Joel Wanasek

Joel Thomas Wanasek is an American record producer and owner of JTW Recording[lower-alpha 1][1][2][3][4] in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wanasek started recording in 2002, initially as a self-taught producer, but by January 2006, he was able to quit his job and professionally dedicate to his recording business.[5]

Joel Wanasek
Joel Wanasek in 2017
Background information
BornMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
GenresRock, heavy metal, death metal, metalcore
Occupation(s)Mixing engineer, record producer, audio engineer, mastering engineer, entrepreneur
Years active2006-present
Websitejtwrecording.com

He has worked with bands such as Blessthefall,[6][7] Machine Head,[8][9] Attila,[10] Miss May I[11] and Monuments,[1][12] amongst others.[13][14]

Career and education

Joel Wanasek started playing violin at the age of 10, and guitar at the age of 12. He was inspired to practice by Randy Rhoads, forming a band called Crystal Reign which lasted for a number of years. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater[15][16]

He created the now defunct instructional guitar web site InsaneGuitar.com, before forming his band Dark Shift in 2000, where he played lead guitar.[17][18] They signed to AJA Records, but disbanded before releasing an album. Joel worked on Dark Shift's debut album "The Assault" which was released in June 2003. The band would then open up for Gigantour in Milwaukee, which featured Megadeth, Dream Theater, Symphony X, among others.[19][18]

In his producing career, he has worked with labels such as Fueled by Ramen, Virgin Music, Century Media Records, No Sleep Records, Fearless Records, Nuclear Blast Records, among others.[14] In 2016, the song "Is There Anybody Out There?" by Machine Head chartted at #36 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock, which he co-produced.[8][20][21][22][23] In 2018, Wanasek mixed and mastered Miyavi's "Samurai Sessions Vol.2", with the opening song, "Dancing With My Fingers", topping the iTunes Japanese charts.[24][25]

He uses Steinberg Cubase as his digital audio workstation.[5]

Entrepreneurship

Unstoppable Recording Machine

URM Academy is an online audio school created by Wanasek, Joey Sturgis and Eyal Levi, which describes itself as "the world's best online music school for rock & metal producers".[26][27][28][29] Through its program Nail The Mix, the platform offers monthly mixing sessions with professionally-recorded songs and livestream commentary from the producer who originally mixed them. The program has featured bands such as Lamb of God, Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, Chelsea Grin, Born of Osiris, A Day to Remember, Opeth, Neck Deep, Papa Roach, Meshuggah, Periphery, Gojira, etc. and producers such as Andrew Wade, Tue Madsen, Devin Townsend, Logan Mader, Jens Bogren, Kane Churko, Machine, among others.[30][31][32][33][26] Nail the Mix won two "2 Commas Club Awards" from ClickFunnels for "entrepreneurs who have used ClickFunnels to grow their business to the 7-figure mark".[34] The platform also offers a podcast, Q&As, lessons ("Fast Track") and, as part of its Enhanced subscription, "Mix Rescue", where students submit their own mixes to be critiqued and cleaned-up during a live broadcast.[26]

Drumforge

Drumforge is a music software company founded by Joel Wanasek, Joey Sturgis and Joe Wohlitz[35] that provides drum sample libraries and audio plug-ins.[36][37] The company has released libraries by Taylor Larson, Luke Holland, Daniel Bergstrand, Matt Greiner and others.[38]

Riffhard

Riffhard is an online guitar school created by Monuments guitarist John Browne, in partnership with URM Academy,[39] and co-owned by Eyal Levi and Joel Wanasek, mainly dedicated to rhythm guitar.[40][41]

Other projects

Wanasek has also developed plug-ins in collaboration with Joey Sturgis Tones (JST), namely "Bus Glue Joel Wanasek", a series of bus compressors.[42][43]

He has also participated in the Joey Sturgis Forums Podcast, along with Sturgis and Levi, which was said to "cover a range of music industry topics such as marketing, touring, mixing and producing"[44][45][46][47]

Production discography

2010s
Album Released Artist Credit Label Chart[lower-alpha 2]
Phronesis Oct 5, 2018 Monuments mixing, mastering[1] Century Media Heatseeker Albums - #6[48]
Trinity Oct 31, 2018 ChuggaBoom mastering[49]    
Arbors May 5, 2017 Arctic Sleep engineer, mixing, mastering[50] The Church Within  
Passage Of Gaia Aug 21, 2014 Arctic Sleep producer, recording, mixing, mastering[51] Dripfeed  
Samurai Sessions Vol.2 Nov 8, 2017 Miyavi mixing, mastering[52] Virgin Media Billboard Japan - #9[53]
Samurai Sessions Vol.3 -Worlds Collide- December 5, 2018 Miyavi mixing[54] Virgin Media Billboard Japan - #27[55]
Catharsis Jan 26, 2018 Machine Head post-production[56] Nuclear Blast US Billboard 200 - #65[57]
Electrogram Sep 23, 2014 Vinyl Theatre producer, mixing, mastering[58] Fueled By Ramen Heatseeker Albums - #35[59]
PWNZ Sep 23, 2014 CHALLENGER! producer[60]    
All Is Vanity Jun 9, 2017 Christina Grimmie mastering[61]
 
March Of Rome Feb 10, 2017 Bases Loaded mastering[62]    
Home Is What You Make It Mar 10, 2017 Bases Loaded mastering[63]    
Are You Out There? Jun 23, 2017 Rilian mixing, mastering[64] Kenobi  
Blood Money Part 1 Oct 28, 2016 Dope mastering[65] Steamhammer Billboard 200 - #27[66]
To Those Left Behind Sep 18, 2015 Blessthefall mixing assistant[67] Fearless Billboard 200 - #23[68]
Future Golden Age Dec 8, 2015 Fallstar mastering[69] Rat Family  
An Achor To The Abyss: Chapter One Dec 4, 2015 A Hero Within mastering[70]    
Navarasam (An Ennead) 2015 Thaikkudam Bridge mastering[71] Satyam Audios  
Viceversa Feb 4, 2014 Unarmed For Victory mixing, mastering[72] Red Cord  
Movement Oct 9, 2012 Inhale Exhale mastering[73] Red Cord  
Change the World Jun 12, 2012 From The Eyes Of Servants mixing, mastering[74] Red Cord  
The Fire Inside Oct 8, 2013 Righteous Vendetta composer[75]    
The Vitality Theory Jun 15, 2010 Rosaline producer, engineer, programming, orchestration[76] Good Fight  
Broken Mirrors Oct 24, 2011 Mercy Screams mixing, mastering[77] Good Fight  
This Is Our Rise Aug 21, 2015 First Decree producer, mixing, mastering[78]    
We Are One Dec 2, 2015 The Bloodline producer, mixing, mastering, vocal engineer[79][80] Another Century  
Passage Sep 30, 2011 The Chosen mixing[81] Red Cord  
Making the Man 2010 Stranger Than Fate mixing, mastering[82] Red Cord  
Inheritors Aug 23, 2011 Serianna engineer, producer[83] Bullet Tooth  
Hope for Now Jul 22, 2014 Silent Screams mixing assistant[84] Artery  
Exotype Oct 3, 2014 Exotype mixing[85] Rise Heatseeker Albums - #27[86]
Departure May 14, 2013 Ocellus producer, mixing, mastering[87]    
California Cauliflower Jun 18, 2014 Ian and the Dream mastering[88]    
Bad Dreams and Melodies Oct 9, 2012 Southbound Fearing strings, synthesizer, programming[89] Red Cord  
Babylon May 14, 2010 Milosny engineer, mastering[90] Red Cord  
30 Minutes or Less Dec 12, 2010 Action Madison! producer, mixing, mastering[91] Red Cord  
Killers & Thieves Feb 25, 2014 Embers in Ashes producer[92]    

2000s
Album Released Artist Credit Label Chart
Stories From The Book Of Metal May 21, 2008 Zephaniah producer[93]    
Gaining Ground Oct 16, 2006 Dark Shift mixing[94] Dark Shift, LLC  
The Deepest Rise Jun 24, 2008 Dichotic mixing, mastering[95] Psycho Drive Studios  
Kiss Of The Thorn Sep 28, 2007 A Tortured Soul recording, mixing, mastering[96] Eyes Like Snow  
Living The Dream Sep 28, 2007 Rictus Grin recording[97]    

Works
  • "The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Guitar Virtuoso" - 2005[98]

References
  1. "MONUMENTS To Release 'Phronesis' Album In October". Blabbermouth. Blabbermouth. July 23, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  2. "BLUE FELIX Sign To 3Thirteen Entertainment/eOne; Release Single "Hate Inside"". bravewords.com.
  3. "JTW Recording Studios, Milwaukee, WI". www.jtwrecording.com.
  4. "Century Media Records - Monuments: : release "Leviathan (Lyric Video)" Taken From "Phronesis"". www.centurymedia.com.
  5. "Producer - Joel Wanasek - Interviews". Indie Vision Music. May 21, 2012.
  6. Fair, Anna (October 15, 2018). "Rilian opens up about mental health in new track—listen". Alternative Press.
  7. "JST Producer Spotlight: Joel Wanasek". Joey Sturgis Tones.
  8. "MACHINE HEAD To Release 'Is There Anybody Out There?' Single This Friday". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. June 1, 2016.
  9. "Machine Head Unleash New Single And Video, My Hands Are Empty". Kerrang!.
  10. "Machine Head drop new single "Circle The Drain" – The Rockpit".
  11. "CHUGGABOOM's Newest Single and Lyric Video Will Leave You Asking "What's The Time?" [Exclusive Premiere]". V13.net. October 22, 2017.
  12. "Playthrough: "Animus" from Monuments! – Metal Noise".
  13. "Joel Wanasek | Credits". AllMusic.
  14. "Joel Wanasek". Discogs.
  15. "LinkedIn - Joel Wanasek".
  16. "Alumni US | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (2003)". alumnius.net.
  17. "Dark Shift - The Assault". Metal-Rules.com. September 1, 2003.
  18. "Dark Shift - Soundclick".
  19. "Joel Wanasek: dark shift".
  20. "MACHINE HEAD's 'Is There Anybody Out There?' Cracks Top 40 Of U.S. Active Rock Chart". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. August 18, 2016.
  21. Records, Nuclear Blast. "Metal-Temple.com :: MACHINE HEAD: New single charts at #38 on U.S. Active Rock charts (News)". www.metal-temple.com.
  22. "Machine Head Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
  23. "Mainstream Rock Songs Chart". Billboard. November 28, 2013.
  24. "Audient iD22 Audio Interface In The Mix For Drumforge owners". Audient. June 10, 2019.
  25. "Audient dances with Drumforge". www.fast-and-wide.com.
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  58. "Vinyl Theatre - Electrogram". Discogs.
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  60. "CHALLENGER! - PWNZ". Discogs.
  61. "Christina Grimmie - All Is Vanity". Discogs.
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  63. "Bases Loaded (2) - Home Is What You Make It". Discogs.
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Notes
  1. Alternatively referred to as JTW Music
  2. Top chart only, charting songs from album not indicated
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