music.wikisort.org - Composer

Andy Sneap (born 18 July 1969) is an English guitarist, record producer and composer with over 100 albums to his name, most of which have been produced at his Backstage Recording studios in rural Derbyshire. Some of the most critically acclaimed production work on albums include Deliverance by Opeth and Disarm the Descent by Killswitch Engage; for which he earned a Swedish Grammis and a US Grammy nomination, respectively. As a performer, he first built his reputation as one of the guitarists in the British thrash metal band Sabbat, and played with them up until their disbanding. He is currently one of the co-guitarists of the British heavy metal band Hell.[1] In 2018 he joined Judas Priest as a touring guitarist, following long-time lead guitarist Glenn Tipton's diagnosis of Parkinson's disease which conflicts with his touring abilities.[2]

This article's lead section may be too long for the length of the article. (July 2022)

Andy Sneap
Sneap with Judas Priest in 2018
Background information
Born	(1969-07-18) 18 July 1969 (age 53) Derbyshire, England
Genres	Heavy metal, thrash metal
Occupation(s)	Musician, record producer, composer, audio engineer
Instrument(s)	Guitar
Years active	1984–present

He is one of the most active music producers in the heavy metal music genre and has worked with bands such as Judas Priest, Accept, Blaze Bayley, Dream Theater, Saxon, Opeth, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Exodus, Megadeth, Kataklysm, Kreator, Nevermore, Testament, Carcass, Fear Factory, Overkill and DevilDriver.[3][4][5] Of his production career, Sneap holds the distinction of having been credited as a producer, mixer or engineer on all six of Testament's albums since The Gathering (1999) – including the collection of re-recorded material First Strike Still Deadly (2001) – as well as all nine of Exodus' releases since the live album Another Lesson in Violence (1997).[5] He also mixed Megadeth's show from the DVD The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria, also featuring Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.[5]

Biography

Andy Sneap was born on 18 July 1969 in Belper, Derbyshire. He got his first guitar and amplifier from his parents at age 12 as a Christmas present. He started learning guitar with founding Hell member Dave Halliday, who had a huge effect on Andy and left him all the rights to all his songs and equipment in his will following his death.[6] Sneap joined a British heavy metal band called Hydra as the second guitarist when he was 15 years old. But two weeks later, the original guitarist and drummer quit, Simon Negus joined them, and the band's name changed to Sabbat.[7]

After disbanding Hydra and forming a new band, they chose Sabbat as the new name, which came from a book on witchcraft.[7] After one year of rehearsing, they recorded a four-track demo tape, Fragments of a Faith Forgotten. Sneap distributed the demo tape to many record companies, but on listening, Berlin-based recording company Noise Records showed interest and asked for more material. In 1987, Noise Records offered the band a recording contract, but the contract could not be signed until Sneap turned 18 years old in July 1987. So they made a plan to start recording the band's first full studio album, History of a Time to Come. Andy wrote all the music while Martin Walkyier was responsible for the lyrics.[8] Sabbat released the album on 20 April 1988 via Noise Records, which received positive attention from journalists and fans alike.

In January 1989 Sneap and the other band members entered Sky Trak Studio in Berlin to start recording their second album, Dreamweaver, which was a concept album based on the 1983 book by Brian Bates – The Way of Wyrd: Tales of an Anglo-Saxon Sorcerer. Andy wrote almost all of the music except three songs, which Simon Jones also wrote with Andy. The album has come to be regarded as a classic of the thrash metal genre, which reflects Andy's predilection at that time for increasingly lengthy and progressively technical thrash metal songs.

Discography

As a band member

Band	Album details	Role	Source
Sabbat	History of a Time to Come Label: Noise Records Release date: 20 April 1988	Composer, Guitar, Remastering
	Dreamweaver Label: Noise Records Release date: 15 May 1989	Composer, Guitar, Remastering
	Mourning Has Broken Label: Noise Records Release date: 26 March 1991	Composer, Guitar
Hell	Human Remains Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 13 May 2011	Engineer, Guitar, Mixing, Producer	[9]
	Curse and Chapter Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 November 2013	Composer, engineer, Guitar, Mixing, Producer	[6]

Selected production

Year	Album details	Role	Source
1994	English Dogs – Bow to None Label: Impact Records Release date: 1994	Assistant, Mixing	[10]
1996	Dearly Beheaded – Temptation	Engineer	[11]
1997	Exodus – Another Lesson in Violence Label: Century Media Records Release date: 8 July 1997	Producer	[12]
	Napalm Death – Inside the Torn Apart Label: Earache Records Release date: 3 June 1997	Mixing	[13]
	Machine Head – The More Things Change... Release date: 25 March 1997	Mixing	[14]
1998	English Dogs – All the World's a Rage Label: Impact Records Release date: 25 August 1998	Producer	[15]
	Earth Crisis – Breed the Killers Label: Roadrunner Records Release date: 8 September 1998	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mixing, Producer	[16]
	Obituary – Dead Label: Roadrunner Records Release date: 21 April 1998	Mixing	[17]
1999	Testament – The Gathering Label: Burnt Offerings, Spitfire (1999), Prosthetic (2008) Release date: 28 June 1999	Engineer, Mixing	[18]
	Artillery – B.A.C.K. Label: Die Hard music Release date: October 1999	Mixing	[19]
2000	B L A Z E – Silicon Messiah Label: SPV Release date: 22 May 2000	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[20]
	Nevermore – Dead Heart in a Dead World Label: Century Media Release date: 17 October 2000	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[21]
	Fozzy – Fozzy Label: Palm Pictures / Megaforce Records Release date: 24 October 2000	Mastering, Mixing	[22]
2001	Testament – First Strike Still Deadly Label: Spitfire Records Release date: 24 October 2001	Audio Engineer, Mixing	[23]
	Kreator – Violent Revolution Label: Steamhammer Records/SPV Release date: 25 September 2001	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[24]
	Arch Enemy – Wages of Sin Label: Century Media Release date: 2 April 2001	Mastering, Mixing	[25]
2002	B L A Z E – Tenth Dimension Label: SPV Release date: 15 January 2002	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[26]
	Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing Label: Roadrunner Release date: 21 May 2002	Mastering, Mixing	[27]
	Arch Enemy – Burning Angel Label: Century Media Release date: 6 March 2002	Mastering, Mixing	[28]
	Living Sacrifice – Conceived in Fire Label: Solid State 24 September 2002	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Opeth – Deliverance Label: Koch, Music for Nations Release date: 12 November 2002	Mixing	[29]
	Masterplan – Enlighten Me Label: AFM Records Release date: 18 November 2002	Engineer, producer	[30]
2003	B L A Z E – As Live as It Gets Label: SPV Release date: 25 March 2003	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[31]
	Nevermore – Enemies of Reality Label: Century Media Release date: 29 July 2003, 2005 (reissue)	Remastering, Remixing (2005 reissue)	[5]
	Arch Enemy – Anthems of Rebellion Label: Century Media Release date: 23 August 2003	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Pre-Production, Producer	[32]
	Masterplan – Masterplan Label: AFM Records Release date: 20 January 2003	Engineer, producer	[33]
	MTV2 Headbangers Ball Label: Roadrunner Release date: 7 October 2003	Mixing, producer	[34]
2004	Exodus – Tempo of the Damned Label: Nuclear Blast, King Records (Japan), Dream On Music (Korea) Release date: 2 February 2004	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	B L A Z E – Blood & Belief Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 26 April 2004	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Photography, Producer	[35]
	Killswitch Engage – The End of Heartache Label: Roadrunner Release date: 11 May 2004	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Caliban – The Opposite from Within Label: Roadrunner Release date: 17 October 2004	Audio Engineer, Mastering, Mixing	[36]
2005	Kreator – Enemy of God Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 10 January 2005	Audio Production, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Trivium – Ascendancy Label: Roadrunner Release date: 15 March 2005	Mastering, Mixing, Vocals	[37]
	As I Lay Dying – Shadows Are Security Label: Metal Blade Release date: 14 June 2005	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Arch Enemy – Doomsday Machine Label: Century Media Release date: 26 July 2005	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Nevermore – This Godless Endeavor Label: Century Media Release date: 26 July 2005	Engineering, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Exodus – Shovel Headed Kill Machine Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 4 October 2005	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Bullet for My Valentine – Hand of Blood Label: Trustkill Release date: 22 August 2005	Audio Production, Mastering	[38]
2006	Kerrang Album Release date: 11 September 2006	Producer	[39]
	Caliban – The Undying Darkness Label: Abacus Release date: 4 April 2006	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Into Eternity – The Scattering of Ashes Label: Century Media Release date: 3 October 2006	Mixing, Mastering	[40]
	Cradle of Filth – Thornography Label: Roadrunner Release date: 17 October 2006	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
2007	Rise to Addiction – A New Shade of Black for the Soul Label: Mausoleum Records Release date: 21 May 2007	Audio Production, engineer, Mixing, Producer	[41]
	Onslaught – Killing Peace Label: Candlelight Records Release date: 5 March 2007	Mixing, Producer	[42]
	Chimaira – Resurrection Label: Ferret Music (U.S.), Nuclear Blast (Worldwide) Release date: 6 March 2007	Audio Engineer, Engineer, Mixing	[5]
	Annihilator – Metal Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 16 April 2007	Mixing, Producer	[43]
	Job for a Cowboy – Genesis Label: Metal Blade Release date: 15 May 2007	Mastering, Mixing	[44]
	Megadeth – United Abominations Label: Roadrunner Release date: 15 May 2007	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[45]
	Despised Icon – The Ills of Modern Man Label: Century Media Release date: 22 May 2007	Mastering, Mixing	[44]
	DevilDriver – The Last Kind Words Label: Roadrunner Release date: 31 July 2007	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	As I Lay Dying – An Ocean Between Us Label: Metal Blade Release date: 21 August 2007	Technician (guitar re-amping)	[46]
	Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 26 October 2007	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[5]
2008	Testament – The Formation of Damnation Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 29 April 2008	Engineer, Mixing	[5]
	Soulfly – Conquer Label: Roadrunner Release date: 29 July 2008	Mixing	[5]
	Unearth – The March Label: Metal Blade Records Release date: 14 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing	[47]
	Nevermore – The Year of the Voyager Label: Century Media Release date: 20 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Cradle of Filth – Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder Label: Roadrunner Release date: 28 October 2008	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Exodus – Let There Be Blood Label: Zaentz Records Release date: 28 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing	[44]
2009	Iron Monkey – Our Problem Label: Earache Records Release date: 26 May 2009	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[48]
	DevilDriver – Pray for Villains Label: Roadrunner Release date: 14 July 2009	Guitar Producer, Mastering, Mixing, Mixing Advisor	[49]
	Megadeth – Endgame Label: Roadrunner Release date: 14 September 2009	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[50]
	Arch Enemy – The Root of All Evil Label: Century Media Release date: 28 September 2009	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
2010	Living Sacrifice – The Infinite Order Label: Solid State 26 January 2010	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Exodus – Exhibit B: The Human Condition Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 7 May 2010	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Nevermore – The Obsidian Conspiracy Label: Century Media Release date: 8 June 2010	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Dimmu Borgir – Abrahadabra Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 September 2010	Guest Artist, Mixing	[51]
	Accept – Blood of the Nations Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 20 August 2010	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[52]
	Slayer – The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria Label: Warner Bros. (U.S.), Vertigo/Mercury (Europe) Release date: 29 October 2010	Mixing	[53]
	Cradle of Filth – Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa Label: Peaceville (Europe), Nuclear Blast (U.S.) Release date: 1 November 2010	Assistant Engineer, Mastering	[5]
2011	DevilDriver – Beast Label: Roadrunner Release date: 22 February 2011	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Arch Enemy – Khaos Legions Label: Century Media Release date: 30 May 2011	Mastering, Mixing	[54]
2012	Testament – Dark Roots of Earth Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 27 July 2012	Additional Footage, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[55]
	Accept – Stalingrad Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 6 April 2012	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[56]
2013	Saxon – Sacrifice Label: UDR Release date: 1 March 2013	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[57]
	Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent Label: Roadrunner Release date: 2 April 2013	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods Label: Metal Blade Release date: 25 June 2013	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Carcass – Surgical Steel Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 13 September 2013	Mastering, Mixing	[58]
	XXX: Three Decades of Roadrunner Records Label: Roadrunner Records Release date: 30 September 2013	Mixing, Producer	[59]
2014	Ronnie James Dio – This Is Your Life Label: Rhino Release date: 25 March 2014 (Japan), 31 March 2014	Engineer	[60]
	Accept – Blind Rage Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 15 August 2014	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[61]
	Exodus – Blood In, Blood Out Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 14 October 2014	Engineer (drums), Mastering, Mixing, Tracking	[5]
	Carcass – Surgical Remission/Surplus Steel Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 11 November 2014	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
2015	Kataklysm – Of Ghosts and Gods Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 31 July 2015	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Fear Factory – Genexus Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 7 August 2015	Mastering, Mixing	[62]
	Saxon – Battering Ram Label: UDR Release date: 16 October 2015	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[44]
2016	Amon Amarth – Jomsviking Label: Metal Blade Release date: 25 March 2016	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[5]
	Despised Icon – Beast Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 June 2016	Mastering, Mixing	[44]
	Testament – Brotherhood of the Snake Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 28 October 2016	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
2017	Overkill – The Grinding Wheel Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 10 February 2017	Mixing	[63]
	Accept – The Rise of Chaos Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 4 August 2017	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[64]
2018	Saxon – Thunderbolt Label: Silver Lining Release Date: 2 February 2018	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[44]
	Judas Priest – Firepower Label: Epic Records Release Date: 9 March 2018	Co-Producer (Along with Tom Allom)	[5][65]
2019	Overkill – The Wings of War Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 February 2019	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Xentrix – Bury the Pain Label: Listenable Release date: 7 June 2019	Mixing	[66]
	Killswitch Engage – Atonement Label: Metal Blade Release date: 16 August 2019	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
2020	Testament – Titans of Creation Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 3 April 2020	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	John Petrucci – Terminal Velocity Label: Sound Mind Music/The Orchard Release Date: 28 August 2020	Mastering, Mixing	[67]
2021	Accept – Too Mean to Die Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 29 January 2021	Mixing, Producer	[44]
	Fear Factory – Aggression Continuum Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 18 June 2021	Mastering, Mixing	[5]
	Dream Theater – A View from the Top of the World Label: Inside Out Music Release Date: 22 October 2021	Mastering, Mixing	[68]
	Exodus – Persona Non Grata Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 19 November 2021	Mixing	[69]
2022	Saxon – Carpe Diem Label: Silver Lining Release date: 4 February 2022	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[44]
	Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army Label: Metal Blade Release date: 5 August 2022	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[44]
	Xentrix – Seven Words Label: Listenable Release date: 4 November 2022	Mixing	[44]

References

External links

• Media related to Andy Sneap at Wikimedia Commons

---