Distinctive digital sound
This list only gives you an idea of the possibilities Warlock already offers on the oscillator level. And the whole thing is also available in duplicate. We liked the basic sound very much. Despite various warming modifiers, you can always still hear the typical sound: a touch plastic and digital sound that characterizes Tone2 synthesizers. For ultra-realistic recreations of analog classics, we would, therefore, turn to other plug-ins. Warlock, however, offers a very punchy and distinctive sound that is somewhat reminiscent of Casio‘s CZ classics, but, of course, goes miles beyond that in terms of sonic possibilities and also stands out pleasantly from the current glut of wavetable synthesizers.
Filter, effects, arpeggiator
The filter section, on the other hand, seems almost conventional, although it can boast a double-digit number of different filter types. The spectrum ranges from lowpass, highpass and bandpass to resampler, aliaser, resonator and various vocal filters. The classic filter types sound solid without imbuing themselves with special character. When combined with the oscillators, which already provide a very complex and independent sound base, this is, in our opinion, completely sufficient. With Drive, you can also thicken the whole thing a bit. We liked the filter in combination with the fast envelopes; crisp basses are no problem for Warlock. An effects unit with two slots can also be found onboard. You can choose between reverb, delay, modulation effects and distortion, partly also in combination. As a playing aid, there is an arpeggiator that can come up with various rhythmic patterns, as well as a chord function and gater.
Direct Operation
Despite the extensive possibilities, the developer has managed to accommodate all sound-shaping parameters on one page. The operation is, therefore, fast; and even without studying the manual, we were able to elicit exciting sounds from this synthesizer. The spectrum tables and their interaction with the various modifiers naturally need to be explored, and in the beginning, there are often pleasant coincidences. With time, however, you understand the interplay better and better and can also consciously exploit the possibilities. And these possibilities are truly limitless. From digital sounds from the early days of digital synthesizers (D50, K1, CZ-1) to cutting-edge EDM leads to complex sound collages, the plug-in has a lot to offer.
Verdict
Warlock offers an independent concept for creating punchy sounds of any kind. Sonically, it moves between old digital classics like Roland D-50 and Casio CZ-1, and modern wavetable synthesizers like Serum and, therefore, finds a special place in your tracks. A big plus point is that this synthesizer is easy to use, despite its complex possibilities and invites you to tweak the sound. At its current price of 59 Euro, you can‘t go wrong here! r
