Neural DSP’s guitar‑rig modelling plug‑in range caters for almost every style of guitar tone you care to think of, but the company have won a particularly loyal fan base in the modern metal and rock community. Their latest release, Archetype: Misha Mansoor X, will certainly to appeal to that audience, as Mansoor’s innovative guitar playing, and his writing and production work with bands such as Periphery and Animals As Leaders, have influenced a whole generation of modern metal guitar players. Perhaps best known for using down‑tuned and extended‑range guitars (his endorsements include a signature seven‑string guitar with Jackson), Misha has tailored his rig to work in that context and, of course, that’s reflected here within Neural’s virtual recreation.
I’ve explored the GUI of the Archetype plug‑ins in previous Neural plug‑in reviews, and as this release follows a similar format I won’t repeat myself here, other than to say the polished GUI houses the familiar set of global controls (including access to presets, the excellent doubler, tuner and MIDI configuration options) and multiple tabs to access separate sections of the rig’s signal flow. In this case, the sections comprise Special FX, Pre Effects, Amp, Cab, EQ and Post Effects options.
The three amp models are labelled Clean, Rhythm and Lead, and while they can all deliver a wide range of gain, things get hotter as you move through these options. These models will undoubtedly be inspired by some real amps, but I suspect they might well be modded versions and there may be, in this software version, a few additional mods (such as the Voicing switches) to add further tonal options. The three different cabs have corresponding amps, but they can be mixed and matched with the amps, and each includes a collection of IRs provided by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood. The Cab module also offers standard IR loading. Even if you ignore the rest of what’s offered, there is a huge range of tonal options available, from crystal cleans through to crushing high gain. However, even at higher gain settings, it’s possible to avoid the low end getting out of control. I suspect seven‑ and eight‑string players will find this low‑end clarity particularly useful.
The Pre Effects include compression, tape delay, overdrive, octaver and distortion options, but it’s the Special FX section that will catch the more experimental eye. The likely inspiration for the Laser pedal, which combines ring‑modulation and pitch‑shifting, might be familiar to Fractal Axe‑Fx users (Misha has used Fractal units live for some time), but to fully exploit it really requires a suitable MIDI expression pedal. That’s not the only creative option, though, as the Glitch pedal is just as wild a ride. Like Hologram’s Microcosm hardware pedal, this uses granular processing, chopping your audio signal into grains and then reassembling them in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways. If you enjoy taking your guitar performance into experimental sound‑design territory, then this combo might be reason enough to check out this plug‑in.
After a nine‑band EQ, the Post Effects section adds to the creative possibilities. The Stereo Delay and Reverb pedals offer conventional ambience treatments but, with a neat ducker feature within the delay and a shimmer mode for the reverb, there are some cool sonic possibilities. However, the Modulator pedal, which features both expression pedal and ‘auto’ modes of operation, lets you experiment with sweeping chorus or flanger‑based effects.
Anyone looking for a selection of high‑quality tones that span the modern metal and rock genres really should put this on their wishlist.
Like all Neural DSP’s plug‑ins, the quality of the modelling is excellent. If you’re looking for your first top‑shelf guitar rig plug‑in and need it to cover all sonic bases, perhaps there are more obvious choices out there, but anyone looking for a selection of high‑quality tones that span the modern metal and rock genres really should put this on their wishlist. And at the same time, you will also get a whole world of guitar sound design included for good measure. While it will obviously appeal to Misha’s guitar‑playing fanbase, you don’t need to be a member to appreciate this plug‑in! You can, of course, try before you buy (there’s a 14‑day trial), but if metal guitar is your thing and you can afford the price of entry, I can confirm that Archetype: Misha Mansoor X sounds excellent.