Independently producing an album is sometimes the most viable option for a heavy metal artist. In these cases, they will often need to create their own studio to record music. While every space is different, there are several elements that all heavy metal recording studios will need.
Professional Multi-Instrument Mics
Picking up a good quality sound is essential. Poor mics will not be able to record metal music at a professional level. It is a relatively common practice to mic up each individual instrument separately. If the band wants to play all at the same time, this will mean they need multiple mics.
A Mixing Deck
The mixing deck tends to be the most expensive part of the studio. It consists of a massive booth separated from the recording area. A mixing engineer takes the individually recorded sections of a song and brings them together. Mixing decks allow musicians to play around with volume, pitch, and many other sound qualities. A song will need to be tweaked until it sounds perfect. This can take months to achieve.
Soundproofing
The recording area needs to be separated from the outside world. If the sound from outside bleeds through the walls, it can ruin a take. Conversely, if the loud heavy metal can be heard coming from the studio, it might be considered a nuisance by local residents. Musicians often want full control of their sound. This can only be accomplished through soundproofing.
A Comfortable Environment
Keeping the artists comfortable might sound like a secondary issue compared to previously discussed elements. However, the mood of a band will directly affect how productive a recording day is. Using a studio is quite expensive. If the group feels comfortable, they are much more likely to get on with their playing. There have been several infamous stories of musicians struggling to record due to unpleasant studio environments.