Andy Sneap

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 mixing-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, Sneap 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].

Andy Sneap
Sneap with Judas Priest at the Tons of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway, in 2024
Background information
Born	(1969-07-18) 18 July 1969 (age 56) Belper, Derbyshire, England
Genres	Heavy metal, thrash metal
Occupation(s)	Musician, record producer, composer, audio engineer
Instrument	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] 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).^[4] He also mixed Megadeth's show from the DVD The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria, also featuring Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.^[4]

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.^[5] 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.^[6]

After disbanding Hydra and forming a new band, they chose Sabbat as the new name, which came from a book on witchcraft.^[6] 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.^[7] 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	[8]
	Curse and Chapter Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 November 2013	Composer, engineer, Guitar, Mixing, Producer	[5]

Selected production

Year	Album details	Role	Source
1994	English Dogs – Bow to None Label: Impact Records Release date: 1994	Assistant, Mixing	[9]
1996	Dearly Beheaded – Temptation Label: Music for Nations Release date: 3 June 1996	Engineer	[10]
1997	Machine Head – The More Things Change... Label: Roadrunner Records Release date: 25 March 1997	Mixing	[11]
	Napalm Death – Inside the Torn Apart Label: Earache Records Release date: 3 June 1997	Mixing	[12]
	Exodus – Another Lesson in Violence Label: Century Media Records Release date: 8 July 1997	Producer	[13]
	Skinlab – Bound, Gagged and Blindfolded Label: Century Media Release date: 8 July 1997	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[14]
	Napalm Death – Breed to Breathe (EP) Label: Earache Records Release date: 17 November 1997	Mixing
1998	Obituary – Dead Label: Roadrunner Release date: 21 April 1998	Mixing	[15]
	English Dogs – All the World's a Rage Label: Impact Records Release date: 25 August 1998	Producer	[16]
	Earth Crisis – Breed the Killers Label: Roadrunner Release date: 8 September 1998	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mixing, Producer	[17]
1999	Skinlab – Disembody: The New Flesh Label: Century Media Release date: 23 February 1999	Mixing, Producer, Vocals (Additional)	[18]
	Testament – The Gathering Label: Burnt Offerings, Spitfire Records (1999), Prosthetic Records (2008) Release date: 28 June 1999	Engineer, Mixing	[19]
	Artillery – B.A.C.K. Label: Die Hard music Release date: 2 October 1999	Mixing	[20]
2000	B L A Z E – Silicon Messiah Label: SPV Release date: 22 May 2000	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[21]
	Nevermore – Dead Heart in a Dead World Label: Century Media Release date: 17 October 2000	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[22]
	Fozzy – Fozzy Label: Palm Pictures / Megaforce Records Release date: 24 October 2000	Mastering, Mixing	[23]
2001	Arch Enemy – Wages of Sin Label: Century Media Release date: 2 April 2001	Mastering, Mixing	[24]
	Kreator – Violent Revolution Label: SPV/Steamhammer Records Release date: 25 September 2001	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[25]
	Testament – First Strike Still Deadly Label: Spitfire Records Release date: 24 October 2001	Audio Engineer, Mixing	[26]
2002	B L A Z E – Tenth Dimension Label: SPV Release date: 15 January 2002	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[27]
	Arch Enemy – Burning Angel Label: Century Media Release date: 6 March 2002	Mastering, Mixing	[28]
	Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing Label: Roadrunner Release date: 21 May 2002	Mastering, Mixing	[29]
	Skinlab – Revolting Room Label: Century Media Release date: 27 May 2002	Additional tracking, Mixing	[30]
	Living Sacrifice – Conceived in Fire Label: Solid State Records Release date: 24 September 2002	Mastering, Mixing
	Opeth – Deliverance Label: Koch, Music for Nations Release date: 12 November 2002	Mixing	[31]
	Masterplan – Enlighten Me Label: AFM Records Release date: 18 November 2002	Engineer, producer	[32]
2003	Masterplan – Masterplan Label: AFM Records Release date: 20 January 2003	Engineer, producer	[33]
	B L A Z E – As Live as It Gets Label: SPV Release date: 25 March 2003	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[34]
	Nevermore – Enemies of Reality Label: Century Media Release date: 29 July 2003, April 2005 (reissue)	Remastering, Remixing (2005 reissue)
	Arch Enemy – Anthems of Rebellion Label: Century Media Release date: 23 August 2003	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Pre-Production, Producer	[35]
	MTV2 Headbangers Ball Label: Roadrunner Release date: 7 October 2003	Mixing, producer	[36]
	Machine Head – Through the Ashes of Empires Label: Roadrunner Release date: 31 October 2003	Technician	[37]
	Opeth – Lamentations (Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2003) Label: Koch, Music for Nations Release date: 24 November 2003	Mixing, Recording
2004	Exodus – Tempo of the Damned Label: Nuclear Blast Records, King Records (Japan), Dream On Music (Korea) Release date: 2 February 2004	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	36 Crazyfists – A Snow Capped Romance Label: Roadrunner Release date: 16 March 2004	Mastering, Mixing	[38]
	B L A Z E – Blood & Belief Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 26 April 2004	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Photography, Producer	[39]
	Killswitch Engage – The End of Heartache Label: Roadrunner Release date: 11 May 2004	Mastering, Mixing
	Caliban – The Opposite from Within Label: Roadrunner Release date: 17 October 2004	Audio Engineer, Mastering, Mixing	[40]
	Bullet for My Valentine – Bullet for My Valentine Label: Visible Noise Release date: 15 November 2004	Mastering	[41]
2005	Kreator – Enemy of God Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 10 January 2005	Audio Production, Mixing, Producer
	Trivium – Ascendancy Label: Roadrunner Release date: 15 March 2005	Mastering, Mixing, Vocals	[42]
	As I Lay Dying – Shadows Are Security Label: Metal Blade Records Release date: 14 June 2005	Mastering, Mixing
	Arch Enemy – Doomsday Machine Label: Century Media Release date: 26 July 2005	Mastering, Mixing
	Nevermore – This Godless Endeavor Label: Century Media Release date: 26 July 2005	Engineering, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Bullet for My Valentine – Hand of Blood Label: Trustkill Records Release date: 22 August 2005	Audio Production, Mastering	[43]
	Bullet for My Valentine – The Poison Label: Visible Noise Release date: 3 October 2005	Mixing, Producer (track 6)	[44]
	Exodus – Shovel Headed Kill Machine Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 4 October 2005	Mastering, Mixing
2006	Caliban – The Undying Darkness Label: Abacus Release date: 4 April 2006	Mastering, Mixing
	As I Lay Dying – A Long March: The First Recordings Label: Metal Blade Release date: 16 May 2006	Mixing (tracks 1 and 3)	[45]
	36 Crazyfists – Rest Inside the Flames Label: Roadrunner, DRT Entertainment 12 June 2006	Mastering, Mixing	[46]
	Kerrang Album Release date: 11 September 2006	Producer	[47]
	Into Eternity – The Scattering of Ashes Label: Century Media Release date: 3 October 2006	Mastering, Mixing	[48]
	Cradle of Filth – Thornography Label: Roadrunner Release date: 17 October 2006	Mastering, Mixing
2007	Onslaught – Killing Peace Label: Candlelight Records Release date: 5 March 2007	Mixing, Producer	[49]
	Chimaira – Resurrection Label: Ferret Music (U.S.), Nuclear Blast (Worldwide) Release date: 6 March 2007	Audio Engineer, Engineer, Mixing
	Annihilator – Metal Label: SPV/Steamhammer Release date: 16 April 2007	Mixing, Producer	[50]
	Job for a Cowboy – Genesis Label: Metal Blade Release date: 15 May 2007	Mastering, Mixing
	Megadeth – United Abominations Label: Roadrunner Release date: 15 May 2007	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[51]
	Rise to Addiction – A New Shade of Black for the Soul Label: Mausoleum Records Release date: 21 May 2007	Audio Production, engineer, Mixing, Producer	[52]
	Despised Icon – The Ills of Modern Man Label: Century Media Release date: 22 May 2007	Mastering, Mixing
	DevilDriver – The Last Kind Words Label: Roadrunner Release date: 31 July 2007	Mastering, Mixing
	As I Lay Dying – An Ocean Between Us Label: Metal Blade Release date: 21 August 2007	Technician (guitar re-amping)	[53]
	Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 26 October 2007	Engineer, Mixing, Producer
2008	Testament – The Formation of Damnation Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 29 April 2008	Engineer, Mixing
	36 Crazyfists – The Tide and Its Takers Label: Ferret Release date: 27 May 2008	Mastering, Mixing	[54]
	Soulfly – Conquer Label: Roadrunner Release date: 29 July 2008	Mixing
	Unearth – The March Label: Metal Blade Release date: 14 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing	[55]
	Nevermore – The Year of the Voyager Label: Century Media Release date: 20 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing
	Cradle of Filth – Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder Label: Roadrunner Release date: 28 October 2008	Audio Engineer, Audio Production, Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Exodus – Let There Be Blood Label: Zaentz Records Release date: 28 October 2008	Mastering, Mixing
2009	Iron Monkey – Our Problem Label: Earache Records Release date: 26 May 2009	Engineer, Mixing, Producer	[56]
	DevilDriver – Pray for Villains Label: Roadrunner Release date: 14 July 2009	Guitar Producer, Mastering, Mixing, Mixing Advisor	[57]
	Megadeth – Endgame Label: Roadrunner Release date: 14 September 2009	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Arch Enemy – The Root of All Evil Label: Century Media Release date: 28 September 2009	Mastering, Mixing
2010	Living Sacrifice – The Infinite Order Label: Solid State Release date: 26 January 2010	Mastering, Mixing
	Exodus – Exhibit B: The Human Condition Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 7 May 2010	Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Nevermore – The Obsidian Conspiracy Label: Century Media Release date: 8 June 2010	Mastering, Mixing
	36 Crazyfists – Collisions and Castaways Label: Ferret, Roadrunner Release date: 27 July 2010	Mastering, Mixing	[58]
	Accept – Blood of the Nations Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 20 August 2010	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[59]
	Dimmu Borgir – Abrahadabra Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 September 2010	Guest Artist, Mixing	[60]
	Megadeth – "Sudden Death" Label: Roadrunner Release date: 28 September 2010	Mixing	[61]
	Slayer – The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria Label: Warner Bros. (U.S.), Vertigo Records/Mercury Records (Europe) Release date: 29 October 2010	Mixing	[62]
	Cradle of Filth – Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa Label: Peaceville Records (Europe), Nuclear Blast (U.S.) Release date: 1 November 2010	Assistant Engineer, Mastering
2011	DevilDriver – Beast Label: Roadrunner Release date: 22 February 2011	Mastering, Mixing
	Arch Enemy – Khaos Legions Label: Century Media Release date: 30 May 2011	Mastering, Mixing	[63]
	Megadeth – Thirteen Label: Roadrunner Release date: 1 November 2011	Additional engineering	[64]
2012	Accept – Stalingrad Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 6 April 2012	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[65]
	Testament – Dark Roots of Earth Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 27 July 2012	Additional Footage, engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[66]
2013	Saxon – Sacrifice Label: UDR Release date: 1 March 2013	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[67]
	Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent Label: Roadrunner Release date: 2 April 2013	Mastering, Mixing
	Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods Label: Metal Blade Release date: 25 June 2013	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Carcass – Surgical Steel Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 13 September 2013	Mastering, Mixing	[68]
	XXX: Three Decades of Roadrunner Records Label: Roadrunner Release date: 30 September 2013	Mixing, Producer	[69]
2014	Ronnie James Dio – This Is Your Life Label: Rhino Entertainment Release date: 25 March 2014 (Japan), 31 March 2014	Engineer	[70]
	Accept – Blind Rage Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 15 August 2014	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[71]
	Exodus – Blood In, Blood Out Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 14 October 2014	Engineer (drums), Mastering, Mixing, Tracking
	Machine Head – Bloodstone & Diamonds Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 10 November 2014	Additional tracking, editing, and mixing	[72]
	Carcass – Surgical Remission/Surplus Steel (EP) Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 11 November 2014	Mastering, Mixing
2015	Kataklysm – Of Ghosts and Gods Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 31 July 2015	Mastering, Mixing
	Fear Factory – Genexus Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 7 August 2015	Mastering, Mixing	[73]
	Saxon – Battering Ram Label: UDR Release date: 16 October 2015	Engineer, Mastering, Mixing, Producer
2016	Amon Amarth – Jomsviking Label: Metal Blade Release date: 25 March 2016	Engineer, Mixing, Producer
	Despised Icon – Beast Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 June 2016	Mastering, Mixing
	Testament – Brotherhood of the Snake Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 28 October 2016	Mastering, Mixing
2017	Overkill – The Grinding Wheel Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 10 February 2017	Mixing	[74]
	Accept – The Rise of Chaos Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 4 August 2017	Mastering, Mixing, Producer	[75]
2018	Saxon – Thunderbolt Label: Silver Lining Release Date: 2 February 2018	Engineer, Mixing, Producer
	Judas Priest – Firepower Label: Epic Records Release Date: 9 March 2018	Co-Producer (Along with Tom Allom), Engineer, Mastering, Mixing	[76]
2019	Overkill – The Wings of War Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 22 February 2019	Mastering, Mixing (track 11)
	Xentrix – Bury the Pain Label: Listenable Records Release date: 7 June 2019	Mixing	[77]
	Killswitch Engage – Atonement Label: Metal Blade Release date: 16 August 2019	Mastering, Mixing
2020	Testament – Titans of Creation Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 3 April 2020	Mastering, Mixing
	Kreator – "666 - World Divided" Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 10 April 2020	Producer	[78]
	John Petrucci – Terminal Velocity Label: Sound Mind Music/The Orchard Release Date: 28 August 2020	Mastering, Mixing	[79]
2021	Accept – Too Mean to Die Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 29 January 2021	Mixing, Producer
	Fear Factory – Aggression Continuum Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 18 June 2021	Mastering, Mixing
	Dream Theater – A View from the Top of the World Label: Inside Out Music Release Date: 22 October 2021	Mastering, Mixing	[80]
	Exodus – Persona Non Grata Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 19 November 2021	Mixing	[81]
2022	Saxon – Carpe Diem Label: Silver Lining Release date: 4 February 2022	Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Annihilator – Metal II Label: earMUSIC Release date: 18 February 2022	Re-amping (guitars)
	Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army Label: Metal Blade Release date: 5 August 2022	Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Xentrix – Seven Words Label: Listenable Release date: 4 November 2022	Mixing
2023	Elegant Weapons – Horns for a Halo Label: Nuclear Blast Release date: 26 May 2023	Mastering, Mixing, Engineering, Producer
2024	Saxon – Hell, Fire and Damnation Label: Silver Lining Release date: 19 January 2024	Mastering, Mixing, Producer
	Judas Priest – Invincible Shield Label: Epic Release date: 8 March 2024	Producer, Guitar
	Accept – Humanoid Label: Napalm Records Release date: 26 April 2024	Mastering, Mixing, Producer
2025	Dream Theater – Parasomnia Label: Inside Out Release date: 7 February 2025	Engineering, Mastering, Mixing