to prove your value so the right doors open.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[2:20] How to get people to say yes to working with you
[3:35] The complex approval process for a Nail The Mix session (band, management, label, publishing)
[7:20] Using a podcast as a low-stakes way to build rapport and vet potential collaborators
[10:13] Why releasing a podcast interview first creates instant validation for a guest
[12:39] The critical importance of warm introductions vs. cold outreach
[15:24] Proving your value in a smaller context before asking for the “big fish”
[16:54] Why a manager’s job is often just to say “no” and filter out the noise
[19:49] The delicate balance of getting an artist’s buy-in without going around their manager
[21:33] The long game: The two-and-a-half-year process of getting Tom Lord-Alge on NTM
[22:10] The “ladder” analogy: Building on small wins and earning trust at each step
[24:11] The most important question to ask before any pitch: “What’s in it for the other person?”
[27:33] The risk of working with a huge artist before you have a proven track record
[30:20] Using the URM Podcast as a “minimum viable product” to test the Nail The Mix concept
[34:33] Knowing when it’s time to stop taking small steps and “press on the gas”
[38:49] How to work backward from a huge goal without getting lost in over-planning
[43:01] Why none of these strategies matter if you aren’t awesome at what you do first
[45:28] Marketing funnels only work if you already have a great product and a solid reputation
[49:46] The final takeaway: If you don’t know what’s in it for them, don’t hit send