Just a few weeks giving one virtual analogue synth plugin away for freeUniversal Audio has announced the release of another soft-synth inspired by classic analogue instruments: Anthem.
Designed to capture the warmth and character of “coveted monosynths of bygone eras”, Anthem is a virtual analogue instrument built on a classic dual-oscillator architecture. Though it’s fundamentally monophonic, Anthem has both Unison and Paraphonic modes, the latter allowing you to play up to four voices through the same filter and amp envelopes.
Anthem’s two analogue-modelled oscillators produce four continuously variable waveforms spanning triangle, saw, square and pulse waves, alongside a sub oscillator and noise generator, and oscillator sync and ring modulation are both accessible via Anthem’s warp control.
The synth’s resonant analogue-modelled filter is fairly basic but offers both Drive and Growl controls for dialling in vintage-style saturation and grit, and there’s an additional high-pass filter onboard too, along with keytracking and modulation controls.
Modulation comes courtesy of two ADSR envelopes for amplitude and filter and a single tempo-syncable LFO, which offers triangle, square and random waveforms that can be shaped via its Tilt control. Along with the filter cutoff, these can be routed to the oscillators’ waveshape, pitch and warp controls.
Anthem’s effects panel includes a stereo chorus and Mod FX section that features a phaser, flanger and tape-style warble effect, along with a Space FX panel comprising tape echo, spring reverb and hall reverb effects. There’s also a three-lane, 16-step sequencer on board with swing and accents, along with polyrhythmic and randomized sequencing modes.
Overall, Anthem is a stripped-back synth with relatively limited capabilities, and some will surely question the decision not to include an optional polyphonic mode, but it’s clear that Universal Audio isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here, instead offering music-makers an intuitive instrument that makes it easy to craft bold, punchy and authentic analogue-style sounds.
Priced at an introductory discount of $149, Anthem is available for macOS and Windows in VST3/AU/AAX formats.
